تقارير إدارية من الخليج العربي ١٨٨٣/١٨٨٤ – ١٩٠٤/١٩٠٥ [ظ‎‎٢‎٢‎٢] (٦٠٢/٤٤٩)

18
ADMINISTRATION REPOET ON THE PERSIAN GULP POLITICAL
of the al-Wahibeh having written to the Suitan that should His Highness
discontinue to give his tribe their usual presents they would raid on and loot
any place they could lay their hands on, the Sultan sent a further re-inforce-
ment of armed sowars to strengthen the garrison of Seeh which it was supposed
would be the rendezvous of the mal-gontents.
Nothing, however, occurred till the 22nd July, when a handful of Sharki-
yeh Bedouins with the aid of some of the Siabieen, though not strong enough
to attack the town and bazaar, raided the house of a wealthy Balooch merchant
killed its owner and looted the premises before the Sultan's garrison appeared
on the scene. The latter put the marauders to flight killing four of their
number and five camels, while the pursuers had one of their ifien killed and two
slightly wounded. At the request of the Sultan who feared a more serious
raid on Seeb, the British subjects were directed to remove themselves with
their valuables for a time which they did. His Highness at the same time
provided the garrison with a large supply of ammunition. Nothing further
however, occurred to disturb the peace of the place.
On the 29th June news reached Maskat that some Bedouins of the
Sharkiyeh under the leadership of a notorious robber named Muhammad bin
Suleiman Muskaree had committed a raid on the bazaar at Kurriyat, 18 miles
south of Maskat, the previous day, and on 30th four British Indian Banian
traders arrived at the Consulate and confirmed the news. The Sultan imme
diately sent a large force to punish the raiders who, however, had left the
place with their loot before their arrival. The claims of the traders after
careful verification were presented to the Saltan by the Political Agent on 11th
December 1899, and were settled by him forthwith.
On the 15th July the Sultan ordered the levy of punitive tax upon the
produce brought to coast towns by the Rahbieen who were known to be defeat
ing the object of that tax by passing into Matra as their own tax-free produce,
the goods of persons under the ban. The Eahbieen thereupon closed Akk Pass
to all Kafilahs to and from the interior, and were soon imitated by the Siabieen
who closed Khaza Pass in retaliation for the imprisonment of six of their tribes
men who had shortly before been arrested by the Wali of Kurryat and sent in
irons to Maskat. The trade routes being closed trade came to a practical
standstill by which the Customs farmer was a heavy sufferer: he therefore
threatened to throw up the Customs farm unless the Sultan arranged to open
the roads. The Sultan accordingly ordered Sheikh Rashid bin Uzaiz, the Gov
ernor of Semail, to arrange for the opening of the passes, which he succeeded in
doing by giving the Sheikhs their usual presents.
On the 18th July news was received that Wali Suleiman bin Suweilim
had been wounded and two of his men killed in a fight with the Mokabil,
which had been brought about by the latter refusing to surrender two of their
tribesmen who had escaped from confinement in the fort of Sohar. The Moka
bil were aided by the Beni Ali and the Wali therefore cut down a number of
date trees of the latter. A month afterwards the Beni Ali mustered in great
force near Sohar and threatened an attack on Wali Suleiman, and at the same
time sent a letter to the Sultan informing His Highness that they have only
risen against the Wali to recover the damages done to their date groves, and
unless they obtained redress they intended to have recourse to force to compel
compliance with their demands. The Wali, however, was prepared for the hos
tility of the tribe, and had taken measures to forestall any attack that might
be made upon him. The result was that both parties sat waiting their oppor
tunity and neither would take the offensive, and the situation became so intoler
able to the unoffending public that on 8th September Sheikh Sukkur bin
Zaeed bin Khaleefah was persuaded to attempt mediation. Wali Suleiman,
however, would brook no interference, and eventually the Sultan hearing of the
state of things sent two trusted envoys to counsel Suleiman and get him to put
an end to the strife by accepting any amicable arrangement which Sheikh Zaeed
a ^ e ^ )r ^ 11 ® about. The latter succeeded in arranging the matter,
and wan Suleiman thereupon left for Maskat to get his w^ounded foot treated
and remained to the end of the year.
On 3rd December a serious brawl resulting in some casualties took place
at beeb between the Awamir and the Beni Hina. The Wali at once intervened.