"سجلات تاريخ عُمان" [‎٥‎٤] (١١٢/٧١)

54
Annals of 'Oman.
faithful, 18 who overtook him at a place called el-Kharus. This advanced
party of the Musalmans having been assailed by Nasir's force before the
main body of the Imam's army came up, they were slain to a man. Grod
alone is Immortal! When the army arrived at the spot, they saw their
comrades lying dead, and not a man of Nasir's force was in sight.
About this time Hamid, alias Mohammed-bin 'Othman, attacked the
district of el-Sirr, where Mohammed-bin Seyf el-Howkani was Wall. Sa'id-
bin Khalfan, who happened to be in el-Sirr at the time, demanded an inter
view with Ibn-Hamid, and they met at el-Ghabbi, in the mosque of el-
Shan'ah, when Sa'id demanded restitution of the property they had plunder
ed ; but the other refused and became still more insolent and audacious, so
that Sa'id was obliged to have him imprisoned in irons in the fort of el-
Ghabbi. Sa'id then proceeded to el-JRostak and informed the Imam of the
seizure of Mohammed-bin 'Othman at el-Ghabbi. The Imam ordered him
to be brought to el-Rostak, and he was accordingly conveyed there in fet
ters, and remained in confinement for seven months when he died.
The Imam soon after raised another army under command of Sa'id-bin
Khalfan, supported by 'Omeyr-bin Mohammed-bin Jafir. This force pro
ceeded with the design of seizing the camel herds of Nasir-bin Katan el-
Hilah. Before they reached the spot where the camels were, they were
encountered, at a place named el-Sha'ib near el-Dhafrah, by the Benu-Yas,
and a battle ensued, in which the leader of the Benu-Yas, Sakeyr-bin 'I'sa,
and his brother Mohammed with a number of the tribe were slain. On
this they sued for peace, which the Wall granted, and the army returned.
The Imam then directed them to proceed to a place called Daghfis, where
Nasir-bin Katan had herds of camels. They succeeded in capturing these
camels, which were made over to the charge of 'Omeyr-bin Moaammed-bin
Jafir, but the latter's brother, at the instigation of others, restored the
camels to^Nasir-bin Katan. The latter and his followers ceased not to pil
lage 'Oman until he became the dread of " Bedu" and " Hadhr," and the
people of the desert sought refuge in the villages. On the occasion of one
of his raiding expeditions, Nasir halted with his army in the south, and sent
a body ot his people to close the passes. The Imam sent an army against
him under Seyf-bin Malik and Seyf-bin Abul-'Arab. The advanced guard
of the Imam s force came suddenly on Nasir's force and, being few in com
parison with the latter, they were all slain. Nasir then withdrew to el-Ahsa,
and the Imam's army returned.
After this God aided the Imam of the Musalmans against all wrong
doers, whom he ejected from their habitations and removed with the strong
arm. He took pledges from the disaffected and humbled their leaders,
crushed the tyrannical, and checked all oppressors. God was on his side and
bestowed His grace on him, so that el-Islam was exalted and shone forth,