"مُلخّص المراسلات المتعلّقة بشؤون زنزبار من ١٨٥٦ إلى ١٨٧٢." أعدّه النقيب ب. د. هندرسون، الملحق بالإدارة الخارجية" [ظ‎‎٩‎٢] (١١٤/٢٤)

Events preceding the arbitration by the Government of India-
the El Ilarth his enemies at once. They had subsequently been extremely anxious
to be reconciled to Syed Majid. The Muscat ship Caroline with Syed Thowey-
nee's Agent, Ahmed bin Salem (a cousin of both Syed Thoweynee and Syed
Majid), on board had at last left Zanzibar, This Ahmed Captain Eigby repre
sented to be a dangerous and unscrupulous person. During the whole of his visit
he had been intriguing with the French Consul with the view of gaining the
support of the latter in his designs against Syed Majid. It was not until
after the Sultan had remonstrated strongly against his intimacy that the
French Consul, in open durbar, refused to shake hands with Ahmed bin Salem,
or to take any further notice of him. Shortly after this, said Captain Hifjby,
Ahmed bribed an Albaman jemadar of Syed Majid's to assassinate his master;
but the plot was discovered in time. There was good reason to believe that
Syed Burgash was privy to the attempted assassination, and the Sultan, there
fore, determined to send him away at once.
On the 9th October Captain Rigby reported that Syed Burgash had again
been giving trouble in Zanzibar. One of Syed Majid's own ships had been
prepared to take him to Oman, but, after delaying his departure on various
pretences for several days, he at length obstinately refused to leave his house,
where he collected some of Syed Majid's younger brothers and their mothers,
and which he threatened to blow up with gun-powder if force was used. He
was induced, however, to promise compliance with the order to embark,
and, at his request, a buggalow was prepared to take him to Maculla on the
Hadramaut coast, where he expressed a wish to go until he could ascertain what
sort of a reception he would meet with from Syed Thoweynee. His baggage
and provisions were embarked, but the night before his intended departure he
escaped into the interior of the island, and took possession of a large country
house belonging to his deceased brother, Khalid, which he commenced to fortifv,
and openly declared his intention of opposing Syed Majid. Captain Rigby
did his best to induce the latter to take energetic measures at once before Syed
Burgash could entrench himself in his position and collect men by promises of
pay and plunder. , The rebellion was not formidable, but, from the peculiar
mode of warfare of the Arabs, it was probable that none of the Sultan's troops
would dare to approach the stockade, and hence resistance could be prolonged
for a considerable time.
It was commonly reported in the town that Syed Burgash had not kept his
promise ol embarking from Zanzibar, because he expected a French ship-of-
war to arrive there.
There is here a gap in the records of the Foreign Office, but it appears
from a letter dated 27th December 1859, from Captain Jones, the Resident,
Persian Gulf, that Syed Burgash arrived during that month at Bunder Abbas
where Syed Thoweynee happened to be at the time. Under cover of the same
communication. Captain Jones forwarded letters from the ruler Of Muscat
denying tbat his agent, Hamed bin Salem, had been concerned in any intrigues
against Syed Majid when at Zanzibar, and repeating the accusation that Syed
Majid had aided Syed Toorkee with money and munitions of war.— (Com. Sth
March 1860, Nos 21-22.J _ Writing on the 30th November 1859, Lieutenant-Colo-
ne Rig iy reported all quiet at Zanzibar. The French Commodore in the Corde-
here had arrived, and had shown due courtesy and respect to the Sultan After
the Commodore's departure, the French Consul, who was supposed to be
in correspondence with Syed Thoweynee, had continued his course of petty
insult to the Sultan. 1 ^
In December 1859 Captain Rigby submitted a refutation of the allega
tions made by Syed Thoweynee against Syed Majid, with regard to the latter
having aided Syed loorkee with arms and money. He explained that the
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