"الاتجار بالأسلحة في مسقط. ١٩٠٨-١٩٠٩." [و‎‎٢‎٦] (١٢٨/٥٦)

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had been unable to collect sufficient men
and camels, went back to Karachi to get
help from Dost Muhammad. The big
dealers usually visit him on their way
through Karachi.
At Bandar Abbas .—There is a man Jan
Muhammad, Sulaiman Khel, a broker, who
lives there with his family, helps them in
collecting camels, changing their money and
hundis, gives information re routes, boats,
etc., receives money on deposit. Does
a large business.
At Qishm Island .—There is a man Abdul
Ghafur, an Afghan, who helps them in
getting boats, guides, etc. His assistance
is sought by the men who go from Bandar
Abbas to Dibai.
At Dibai —There is one Saiyid Umar, who
keeps a langar there. Afghans going for
arms make the excuse of going to visit
him as a holy man. He helps them in
every way.
At Masqat .—All the gun merchants help
the Afghans to procure boats and get their
arms away. Ali Khan bin Musa Khan and
Haroun bin Khamas were especially pro
minent in this respect.
The Sultan of Masqat’s Inspector of
Customs, Abdul Ghafur Khan, a native of
Poona. This man helps the Arabs in ship
ping their arms by British India boats to
the Upper Gulf ports.
One of our men got to know him well.
He offered to procure him any arms he want
ed, and said that he had 250 rifles and a
large number of cartridges of his own wdiich
he was prepared to sell at cheaper rates than
the merchants. He offered to arrange for
sailing boats at Matrah, and he also said
that he could get our man’s arms landed at-
some small post on the Persian side—not at
one of the regular points of call—by the Bri
tish India S.S. Dwarka. He gave our man a
letter of introduction to the Police Jemadar
at Gwadar. His uncle, Abdul Karim, is Col
lector of Customs at Masqat, and between
the two there are doubtless many schemes
for smuggling, etc.