'Selections from the Records of the Bombay Government' [‎358] (400/733)

358
JOASMEES.
dated 11th November 1852, some three months after the order had
reached its destination, when he heard that some money exacted
from Shaikh Synd bin Butye, for some people of his, who had been
injured at sea, had been paid to the sufferers, and not to himself. Again
so late as the month of August in the ensuing year, Hajee Yacoob
complained of the unfriendliness shown him by the Joasmee, in conse
quence of monies, exacted as compensation for irregularities at sea,
"being paid to the individuals aggrieved" in lieu of himself.
During the absence of Shaikh Syud bin Butye, the Chief of the Boo
Felasa, from his post, at Muskat, to which port he had repaired on a
visit to His Highness the Imaum, Shaikh Sultan bin Suggur supported
the pretensions of the sons of the late Muktoom, who dared to aspire to
the chiefship. His intrigues, however, were not attended with much
success. He contrived, it is true, to bribe and entice Syud bin
Maanaul Moheyree to quit Debaye with his tribe, and settle at Shargah,
but all his endeavours in behalf of the youthful heirs to the chiefship
were utterly frustrated by an alliance, offensive and defensive, that was
suddenly concluded, on the 17th December 1852, between Shaikh Syud
bin Butye and the Chiefs of the Beniyas and Amulgavine Tribes.
There remains but to notice the part that was played by the Joasmec
during the complications that arose in the spring of 1853, between the
Wahabee and Muskat authorities. The course pursued by Shaikh
Sultan was as objectionable as ever. He hastened to wait upon
Abdoolla bin Fysul, so soon as he heard of his arrival at Brymee ; he
strove all in his power to prevent the conclusion of a peaceable arrange
ment between the contending parties ; though made aware that the
Resident had arrived off the coast for the purpose of meeting him, he
manifested no inclination to return to his seat and wait upon him, but
" proposed to make up for his absence by appointing certain deputies
to communicate with Captain Kemball in his stead,"—deputies whom,
there was every reason to suppose, he had not " vested with powers
to conclude any definitive arrangement" ; he strongly counselled an
immediate march upon the Batinah districts; he pointed out the
defenceless condition they were in; and he succeeded in raising himself
to the highest favour in the eyes of the Wahabee commander.
His counsels, his plans, beyond those of the rest of the chiefs, one
and all were agreeable to the wishes and desires of Abdoolla bin Fysul;
and considering that a day had been fixed (so said Shaikh Syud bin
Tahnoon) for the march of the coalesced forces on the Imaum's
dominions, matters might indeed have proved serious, had not a com
bination of circumstances conspired to damp the ardour of both Joasmee
and Wahabee for a recourse to hostilities. The project of an invasion