‘Report on the administration of the Persian Gulf Political Agency and Muscat Political Agency for the year 1883-84.’ [‎47v] (34/166)

32 administeation kepoet of the peesian sulf political
A deputation ^ in some hiv^^tion^Thastened^is^arnrng^
^ntea'nTsTe! fromM'uscat in November 1836, arriving at Mombasa about the close of the
year He at once summoned Easbid to surrender, but, recemng no reply, Sa eed landed h.s
Cps and batteries on the north side of the creek and commenced a bombardment Taught
bv experience, however, of the futility of this methrf, he founded h.s hopes upon mtngne and
by lavish expenditure soon gained over a large proportion of those opposed to h.m, mcludmg
Khamis and Nasir, the uncles of Bashid. Rashid, seemg the gradual defecfaou of h, B
adherents and finding himself unable to hold out against the power of Sa eed s purse, opened
neerociations, and in February 1837 a convention was concluded in the terms of the
original pact by which the fort was to be garrisoned by Sa eed s men, and the Wall was to
reside in the town. Sa'eed then appointed Ali-bin-Munsoor to command the fort with a garri
son of 500 men, and sailed for Zanzibar. Shortly after, at Sa eed s invitation l^ashid paid a
visit to Zanzibar and was then offered the Waliship of Pemba, or a liberal pension, if he
would relinquish his title and claim to the Waliship of Mombasa, and quit that place with his
family for ever.
Rashid declined the preferred baits and maintained his hereditary claim to Mombasa,
and Sa'eed failing in his attempt to get final possession of the coveted fort by purchase, devised
a plan for the extermination of the family of the Mezeni Chief. Rashid was now honourably
treated and sent back to Mombasa with presents. But two months later, Khalid, SaVd's
second son, was despatched to that fort with secret orders which he carried out with great
precision and success. On arrival at Mombasa, where he was received with due respect,
Khalid landed and held a durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). in Arab fashion at the fort gate. Rashid and the other
Mezenis attended the levee, and, after making their salutations, were desired to enter the fort
for the discussion of business. On passing in they were seized one by one and thrown into
prison to the number of 80. Suspicions then arose, the alarm spread, and the remainder of
the Mezara fled to to the mainland. The prisoners were immediately put on board and carried
by Khalid to Zanzibar, whence Sa'eed shipped them to Bunder Abbass in one of his frigates.
Some were thrown overboard on the way, and the rest were immured and starved to death.
Sa'eed's wars at Mombasa had been marked throughout by a series of perfidies, and this cruel
murder of the gallant Rashid and his companions fittingly completed his conquest. With
their death the Mezeni dynasty, which had lasted for over a century, and which neither the
Imaum Ahmed nor any of his descendants had been able to overthrow by force of arms, came
to an end.
The accession of Her Majesty Queen Victoria was an opportunity for Sa^eed to display
his loyalty to England, which was not neglected by him. In 1838 he despatched Ali-bin-
Nasir as envoy to offer his congratulations, with presents of great value; and Captain Cogan,
who brought back the mission to Zanzibar, was empowered to negociate a commercial treaty,
which was concluded and signed in May 1839. Very shortly after Sa^eed received letters
from the Governor at Bourbon, who had been moved by representations from French mer
chants of commercial requirements at Zanzibar, requesting him to receive a French Consul
on the same footing as the Americans, and making overtures for a fresh treaty. Sa'eed, how
ever, demurred to granting an exequatur to the consul, who had in fact already been appoint
ed in anticipation until the treaty had been concluded, and the Consulate was deferred
accordingly.
Sa^eed returned from East Africa to 'Oman in September 1839, and had no sooner arrived
than he was forced to turn his attention to the adoption of measures for resisting the advance
of the Egyptians; Mohammed Ali had at this time embarked on his vain career of aggression
in Syria and Arabia, and his General, Khoorshia, had in December despatched Sa'eed-bin-Mutlak,
with a large force and two guns, to Bereymee. There was reason to believe that Sa'eed had
been engaged in a secret intrigue with Mohammed Ali for aid in obtaining possession of
Bahrein in return for the payment of tribute to Egypt. But under the advice of the British
Government Sa'eed dropped these schemes and evinced proofs of his determination to act
loyally in accordance with the policy of the Government in opposing the invasion of the
Egyptian troops. In one of his interviews with Mohammed Ali in April 1840, Colonel Hodges,
the Consul-General at Cairo, desired explanations as to the object of the force under Sa'eed-bin-
Mutlak ; professions of ignorance and evasions were at first resorted to, but the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. sub
sequently admitted that the force was part of Khoorshid's army, and was intended for the
annexation of 'Oman. He was then informed that the British Government would allow no
interference on his part with 'Oman, and would punish any attempt at encroachment. Though