File 600/1905 Pt 6 'Aden Hinterland: Upper Yaffai; treaties with Sultan Kahtan and other Chiefs' [‎89r] (173/212)

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whole Yaffai-as-Saffal, Kahtan-bin-Omar has not exercised even the very
modified amount of authority accorded to Sultans of the tribe. . Moreover,
be at one time accepted a stipend from the Turks, and this no doubt excited
distrust and indignation among the majority of the tribesmen of all sections,
who are opposed to Turkisn domination. It would appear, however, that
Sultan Kahtan did not actually receive the stipend for any length of time,
and he has long since broken off connection with the Turks, thereby regaining
much of his former influence. The Dthubi, the section next in importance
to the Mausatta, are supporters of Sultan Kahtan, as are also the Muflahi.
Kahtan exercises authority to a greater or less extent over the dependent
districts, and he is at the present time personally respected by the whole
Yaffai-as-Saflal, including those who are politically opposed to him.
The Mausatta have frequently expressed their intention of setting up a
Sultan of their own from the members of the Ahl Sheikh Ali, but so far they
have not done so.
10. On the receipt of the Secretary of State’s telegram of 4th May 1903,
it was intimated to the Upper Yaffai that we were prepared to enter into
negotiations with them for the conclusion of regular agreements which would
put them on the same footing as the other tribes in the Aden Protectorate.
The Mausatta had all along expressed a desire for a treaty, and it was under
stood that the other sections were all willing to enter into engagements. As
we gradually improved our knowledge of the actual state of affairs in the
tribe, it became increasingly apparent that a treaty with the tribe as a whole
was impracticable; but there seemed no reason why treaties should not be
concluded with the Mausatta, the Dthubi, and the Muflahi, and with Sultan
Kahtan ; the latter as representing the dependents of the Yaffai-as-Saffal, over
whom he may be said to actually rule. The Bosi and Daudi being small
sections, and whose country does not touch the frontier, might, it was thought,
be left out, especially as they had never made any advance to us; while the
Shaibi, though of importance, both from their numbers and geographical
position, would be answered for by the Mausatta.
There is a precedent for separate treaties or agreements in the case of
the Subaihi, and also of the Wahidis of Balahaf and Bir Ali.
11 . The first section to come forward was the Dthubi. Their Sheikhs,
Muhammad Muthanna-bin-Atif Jaber, and his brother, Amr Muthanna, visited
Aden in May, and signed a treaty on the 11th of that month. They were
distinctly informed, before witnesses, that the treaty would not be ratified
unless other Chiefs of the Yaffai came in and concluded similar agreements,
but that, if ratified, the payment of the stipend would commence from the date
of the signing of the treaty.
12. After some delay, partly caused by the great age of Nakib Ali Askar
and the great heat then prevailing, the Sheikhs of the Mausatta came in and
signed a treaty on the 5th July.
13. The treaty with the Dthubi was partly a treaty of peace and friend
ship, and partly a protective treaty. It appeared necessary to include provision
for the former ; first, because we have had no previous understanding of any
kind with the Yaffai-as-Saffal; and, secondly, because the Dthubi would never
have entered on a treaty which did not include provision for a stipend. To
their minds this was the essential point of the whole proceeding. There is no
precedent for any such provision being included in a protective treaty with any
of the Aden tribes. Ostensibly stipends are granted by Government on account
of the services rendered by the Sultan or tribe in keeping open the roads
and protecting travellers. This the Dthubi have duly undertaken to do; and
although there has so far been little trade with the country of the Upper Yaffai,
it undoubtedly produces coffee and other articles of export, while the opening
out of so well populated tract may be expected to increase the demand for
piece-goods and other imports. The protective clauses follow exactly those
of the treaty of 1895 with the Lower Yaffai, as directed in the telegram of
4th May, already quoted.
14. The treaty with the Mausatta is on the same lines, but it took much
longer to arrange, and finally it was agreed to leave out the first of the