File 600/1905 Pt 5 'Aden Hinterland: Treaty with Sultan of Balahaf' [‎117r] (17/152)

22. I would bring to the favorable notice of Gorernment the services of
Khan Bahadur Muncherji Rustomji Dholu, C.I.E., on this occasion.
23. My thanks are also due to Commander Pears of H. M S. “ Perseus ” for
services so ably and courteously rendered by him and to Captain Fletcher,
R. I. M, S. “ Mayo,” and to Captain Cory, B.S.O., and the officers and meu
under his command.
No. 1, Balahaf .—Sayad Abdulla-bin-Mnhammad states on oath—•
I was Nacoda of Sambuk Fateh Sallam of Mokalla, owned by Muhammad-
bin-Husen-bin-Zaid of Mokalla. Her tonnage Mas 90 tons. I left Aden for
Mokalla and Shehr, on a Sunday at the end of Safar 1320, about the 21st of
Safar I think. The vessel had general cargo and seven sooras of dollars. On
Thursday the 25th Safar I was steering for Balahaf. The night of that day was
dark we could see nothing, the vessel stranded on hard shore, the waves were
high and the vessel sprung a leak—we threw some goods overboard—in the
morning the vessel got full of water. On Friday early morning some crew and
passengers M’ere landed at Jabel Jalla. I took out the seven sooras of specie,
my box and books and letters, from the vessel and placed them in the small boat
belonging to my vessel, and was intending to go to the Hasn at Balahaf but on
my way I saw Ganja ’‘Ateet-Rehman” and made for it. On our way a fishing-
boat manned by four men armed with spears and jambias, came to us and said
they had come from Sultan, and told us not to go alongside of Ganja “ Ateet-
Rehman,and called out to the Nacoda of that vessel not to receive us and if he
did, they will cut the rope and send the vessel adrift. These four men took us
to the fort at Balahaf and landed us there. They then called three men and took
whatever we had to the fort. We sat in the fort m hole day and in the evening Sul
tan Mohsin arrived from Jabel Jalla. I told Sultan Mohsin that the seven sooras
of specie belonged to merchants and a bag of money belonged to the ship-
containing $ 320 belonging to the ship and Rs. 140 in a bag was a sum given to
me by Salim Saeed of Aden, clerk of Aman Salah. Sultan Mohsin said leave all
there for the present. They will think over it and asked us to go out of the
fort. After a time I went and spoke Sultan Mohsin again, and he said let all
passengers come; and if they agree to pay one-half of what they have got he
would let t hem go. All passengers willingly paid to the sultan one-half of what
money they had. I went and told Sultan Mohsin that I wanted the money be
longing to the people, he replied if I agreed to pay one-half of the money and
give him in waiting that I had agreed to pay him, he would pay me one-half
and let me go, I replied I cannot give him one-half of the money nor a sanad as
he wished, as the money belonged to merchants. He said in that case I may go
I then asked for my box and the books and papers but he declined to give them.
At night at about iO p.m. I, my crew and all the passengers went on board
Ganja “ Ateet-Rehman” and came to Mokalla and reported the circumstance
to Sultan Ghalib.
When I went to the fort of Balahaf, the place was full of people—the fort
was full of soldiers—I know Sultan Mohsin well and I saw him there. I do not
know the four men who came on my boat but one had a bold head and a long
beard is said to be a cousin of the Sultan he came and took us to the fort by
force and took possession of the money and everything we had saved in the
boat.
Mokalla. ;
The 14th July 1902.
Signed in Arabic,
(Sd.) SAYAD ABDULLA-BIN-MUHAMMAD.
Before me
(Sd.) M. RUSTOMJI,
Registrar.
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