File 600/1905 Pt 1 'Aden Hinterland: Treaty with Dthala' [‎453v] (168/174)

8
, . , n „ •„ Ttifi results of this investigation are given on his sketch map of the vieinitj
AH S upon whiS the frontier is shown as crossing.the crest of a hill about 1,000
of ^ ' 1 “V ’f the tower built by Muhammad Nasir Mukbil, and some 2 miles south
' f sUwt the latter being marked “ Turkish.” The letter in question further
states^:— am0 the Haushabi themselves differ as to whether a boundary-line
run, nlona the high crest line of this hill, or, lower down, about 800 yards further north
along the line of she Karkahan nullah. Arguing from previous grounds it would seem
that the line does run along the high crest, and if this is the case, the advantage lies
wholly with the Humar and Turks, who from tins high vnntaee ground wholly command
the approaches from Ad-Dareja and the line of the W. Ziyak; having good s oping
PTonnd in their own rear to hide their own dispositions. If, on the other hand, the
boundary be pushed down to the other side of the hill, without interfering in any way
with the fields at the foot (which appear without d.apute o belong o the Humar), the
advantage would rest entirely with the Haushabi (or British) force, who would command
the whole valley and approaches from Mavia, having in their own immediate front an
almost perfect glacis-like slope As a matter of fact the Humar at present own
The boundary-line now drawn by Masjid Arabi more than redresses the tactical dis
advantage commented on in this Report of the Intelligence Officer.
12 The Haushabi boundary from Has Nanus to Ni]d Musamma is quite satis-
factory An East India Company trading post. ,’ no ground that the ’Amri claim having been left on the Turkish side
The four villages ot Tarian, Kudash, Harda, and Wubid were on the hs of
“Turkish” villages which the Turkish Commissioners were supposed to claim, but as
mentioned in our diary entry of the 15th January, all four were included in Haushabi
territory. From t h e junction of the W. Soudan with the Warazan no serious difficulties
were encountered up to Nijd Musamma, where the tower of Nasir Harbi {vide Com-
mission diary of the 22nd, 2Sth, and 29th January, 1901) necessitated a reference to
Constantinople. The instructions mentioned in the Ambassador s telegram ol tue di
March have not been adequate for the Turkish Commissioner, who has to-day again
telegraphed for orders on the subject.
I have, &c.
(Signed) It. A. WAHAB, Colonel,
• • AJ C) sin .
Copy forwarded with compliments to the Political Secretary, the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. .
(Signed) It. A. lAAHAB, Colonel,
Commissioner, Aden Boundary Commission,
Translation of Documents relating to Haushabi Border.
I. Shabwa.
Praise be to God! This is an honourable witness in the hands of Sheikh Ahmad-
bin-Muhammad, the “ Mansab ” (guardian of the shrine) that he should continue o
act in accordance with the usage of the shrine, Sidik-bin-Ali (Shabwa), and nei ier
I nor the Humar shall levy anything from him ; that he is entitled^ to honour
respect from me ; that he is one of us, and I am responsible for him, and no o y
shall interfere with him. Let all who have cognizance of this take warning.
Dated Rabi-ul-Awal 1214 A.H., i.e. } 1800 a.d.
(Signed) ABDTJ LLA-BIN-ABDUHBAHIM,
Former Sultan of the Haushctbi.
N.B.—This is repeated and confirmed by two other documents bearing the sign a ure
of two former Haushabi Sultans, and dated respectively Shavval 1212 A.H. (i.e. a,d. i )
and 1232 A.H., or a.d. 1818.