SHEIK SAIlJ 



Tlie Societe do Geograpliie, of this city, han jii.st puhlislied a fino map 

 of Africa. On looking over it I noticed tiiat Sheik Said, on the soutlj 

 coast of Arabia, was given as Frencli territory. Tiiis snrprised nie, as 

 Philip's map of the Nile valley gives it as an English possession, making 

 Aden the center of a largo territory, extending to and inclnding Sheik 

 Said. On consulting a German map I found it given neitiier as Kngiisli 

 nor French, but as a part of the province of the Yemen, and therefore 

 Turkish. I then called on M. Ganthiot, general .'secretary of the Commer- 

 cial (Jeographic Society, who informed me that it was iiositively French 

 territory, although wrongfully occupied by a Turkisli garrison. M. Gan- 

 thiot having suggested certain authentic sources of information, I pro- 

 ceeded to make further investigations, and in view of the growing interest 

 in eastern affairs I venture to submit the result to tiie readers of The 

 Natioxaf, Geograimiic Magazink. 



The territory of Bab-el-^Iandeb was well known in :inti(|uity. On its 

 southern side was the important port of Okelis. The fall of tiie Roman 

 power in Egypt and the Red sea brought also that of Okelis, whose ruins 

 are still visible, and trade with India went by way of the Persian gulf. 

 When, nnder the Sultan Selim the First, the Red sea regained its impor- 

 tance, it was Aden that was selected as the chief port. Since the down- 

 fall of the Kalifate the territory of Bab-el-Mandeb has been left to govern 

 itself. It is inhabited by the tribe of the Akemi-ed-I)ourein, who have 

 always held their independence against the Turks. This independence 

 was indirectly recognized both by Turkey and by England. It was of the 

 sheik of the Akemi-ed-Dourein that the governor of Aden asked permis- 

 sion to dig wells on the territor}' of Bab-el-^Iandeb to obtain water for 

 the garrison of Periin. A Turkish vessel having been wrecked on the 

 Arabian coast south of Mokha, it was to this .same sheik that her owner 

 applied for help. In 1863 an English vessel was wrecked on the coast of 

 Bab-el-Mandel) and looted by the natives. The English governor of Aden 

 applied to the kaimakam of Mokha for redress, but the kaimakam saiil he 

 could do nothing, as the Turkish authority did not extend .south of Mokha. 



In October, 1868, the firm of Raband & Bazin, of Marseilles, entered 

 into negotiations with the sheik of the Akemi-ed-Dourein, AH Tabatt, 

 and purchased from him a part of the territory of Hal)-el-Mandeb. includ- 

 ing the bay of Sheik Said and about 400,000 acres of land adjoining. 

 Naturally England did not like to see France'take po.s'^ession of so impor- 

 tant a strategic point, bnt, not wishing to openly oppose France, she is 

 said to have stirred up Turkey to claim it sus included in her doniinion. 

 Accordingly a small Turkish garrison landed in Turks' bay to take pos- * 

 session of Sheik Said, but, warned by the French consul at Ailen, the 

 French ship Bniul was immediati'ly dispatched to protect the small colony 

 of Sheik Said. Farly in 1870 the firm of Rai)and vt Bazin erected a two- 

 story building and began to lay in coal supplies. A few weeks later the 



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