1874.] 
E. C. Ross —Annals of c O?nan—'Boole VII. 
167 
inhabitants were not guiltless of treason towards the Imam Muhenna. The 
latter had gone to Felej el-Bazil in the districts of el-Jow, hut as soon as 
he heard this intelligence, he returned to el-Rostak and spared no effort to 
meet the emergency. He called on the people of ‘Oman to aid him against 
the enemy, but they did not respond to his call and abandoned him to his 
fate. The people of el-Rostak had besieged him in the Fort. YaTab, 
hearing: this, came from Maskat to el-Rostak, and summoned Muhenna to 
come forth from the Fort, offering him safe-conduct for himself and follow¬ 
ers and property. Muhenna reflected on his position : abandoned as he 
was and unaided by any of the people of ‘Oman, he was evidently helpless, 
and accordingly accepted the proffered terms and came down from the Fort. 
By this act, his Imamate came to an end. Notwithstanding the promises 
of security, he was immediately seized, fettered, and placed in the stocks, 
with one of his companions. Soon after, some of his enemies’ servants came, 
and slaughtered them both as they lay bound and helpless. YaTab then 
assumed the reins of government, but did not aspire to the Imamate, which 
office pertained to his cousin Seyf-bin Sultan, contenting himself with acting 
as regent for the latter, who was too young to assume the Government 
himself. All the Forts of ‘Oman surrendered to them, and all the tribes 
made their submission. This was in the year 1133 A. H. [A. D. 1720.] 
Matters went on in this way for a year, after which the Kadhi ‘Adi-bin 
Suleiman el-Thahali proposed to YaTab that he should repent of all his mis¬ 
deeds, his oppression of the Musalmans, and his rebellion against Mohenna- 
bin Sultan and seizure of the Government of the Musalmans. In case of 
his doing this, YaTab would be absolved of the guilt of rebellion, and it 
would not be necessary for him to make restitution for what he had de¬ 
stroyed ; for compensation is not incumbent on one who has repented and 
received absolution. YaTab followed these counsels, on which he was made 
Imam in the year 1134 A. H. [A. D. 1721.] 
The Ima'm YYrab-ein Bel‘arab. He then received charge of the 
Government in his own name and the various forts of ‘Oman were surren¬ 
dered to him. After remaining a few days at el-Rostak, he proceeded to 
Nezwa, which he entered on the 29tli of el-Sha‘han of the same year. The 
people of el-Rostak were not content that YaTab should be Imam, and 
displayed a preference for the Sayyid Seyf-bin Sultan. They constantly 
wrote to Bel‘arab-bin Nasir, the maternal uncle of the Seyyid Seyf-bin Sultan, 
who was at Nezwa with the Imam YaTab. They ceased not to urge Bel‘arab 
until he left Nezwa, on the 7th of Showwal of that year, and proceeded to 
Bilad-Seyt, where he succeeded in binding the Benu-Hinah to support 
him by engaging to release them from the restrictions placed on them by 
the Imam Nasir-bin Murshid in the matters of building, carrying arms, 
&c. He also gave them rich presents. They accordingly took him to el- 
