Page 202 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

34 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL

protection of the Portuguese. This protection it was deemed politic to grant, and orders were
eventually issued for the vessels engaged in cruising to intercept Moorish traders at Bab-cU
Mandeb to touch occasionally at Dhofar.
The second appearance of tho Turks was in 1552, six years later, when a more formidable
fleet, under Piri Pasha, Capudan of Egypt, which had been despatched from Egypt by the
Sultan in retaliation for the assistance rendered by the fleet under Dom Antao deNoronha to
the rebel Arabs at BuBrah the year before, anchored in the port of Muscat. The infractions
given to the Piri Pasha had been to proceed direct to Busrali, and from thence, in conjunction
with the force awaiting him there, to sail to Hormuz and reduce it to submission. The com­
mandant of Hormuz, Alvaro dc Noronha, on hearing of the iutunded expedition, despatched ono
of his men in disguise to Shelir to collect information ; the spy confirmed the report, whereupon
Noronha ordered two vessels to watch Ras-cl-IIad, and on sighting the Turkish fleet to set sail
with the news, one for Goaand the other for Ilorrauz. Piri Pasha after some months of pre­
parations set sail from Suez in July 1552, his fleet consisting of 30 sail,—galleys, Bashderder
golletas, and galleons. On gearing the Gulf of Oman he sent forward his son with five ships
to reconnoitre; this advanced guard nearly captured Noronha's two vessels, hut they managed to
escape and carried the news to Goa and Hormuz. In the chase of one of these vessels, Pin's
son had been led as far as Ras Mussendom, and on turning back he found his father had already
arrived with the rest of the fleet and had anchored at Muscat.
The commandant of Muscat at this time was Dom Joao Da Lisboa, vrho had been tent out
specially by the King of Portugal with orders to erect a fortress to command the town and
harbour. Ibis fort had only been commenced about three months previously and wa3 still
unfinished ; the Governor, however, well knowing that the Turks would attack him, hastily pro­
visioned it and threw himself into it with his little garrison of 60 men, after sending off LU
wife and other ladies in a boat to Iiormoz.
The firet action of the.Turkish Admiral was to sack the town, which was undefended. He
then turned bis attention to the fort, which, as it was too strong for assault, laid siege to and
managed to bombard by hauling one of bis guns up to a height which commanded it. For
eighteen days the Portuguese defended themselves vigorously, hut provisions and water
having failed, the Governor was induced by a renegade named John deBairea in the employ
of Piri Pasha to open negociations for the surrender of the fort. An interview was accord­
ingly arranged between Piri Pasha and the Governor, at which the Pasha solemnly guaranteed
the life and liberty of the garrison on the condition of immediate capitulation, deelariug that the
honour of capturing a Portuguese fort was sufficient for him.
The faithless Turk, however, did not abide by bis promises, for, after massacring the other
prisoners, he treacberoosly chained da Lisboa and part of the garrison to the galleys. Piri
Pasha having shipped his booty and the Portuguese guns, sailed for Hormuz, where he landed
and plundered the town without resistance. The fort, however, held out, and the Pasha, after
bombarding it for 20 days, and finding he could make no impression, was obliged to raise the
siege. An offer made by the Pasha to hold his Mascat prisoners to ransom was declined by
the Governor, Alvaro deNoronha, but the Turk nevertheless generously released the wife of
Dom Joao daLisboa, who had been captured off Khar Fakan, while endeavouring to effect her
escape.
The delay caused by the protracted operations at Muscat had afforded an opportnnity to
the merchants of Hormuz of removing their families and property to the Island of Kisbm, of
which fall advantage had been taken : thither accordingly Piri Pasha now steered hie fleet, and
was rewarded by the discovery of immense booty. He took many captives, including a Spanish
Jew named Solomon, who was reputed to be the richest merchant of Hormux.
Meanwhile the Portuguese fleet despatched from Goa bad arrived in the Gnlf and soon
chased the Turks up to Basra, but Piri Pasha, fearful of losing the treasure he had acquired,
abandoned his command and fled to Egypt with three galleys, where he was immediately seized
and put to death, a report of his conduct having reached the Sultan from Basra.
In August the following year, 1658, another expedition left Basra under the command of
Moorad Beg, formerly Governor of Katuf, who had instructions to prooeed to the Red 8ea to
oppose a Portuguese fleet whioh was then cruising off Jedda. The Turkish movements, ow-
ewer, had been closely watched by the Captain-Major Diogo deNoronhi, who intercep
Moorad Beg's squadron of 16 galleys and two barges between Mussendom and rfenjara, an
almost annihilated it. After a desperate engagement tbo Turkish remnants escape in 0
night and hurried back to Basra.