Page 317 - Records of Bahrain (2) (i)_Neat

308 Records of Bahrain

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from mcddlingin,the domestic dissensions of tho island.
Whether hie. interference would liavo been acceptable
to the branch which Abdoolla bin Ahmed overshadowed
is questionable, for in 1828, when the Imam actually
did attack the island, Khalifa bin Suleman was prompt
in his opposition to the common enemy. So complcto
was the rout of. the Muscat force, and so self-satisfied
were tho Uttoobees at their superiority, that they
took the initiative, and waged a. desultory and rather
unprofitable war, not only against Muscat,' but also
against such vessels of Aseeloo and. Morbat as they en­
countered on their way. thither. To every remonstrance
of the Resident against his proceedings tho Sheikh Ab­
doolla replied that he would agree to no terms of peace
which were not guaranteed by the British Government.
Sheikh Mahomed bin Nussecr of Abooshuhur finally as­
sumed the character of mediator,
A. D. 1820.
the conditions which he enforced
being that the tributo paid by. the Uttoobees to Muscat
should cease, and that neither side should interfere in
the other’s concerns. If either was threatened from
without, the other was bound to. render assistance. To
counterbalance any alliance which might afterwards
spring up between the Imam and the Wahabecs, Sheikh
Abdoolla endeavoured to interest the British Resident in
his favojir. When this move
A. v. 1831.
failed, he turned to Itiadh, and
purchased the protection of the Wahabco Ameer at
the cost, of owning his supremacy and paying into his
Treasury a religious tithe at thf rate of 4,000 Crowns a
year. Ho did not, however, long remain true to his part
of the bargain. He obtained from the Imam of Muscat
a pledge not to interfere in case
A. D. 1833.
of war breaking out between
himself and the Ameer of Nejd, and by bribes and
promises he induced the neighbouring Arab tribes to
make incursions, into tho Wahabcc territories, the limds
of which were then being gradually extended under l |C
firm rule of Sheikh Toorkce., The fort of Tirhoot, «
dependency of Kuteef, fell into his hands by trencher) 1,1
1834; and Kutcof itself and Ojair were strictly blockaded
in the course of the following year. Up to the mid<
1830 neither .party had gained any material advance.
Then came hesitation on Sheikh Abdoolla’s part, own

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