Page 26 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

4 Port I-Chap. z.
On tho sixth, I understood lie wishod to oomo on shore and went on board to invite W
Ho sent to inform mo ho would land at three and sending hie Haddle, for he would ride o lm*
other, prepared a liorso for him, and four led horsos when ho landed under salutes from^?0
frigate and Duncan of 15 guns each and an Arab vessol of 7 guns the snmo ns for Cantai
Malcolm ; I met him at tho door, as he dismounted from his liorso and entortained him with
preserves, sweet cakes, fruits and coffoe; oftor sittiug about an hour, ho roturned in the same
state, and on going on board roceived tho 6ame salutes from tho Bliip as at landing, and one
gun from tho forts.
In tho conversation I havo had with tho Khan, his topics aro the wonthor, tho production
of tho Oman, and oomparing thorn with thoso of Persia and tho trade of tho two places.
Tho Eraam is gone to Soor to settle some disputes of the inhabitants of Johilan who aro
fighting among themselves.
8. Two months after his arrival at Bombay the Persian Ambassador was
killed in an afFray between the Guard of sepoys and his own men, the circum­
stances of which are briefly as follows :—
Tho delay of six months caused by the long stay of tho Persian
Ambassador at Busbire, occasioned tho irretrievable loss of the fair season, and
Mr. Duncan, Governor of Bombay, called upon in tho interim into* the
Deccan, whore bis presence was required to adjust somo affairs in Alahratha
country; he was compelled unavoidably to be absent from Bombay, and while
be was there engaged in composing certain differences which had arisen, tho
Persian Ambassador arrived in Bombay. Mr. Carnao, the second, who* bad
been left in charge of the Presidency did all that was necessary to accom­
modate and entertain His Excellency in addition to those attentions which
were paid by the Mehma-daur, deputed by tho Governor-General from
Caloutta for the purpose of providing for His Excellency’s reception.
9. Two months after the arrival of the Khan, there occurred the death
of Mr. Carnao, the Acting Governor, and a few days only subsequent to that
event a dispute arose on some very trifling subject between certain individuals
belonging to His Excellency’s suite and the sepoys, who attended as the
honorary guard of his person ever since the day of his landing. Two or three
of the sepoys having been wounded by swords, the circumstance was communi­
cated to His Excellency, which induced him to descend from the upper apart­
ments of bis bouse for the purpose of chastizing in person the misbehaviour of
his people and interposing to quell the affray, in which the parties were now
engaged with their swords and firearms. In this situation, His Excellency
received a ball on the neck and fell dead, and three or four other persons were
also shot in different parts of the body.
10. The intelligence no sooner reached the English gentlemen, than they
hastened to the spot with every demonstration of sorrow, consternation and
distress. When Mr. Duncan was apprized of the catastrophe, he accomplished
a long and troublesome journey in the space of five or six days, and on his
arrival in Bombay applied himself with all the means in his power to calm
the Persians.
11. This violence on the part of the Hindu sepoys would not probably
have occurred but for the absence of Mr. Duncan from Bombay and the
untimely death of Mr. Carnao, the Acting President. All those concerned
in the unhappy affair were placed under the most rigorous confinement,
pending their trial.
12. The Governor Duncan bad an investigation made by a Commission
into the circumstances of the death of the Persian Ambassador, and) despatched
a summary of the evidence taken to the Resident at Bushiro with a letter to
the Shah bewailing his accidental death. The Resident was instructed to
make such use of the summary of the evidence as he thought fit for putting as
favourable a light as possible on the sad event and take the necessary measures
for the protection of the Residency and the British property from Persian
attaoks.'
Dated 20th 13. Erom an account given by Mr. Lovett (who succeeded Mehdi Ah
PcJf'DeS^D^y Khan as Resident at Bushire) it appears that tho Court’s first sensation were
No. *169 of 1804, those of astonishment and grief. For one or two days the King scarcely opened
p. 2624. his lips except to order that the subject might not be again mentioned during
the celebration of his son’s nuptials. Wheu these were completed he one day