Page 94 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

72 Part III—Ohap. XXI.

CHAPTER XXI.

•SHIPWRECK OF THE ARIEL NEAR KARRAK AND
HUMANE CONDUCT OF THE SHEIKH TOWARDS THE
SURVIVORS—1820,
Poll. Dept. Diary
! No. 482 of 1820, 170. In his letter dated 23rd March 1820, the Resident at Bushire reported
PP..36O3-26O0. the melancholy fate of tho Bombay Marino Oruizer Ariel coming from Basrah
to Bushire, about 13 miles to the S. E. of Karrak. At 3 a.m. on tho moruing of
the 18th she was taken in a most severo squall, and sho fouudored with all hands
on board except five, who although drawn down by tho suction of tho vessel
came up again, and fortunately got hold of a canoe, which had floatod off hor
decks, and which they managed by pulling with their hands and logs to reach
Karrak at night about 9 o’olook in the most wretched state, perfectly naked,
I
as the few olothes they had on at the time they wore obliged to tear up to tie
two sweeps to the canoe which were adrift to prevent her turning over. Here
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I the Sheikh received them in tho most humane manner, and took care of them,
providing them with victuals, the best he could afford, and sent them over to
Bushire on the 22nd March in a boat.
171. The persons saved from the Ariel were Assistant Surgeon Clare,
Johnson, boatsman, Thomas Brown, seaman, James Wall, Marine hoy, and a
Bunderiokman. She had on board in all eighty-three souls, seventy-eight of
which have perished in her, amongst them a Karrak Patil with his son. Johnson
the boatsman reported that the whole of the night of Friday had been cloudy
and became squally after midnight, when the squall came on suddenly and most
furiously 'with severe thunder and lightning, which forced the vessel under
water laying down in her broad side, bows foremast almost instantaneously
before a soul could get up the hatchways.
172. The Ariel had left Basrah on tho 12th March and had on board some
bundles of Europe newspapers for Government; they experienced nothing but
southerly winds which made her so long in getting down; they passed the
Vestal and H. M. S. Eden at the entrance of the river.
173. The Resident advanced the men saved a few rupees to provide
themselves with clothes and took an early opportunity of sending the Sheikh
of Karrak a small present of about R500 (five hundred) for his kind and
humane oonduct towards those unfortunate persons.
174. The Governor in Council expressed great satisfaction at the humane
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treatment experienced by the survivors from the Sheikh of Karrak and entirely
approved of the Resident’s having forwarded a present to that Chief to the
extent reported (Letter dated 18th April 1820).
• See an interesting account of this shipwreck in Low’e Rittory of tho Indian Navy, Chapter XI.