Page 188 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

178 Records of Bahrain

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non nncj rooogninod lioir, Sheikh Hamed bin Esa ; tho basis of it being a similar
nttompt to impress ooolio labour, as tlmt which had givon nso to tbo assault
on Mr. Uahnson a month beforo (onolosurc 10).
0. Shoikb Isa and Captain Pridcaux boing unable to arrivo at any uni­
formity of viows in tho mottor, it was agroed between thorn that it should
await sottlomcnt pending my arrival which was oxpcctcd at no distant dato
(enclosure 8 and olsowhoro).
7. Moanwhilo on ldth Novombor occurred tho sooond incident; that of an
affray botwoon a numbor of Arab and Negro subjects of tho Sheikh and a aecr
tinn of tho small oommunity of His Majosty tho 8hah’s subjects residing in
Bahrein for purposos of trade, in tho oourso of whioh two Persians vory nearly
lost tlioir livos and sovon otliors woro moro or Icsb damaged.
Tbo Sheikh, as will bo soon from tho correspondence, having failed to tako
any particular slops In tho mnttor tho Porsinns sont across to Bushiro a tclo-
gram addroBsod to thojMushir-ed-Dowlcb, a translation of whoso reply forms
cnolosuro No. 13 ; and as rowdyism was still rifo in tho Manama Bazaar, and
tho Porsians rofuBed to open their shops, Captain Trovor was ablo to arrange
for tbo despatch of H.M.8. Redbreast to Bahroin on 27th Novombor ns a
preonutionary ipoasuro.
Matters wore at this stogo when I arrived at Bushiro from tho Karun on
20th November and having boon postod in tho dotails by my Assistant, I left
without disombarking for Bahroin. Prom this point I think what follows can
bo preferably rolatod in diary form.
8. November 30th.—Arrived Bahroin at noon. Cnptain Pridcaux and the
Bheikh camo off to tho Lawrence to intorviowr me. They arrived separately
and I'sqw Captain Pridoaux first for a fow moments. I learnt from him that
just boforo tho arrival of tho Redbreast a fow days previously, Sheikhs Ali
bin Abmod, and Hamed bin Esa, with thoir followers, bad proceeded togotlior to
tho moinland, ostensibly for purposes of shikar, and woro still absont. Excopt
for this foot thoro was no change in the position as last ropoxted, and the Persian
6hops romain closed.
1 thon recoived tho8hoikh’s visit. After exchanging with him tho usual
greetings and aftor somo convocation on gonoral topics, I explained to him thnt
having heard of tho two reoent inoidonts at Bahrein, on roaohing civilization I
had come straight over without lauding at Bushiro with a viow to sottling
thfcm without delay and was consequently somewhat oxcrciscd to loarn from
Captain Prideaux that Sheikh Ali and his followers, apparently tho principal
persons concerned, had boon permittod to absont themselves from Bahrein
indefinitely; espeoially as it was known that I should arrive in a fow days.
3 In roply Sheikh Esa assured mo that tho party had only gone for purposos
of s iport aud woro expeoted back ut any momont; at all ovonla ho would at onoo
sen d a messongor after thorn and get thorn back forthwith. I inquirod,whother
it was usual for membors of his family to under tako extensivo .hunting trips,
during tho oxhausting fust of tho month of Ramzan and addod> that I : bogged
ho would tako ollcctive stops to insuro thoir oarly roturn in ordor that I might
bo onnblod to scttlo tho two outstanding oases oxpeditiously.
Sheikh Esa promised to comply but went on to obsorvo that Sheikh Ali
and his followers woro only implicatod in tho first caso, and that ponding thoir
return could not tho scoond caso bo proceeded with ? Ho wont on to say that.
8boikh Ali had had nothing to do with tho lator inoidont, and that Captain
Pridcaux had only hoard tho Persian vorsion, and suggostod that if I would
kinuly inquiro into tho caso myself I should find that it was all tho fault of tho
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