Page 193 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

British influence and foreign interests, 1904-1906 183

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The Cliiof will probably ondenvour to avoid doiilg anything in the matter
ns bo is a little afraid of Sheikh Ali and his brothers, and it may bo necessary
for you to bring strong pressure to bear upon tbo ChicI to induce him to punish
tlio offenders.

Enclosure No. 2.
Dated tbc 20th Septembor 1004.
Vrooi—IIbrk Hodkrt WoscKHAUe, Uahroin,
To—J. C. Gaskin, Esq., AvaUunl Political Agont, Bahrein.
I am sorry to havo to report to you tbo following matter. This forenoon
somo of my regularly employed coolies wero engaged in measuring shells and
in bringing them into my godown ; while thus employed one of the eoolios
wns taken bold of by one of Sheikh Ali bin Ahmed's men, os Shoikh Ali bin
Ahmed wanted some coolies to work for him (sukhra). The coolio refused
and ran into my godown leaving one empty bag of mino in tbo bands of
8heikh Ali bin Ahmed’s men who stuck to it. My nntivo olerk, Abdulla
biu Ostnt Ahmed, noticing this wont to Sheikh Ali bin Ahmed’s man
asking him why bo did so, und udding, out of politoncss to Sheikh Ali bin
Ahmed, that if Sheikh Ali was in need of somo eoolios bo might only scud
to bis Snitch, and bo would bo suro of getting somo but that thoso coolies in
question were employed just now in urgent work for me, but othor ooolioa
wero at bis disposal if bo earod to rnako it known to mo. Tbo 8hoikh’a man
replied ho wanted tbeso very coolies nnd nono olse, saying this in a very inso-
lout way. Tborcupon my nativo clerk, Abdulla, requestod tbo man to roturn
the empty bag bolonging to mo, which bo bad takon forcibly from tho ooolio.
This man refused again, bocoming insolent. Abdulla then took hold of tho
bag adding at tbo same timo that if Sheikh Ali bin Ahmed was in need of
some empty bags too, ho might send to mo and ask for some. Tho man of tho
Sheikh did not listen to reason, and each of the two parties tried to tear tho
bag from tbo other. So far this bad bapponod just in front of my houso, but
during this disputo about tbo bag, both of them entorod my godown. In my
godown tho Shoikb’s mnu got hold of my olerk by tho throat wboroupon my
clerk in his turn got hold of tbo other man's throat and struck him onco or
twico with tbo stick belonging to tbo 8hcikh's man. This stick ho bad
manoged to tako away from tho man during tho fight.
Mr. Babnson, a European omployoo of mine, who was sitting in tho ofiioo
upstairs, beard tbo noise and ran down, succocding, together with anothor man
bolonging to 8boikh Ali bin Ahmed, to soparato tho two pcoplo. Mr. Babnson
thereupon returned to tbc offleo upstairs.
Fivo or ten minutes aftor this Mr. Bahnsnn wns informod by ono of my
boys, that 8hcikh Ali bin Ahmed had como into my houso himself, where­
upon Mr. Babnson invited him through tbo clork, Abdulla, to como upstairs,
which tho Sheikh rofused. Tho 8hcikh thon asked Abdulin who is person­
ally woll known to him, whether ho bad struck him tho Sheik’s man; nnd
receiving a reply in tho nfiirinntivo he struck Abdulla sevoral blows with his
stick. Abdulla crossing his arms and offering no resistanco whatsoever out of
respect for Shoikh Ali bin Ahmed, whioh according to my porsonal idea this
man never deserved. I must add boro that 8hcikh Ali did not como all by
himself but was accompanied by about twonty of his sorvants and followore
who all of thorn woro armed with sticks.
Somo of Shoikh AH’s pcoplo took ono of my ooolioa who was absolutely
unconcornod in th s mattor and gavo him a strong hiding in front of Ali bin
Ahmed. This all happened in my own houso just below tho oQlco,
When Mr. Babnson heard a noiso agniu ho went downstairs and seeing that
tbo Sheikh’s men wero lmmraoring away at ono of my coolies in my6 own
house, ordored thorn to stop, and whon this had no offoot, covorcd tho coolio
with his own body, uaturnlly assuming that this would ofTootivoly stop their
outragoous conduct. Mr. Babnson had run down as ho bad boon sitting in tho
office without a hat on and naturally noithor oarriod Btiok nor any othor arms
whioh in itself should have proved to tho pcoplo that he had abuolutolv no
aggrossivo iutoution. Instead of stopping the beating of tlio unfortuuato coolio