Page 247 - Records of Bahrain (3) (i)_Neat

British influence and foreign interests, 1904-1906 237

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with Captain Pridoaux in thinking that it would bo a mistako to allow the
present monsures to oloso without administering to them a warning calculated
to prompt thorn to conduct thonwoWcB in futuro with more ciroumapoption
ond to rofrnin from intorforring in mattors of govomment outaido thoir priestly
functions.
I, thoroforo, 8uggo»tod to tho 8hcikh whoso attitudo had now hccomomuch
moro satisfactory nnd aubmiesivo, that ho should eond thorn both oYor to tho
Agonoy to v-sit mo, giving thorn at tho samo timo on my bohalf an absolute
assurance of safe conduot and courteous treatment while boro. This oourso he
r.mdily assonted to. In tho result tho oldor brother, 8hoikh Josim, oame oror
at oooo aooompanicd by tho Chiof’s brothor Klmlid. Tlioy both mado oxousos
for 8hoikh Ahraod, who, thoy naivoly ossurod mo, had been out of his houso
wlion tho messago was sont thorn, but had boon summonod from his garden
and would present himsolf later in tho ovoning. It subsoquontly transpired
tint immediately on gotting tho Sheikh's raossago ho had followed tho oxamplo
of Sheikh Ali and had dooampod, after romoving ovorythiug from his houso.
Strongor proof than this of his disaffootiou or bottor justification of previous
opinions oxpressod with rogard to him could hordly bo wished for. Shoikh
Josim, who on his first coming had boon spokon to vory plainly, paid the Agenev
two or throo hurried visits within tho ensuing 24 hours, in tho oourso of which
he manogod to divest himsolf of mo3t of the unotuous pomposity which ho had
ni first ossumod and now profossod to admit frooly tho orror of his brother’s
ways and his unbeo uning intorforonoo in matters whioh did not conoorn him.
Ho, howovor, oxprossod tho confident hopo of being ablo to bring Shaikh Ahm'oa
in and beggod as a porsonal favour, for which ho would always romain mindful, to
bogivou a littlo law for this purposo boforo any notico of hanishmont wore issued
against him. IIo was accordingly granted 24 hours and informed at tho samo
timo that after that no furthor law would bo givon unloss ho liimsolf wont on
board ono of tho men*of-war as a hostago ponding his brothor's submission.
It was novor oxpootod that ho would commit himsolf to such a courso, but tho
24 hours having olapsed ho at onoo took mo at my word, and, coming ovorjto tho
Agonoy on first instanoo, oxprossed his dosiro to proceed ;on board H. M.
8. Sphinx, in tho hopo that tho communication to his brothor of tho faot that
ho, Shoikh Josim, hod surrondorod himsolf as a hostago to us, would induoo him to
roturn. Tho ombarkation on board ono of IHs Majosty’s ships of so vonorablo a
ministor nnd ono who had hitherto oonsidorod himsolf too important a personage,
ovon to call upon tho British roprosontativo, was an inoidont likoly to have
suoh an oxoollont ollbot upon tho nativo mind that no difficulties woro plocod
in his way and lie forthwith left tho shoro in a man-of war’s boat to join
Shoikh Uamod on tho Sphinx, whoro tl\o accommodation was tho most suit-
ablo and whore ho appears to havomado himsolf thoroughly at homo.
Tho preoiso agreement upon whioh ho wont was tint his stay should not. bo
perroittod to oxtoud ovor 72 hours, and that if his brothor, who had probably
crossed to tho mainland, oould not bo brought in within that timo, tho latter
would bo posted as undor ban of expulsion and would not bo allowed to return
to Bahrein.
8. Tho. following morning, 2nd March, thoro boiug no furthor nood of
ujo prosonoo of throo mcn-of*war, tbo Senior Naval Offioor with H. M. 8.
■box loft for Bombay, whither sho had bcon ordered to procood
immediately on tho oonolusion of- hor work boro. Boforo Captain Eustaoe's
oparturo howovor, ho, Captain Pridcaux, and I, paid an offioial visit to 8hoikh
, in ordor to show him and tho publio thatcooroivo mcaauros woro now at an
end as for os the notion of His Majesty's ships was conoornod. I forgot to
raontion abovo that on 26th instant wo hod insisted on tho Shoikh coming over to
ftnam? *or rcmain(ior of my stay, his residence away at Muhirrug
8Fi°°dy com?1,uuioa!1ion with him so difficult. Aftor a good doal of
aomur on tho scoro of inconYonienco ho arranged to do so from 27th Fobruary.
cordiM am? ^!,;°PF°r ■Ufity °! giving oxpromion to my ttmnis for tho vory
MOffloorcStT and1,8upP°,rt wMoh 1 roooiTcd from Senior
cnnomlii /i,0r': ? Eustaoo, throughout tho intorviows and proceedings
myself Olid 10 WM a11 tl,?M,in olosc touob 0Bd consultation with
y a id Captam Prideaux. I would also record appreciation of tho
work