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102 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.

been familiar to all officers of the Service since the capture of
Ormuz in 1622, and which witnessed almost the last of their
services, the Persian war of 1856.
After the death of Nadir Shah, and until the year 1779, when
Atj^ha Mahomed Khan, founder of the present Kujjir d3^nasty,
raised himself to the throne, Persia was ruled well and wisely
by Kurreem Khan, of the tribe of Zend ; throughout his struggle
for power he had been supported by the Arab tribes inhabiting
the Persian shores of the Gulf, but, later on, some of the petty
chiefs became refractory, the most troublesome of these being
Meer Mohunna, of Bunder Reeg, a small seaport to the north-
west of Bushire— this chief, at once remarkable for his valour
and his atrocious wickedness, had, during the course of his
career, in order to gratify his cupidity, murdered his parents,
brothers, and most of his family. Meer Mohunna now offended
the Persian Government, by interrupting the communications
between Shiraz and Bushire, which was at this time the prin-
cipal port in the kingdom, the Company having, in 1762, removed
their factory thither from Gombroon, when that place declined
and was almost deserted. Being attacked by a Persian force
the chief of Bunder Reeg defended his possessions on the con-
tinent with the utmost resolution, but, at length, was forced to
retire to the island of Corgo,* (Khargu) near Kharrack,t (Khareg).
On this small, sandy island he not only supported a numerous
body of followers, and defeated all the efforts of Sheikh Nasseer
of Bushire to reduce him to obedience, but added to his means
by plundering a number of vessels, and, in 1766, succeeded in
surprising the Dutch garrison at Kharrack, distant twenty-seven
miU^s from Bushire, from which it is visible on a clear day.
Some notice is here necessary regarding the establishment of
the Dutch in Kharrack.
Baron Kniphausen, the Dutch agent at Bussorah, having been
fined and imprisoned by the Turkish Governor, proceeded to
Batavia and induced his superiors to authorize a plan for
aggrandizing the Dutch East India Company. Having received
their sanction, he sailed with two ships for the Persian Gulf,
and, on securing a grant of the island, took possession of Khar-
rack, where he erected a small fortification. The Baron then
blockaded the Shatt-ul-Arab until the Governor of Bussorah
had restored the sums of money he had extorted from him.
Under his auspices Kharrack rose rapidly in importance, and
became a safe emporium, and, as there is an abundant supply of
water, the settlement flourished, and the population rapidly
increased from one hundred poor fishermen, as it was when
* Corgo is about three miles long by a half a mUe broad, and is situated about a
mile and a half to the northwards of Kharrack.
t Kharrack is about four miles in length, and may be seen from Bushire Koads
in clear weather, the tomb on the highest point being 284 feet high.