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HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 339

look-out for them with a squadron, consisting of the 'Carolina,'
frigate, with two other ships and a number of smaller vessels.
A smart action ensued off Cape Keriat, during which the
Joasmis attempted to board the Tmaiim's ship, and had actually-
got possession of the forecastle, when they were dislodged by
the guns from the poop being fired forward, loaded with grape.
The Imanm's other vessels having fallen astern, he was obliged
to bear up and run into Muscat. His Highness wrote to the
Governor of Bombay requesting the assistance of some of their
ships, and, early in 181(3, renewed operations against the
Joasmis, but, beyond an ineffectual blockade of Ras-ul-Khyraah
for four months, he was unable to do anything against them;
nor, in the opinion of Mr. Bruce, was he capable of effecting
anything without British support, for which he would have
gladly ceded any of the ports or islands in the Gulf that were
subject to him.*
Encouraged by the seeming impunity they enjoyed, the
Joasmi pirates attacked, on the 6th of January, 1816, oft'Dwarka,
the Hon. Company's armed pattamar, 'Deriah Dowlut,' having
a crew^ of native officers and men, which was proceeding to
Porebunder. On the pattamar showing the Company's colours,
the pirate, a large baghalah, fired a shot at her, and a smart
action ensued, which was kept up with great briskness until two
more piratical vessels appeared, which convinced the syrang that
the only chance of escape lay in flight ; all sail was therefore
made upon the pattamar. A running fire continued for three
* On tlie loth of June, 1816, Mr. Bruce reported that the Imaumhad proceeded
with a large force to reduce the Uttoobee and Joasmi Arabs to bis allcftianct-,
having been joined by tlie Asseloo and Congoon Arabs, and tlirco vessels I'rom
Bushire despatelied to his assistance by orders of the Governor of Shiraz. With
this armament the Imaum proceeded to Bahrein, and landed the troops on tlio
island of Arad, which is separated from Bahrein by a narrow channel for boats,
and commenced tlie attack with some prospect of success, but ultimately expe-
rienced a signal defeat with great loss, two of his principal Sirdars being amongst
the killed.
Mr. Bruce, who had quitted Bahrein a few days before the Imaum arrived,
wrote to His Highness to dissuade him from the attack, as he knew that many of
the Imaum's troops were secretly in the interests of the Uttoobees, and ofl'ered
his mediation to settle his dirt'erences with the tribe, but received no reply to th«'
proposal. The Imaum, after this defeat, proceedeil to Congoon with the whole of
his fleet, for the purpose of taking on bo-ard a reinforcement of troops, consisting of
one thousand musketeers and Ibur hundred irregular cavalry, which the Trnicc
of Shii-az had engaged to furnisli on certain conditions : but the expedition was
abandoned, the Iinaum having discovered tliat the Government of Persia wiw
actuated by motives of treachery, and contemplated his seizure and that of some
of his chiefs.
In the month of May, 1817, Rahmah bin Jaubir, a chief in the Waliabee
interest, who was at war witli the Uttoobees, proceeded to Muscat, with the view
of prevailing on the Imaum to make another attack on Bahrein, but Uii<
Highness was too much occupied in his own territories to undertake it, Injviug
met with a repulse from a Joasmi force that marched against Khor Fukaun,
which surrendered to these freebooters. Thus matters stood at Muscat nt the
time of the second and decisive expedition of the Bombay Government against
the Joasmi pirates.
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