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352 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. —

two British regiments, embarked on board the transports* on
the 30th of October, amid the cheers and good wishes of the
people of Bombay, who crowded on the beach and hinding-
stages to bid them God speed ; and, on the following day, the
embarkation of the Native troops took place, under a similar
popular ovation. The two following days were occupied in
making arrangements for taking up other vessels as store and
hospital ships, as it Avas found that in case of sickness the
transports would be rather crowded ; and, on Wednesday, the
3rd of November, Sir W. Grant Keir having embarked on board
the ' Liverpool,' the first division of the fleet proceeded to sea,
under convoy of the ' Liverpool,' ' Curlew,' and ' Aurora.' The
remaining part of the Expedition sailed a few days later for the
Persian Gulf. It was about time that some such active steps
should be taken to extirpate the audacious horde of pirates, for
by accounts published in the " Bombay Gazette " of October
the 27th, it appears that the pirate fleet, cruising off the coasts
of Kattywar and Cutch, consisted " of sixty-four vessels, having
on board a crew of seven thousand men ;" and the " Bombay
Courier " of October the 23rd, mentions that " thirty-five sail of
Joasmi have proceeded on a cruise off the coasts of Mekran and
Scinde."
The fleet proceeded to the rendezvous at Kishm, while the
'Liverpool' sailed to Muscat, which she reached on the 13th of
November, and, on the 17th, the military and naval chiefs had
an interview with the Imaum, who promised to co-operate with
four thousand men and three vessels of war. As it was a
matter of importance that a reconnaissance should be made of
the defences of Ras-ul-Khymah, Sir W. Grant Keir proceeded
thither, on the 25th of December, in the ' Liverpool,' leaving the
convoy to water at Kishm, and, the same day, met the Hon.
Company's cruiser ' Benares,' having on board Dr. Jukes, who
had been sent on in advance of the Expedition on a special
mission to arrange for the Imaum's co-operation, and a
commissariat officer, who was to make arrangements for the
provisioning of the large force on their arrival at Kishm. Sir
W. Grant Keir communicated with Dr. Jukes, and learnt from
him that the letterf of the Governor of Bombay to the Prince
of Shiraz, had been forwarded from Bunder Abbas direct to
Shiraz on the 16th of November, and that a duplicate had been
* The following were the transports for the troops and ordnance stores :
' Hannah,' ' Ann,' ' Jessy,' ' Orpheus,' ' Jemima,' ' Glenelg,' ' Bombay Castle,'
' Pascoa,' ' Diana,' ' Emaad,' ' Faiz Eemaun,' ' Augehca,' ' Carron,' ' Cornwall,'
' Francis Warden,' ' Conde de Rio Pardo,' ' Orient,' and Upton Castle.'
'
t Tliis letter from the Governor, the Right Hon. Sir Evan Nepean, was
explanatory of the objects of the British Government in equipping so large a
military and naval force for service in the Gulf, and requested the co-operation of
the Persian Government in the operations about to be undertaken against Linjah,
Moghu, Charrack, and other points on the Persian coast which had completely
identified themselves with the Joasmis.