Page 228 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

186
MUSKAT.
93.

the Imaum, with his fleet, composed of the Caroline frigate and
nvo other sh.pe, with a ..amber o( small., vessels, fell ln g„“h ”?
Joa.mee. off Oape Kenat. A smart aetion ensued, in .,,|lid °
Joasmees attempted to board the Imaum’s ship, and
had actually got
possession of the forecastle, when they were dislodged by the guns
.
, „
. .
- .
from the poop being fired pointed forward, loaded with grape The
Imaum’s other vessels having fallen astern, he was obliged to bear
up
and run in to Musical. His Highness, who commanded in person on
board the Caroline, was slightly wounded by a musket ball. In two
days, after having refitted, the Imaum again put to sea after the
Joasmees, fell in with them off Sohar, from which he chased them into
Ras-ool-Khyma, and returned to Muskat.
94. His Highness renewed operations against the Joasmees in the
commencement of the following year, but was
a. d. 1816.
unable to effect anything against them, not-
withstanding that he blockaded the port of Ras-ool-Khyma for nearly
four months ; nor, in the opinion of Mr. Bruce, would the Imaum be
able to do anything without our support, for which he was extremely
anxious, and would, to obtain it, be glad to cede to us any of the ports
or islands in the Gulf that are subject to him.

95. On the 15th of June 1S16, Mr. Bruce reported that the Imaum had
proceeded with a large force to reduce the Beni Uttoobee and Joasmee
Arabs to his allegiance, having been joined by the Aseeloo and Congoon
Arabs, and, with three boats from Bushire, despatched to his assistance
by orders from Shiraz, the Imaum proceeded to Bahrein, and landed
their troops on the island of Arad, which is separated from Bahrein by a
narrow channel for boats, and commenced the attack with some pros­
pect of success, but ultimately experienced a signal defeat, and with
great loss. Two of the Imaum’s principal Sirdars were killed on this
occasion. Mr. Bruce, who had quitted Bahrein a few days before the
as
Imaum attacked it, wrote to His Highness to dissuade him from it
he knew that many of the Imaum’s troops were secretly in the interests
of the Uttoobees, and offering his mediation to settle his differences with
that tribe. No reply was returned to that oiler.
96. The Imaum, after this defeat, proceeded to Congoon wM

whole of his fleet, for the purpose of taking on board a rein orce f
troops, consisting of one thousand musketeers, and our mn rc n
cavalry, which the Prince of Shiraz had engaged to furnish, on
of the Imaum’s defraying their expenses, and paying an a doned . but
should the troops once embark, and the expedition