Page 267 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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MUSKAT.
Before entering upon the subject which now commands our chief
attention, and led to such grave results,—I mean the conflict between
the Muskat and Sohar Chiefs,—it is necessary that I should briefly
describe a case of murder and piracy that had caused much agitation
for a period of two years, and also make a short notice of a fresh treaty
entered into by the British nation, for the abolition of the slave trade.
First, then, the piracy. So far back as the latter end of the year
1946, news reached the British Agent at Muskat of the destruction by
fire of a Bombay Buggalow, under British colours, off the island of
JBusheab, on the Persian Coast. Other rumours likewise were freely
circulated, regarding the fate of the above vessel, I shall not
recount the numerous steps that were taken to establish the facts of
the case, nor how the pirate and murderer contrived for a considerable
time to evade the hands of justice; but simply give an outline of what
did really occur, and in what manner the criminal was eventually
disposed of.
In the month of September 1846 a Buggalow, belonging to Nansee
Thakersee, a Bombay merchant, set sail from Muskat for the Presi­
dency. She was commanded by one Ahmed bin Dad Kureem, a
Bcloochee, Native of Muttra, subject to the Imaum of Muskat. Having
arrived in the vicinity of the island of Busheab, Ahmed bin Dad
Kureem formed the project of plundering, and possessing himself of
all the treasure in the vessel. He seems in the first instance to have
endeavoured to carry out his purpose by stealth, and quietly, for in the
dead of night, whilst the supercargo, in whose charge the money was,
was asleep, he repaired to the treasure chest, and was in the act of
making off with its contents, when one Moorad, a sailor on board,
remonstrated with him, and caused him to desist. The Nakhoda’s plans
being thus frustrated, he resolved to rid himself of his opponents, and
to perform by force what he was unable to do by stealth. The following
night, accordingly, at an advanced hour, whilst his unsuspecting victims
were in a profound sleep, he, with a number of his followers, fell upon
and savagely butchered both Moorad and the supercargo : he likewise
put an end to the existence of an unfortunate slave, who happened to
be standing by at the time. Some of the crew, affrighted, leaped into
the sea; many took part in the bloody deed; and the rest, however well
disposed in their hearts to resist, were too much overawed by the fierce
brutality and fiendish threats of the Nakhoda and his accomplices, to
dream of opposing them. Ahmed bin Dad Kureem vowed instan­
taneous death to any man of the party who would not take the oath of
the Zun-tullak* to keep inviolate secrecy. They then, one and all, nine-

* The most solemn form of oath among Arabs—“ By the divorce of the wife.”