Page 347 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

JO ASM EES. 305

Arab Chieftain of the Joasmee Tribe, on the Persian main, wa«
also averse to piracy; but his subjects, cut off from trade on account of
the general disrepute of their tribe, sought a livelihood in the vessels of
others. These piracies (as stated by Captain
a. n. 1808-09.
Seton) “ can only be considered as a general
one at the instigation of the Wahabees.,> In one cruise in this year
they captured twenty country boats, which so elated them that they
determined on sending a fleet of fifty towards Sind and Kutch,
27. On the 20th of October they committed a breach of the Treaty
of 1806, by attacking and capturing the Sylph cruiser, in the Gulf
of Persia. She -was re-taken by H. M.’s frigate Nereid, which was
in sight when the Joasmees boarded the cruiser,
28. In the following year, the Wahabees directed the Joasmees and'
the Uttoobees to proceed against Grane* The
a. d. 1809.
latter excused themselves, but the former offered
to go if they were supported by ships.
29. The Persians from Lar attacked the Joasmees at Lingah, and
the town of Karrack, and compelled them to retire to Basside, in
the island of Kishm. The Joasmees were however successful against
a fleet fitted out by Mahomed Nubhee Khan against Khor Hassan,
which twenty-two Joasmee boats encountered, beat, and took six of
the Bushire vessels.
30. The Wahabee Chief having appointed Hussein bin Ali, a
Joasmee, and who was the Shaikh of Ramse, his vicegerent in the Seer
principality, vested him with authority over Ras-ool-Khyma, and
nominated Wahabee oflicers throughout the Joasmee country. Shaikh
Sultan, the Joasmee Chief, having been invited to Deriah, proceeded to
that capital, and was detained and imprisoned by the Wahabee Chief.
He contrived to escape from prison, and finding his way to Yemen,
embarked at Mocha, and, proceeding to Muskat, made overtures to the
Imaum, besought His Highness’ protection, disclaiming all countenance
to, or concurrence in, the attack of the Sylph, and professing on this
occasion a desire to conform to the Treaty of 1806. The Imaum took
him to Shargah, and placed him over the Joasmee Tribes at that place,
Shaikh Sultan occasionally living at Lingah.
31. The British Government, determining to relieve the Imaum from
the power of the Wahabees, and to suppress these piracies, an expedi­
tion proceeded to the Gulf under the instructions dated the 7th of
September 1809. Their first operations were directed against Ras-ool-
Khyma. The attack commenced by a bombardment during the 12th
of November. On the following day, the Joasmees were vigorously
attacked by sea and land: after a bloody but ineffectual resistance,
they were driven into the interior of the country. The town, with the

A