Page 353 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

JOASMEES. 311

roads of Mogoo.* She was laden with horses for the remount of the
17th dragoons, and with sulphur on account of the British, Six boats
were moreover captured off the coasts of Kurachee and Sind.
53. The success that attended the subsequent cruises undertaken
by the Joasmccs added so much to their strength, that it induced
most of the other ports on the coast, from Cape Nabend to the
southward, to follow the same system. The Shaikh of Charrak in parti­
cular was encouraged to form a connection with Ras-ool-Khyma, and
Abdoolla bin Ahmed of Bahrein openly avowed his determination of
prosecuting piracy, as the surest mode of acquiring wealth and strength.
54. The Joasmees engaged and defeated the Imaum’s fleet, and had
very nearly taken the Caroline frigate, of thirty-two guns.
55. A vessel belonging to Bombay, sailing under a British pass and
colours, was this year captured off Muskat, the greater part of her crew
put to death, and a ransom exacted for the release of the remainder.
56. The audacity of the pirates increased to such a degree that they
attacked the Aurora cruiser, and chased and
A. D. 181G.
fired at the American ship Persia, and Cinlra
schooner; and so great was the dread entertained of the Joasmees that
Lieutenant Bruce could not obtain a boat to despatch to Ras-ool-Khyma,
to convey a letter of remonstrance to the chief in regard to these depre­
dations.
57. Three vessels belonging to the port of Surat were taken in the
Arabian Gulf, sailing under British pass and colours, and many of their
crew murdered. The loss of properly by this capture was estimated
! at ten lakhs of rupees.
58. Many other captures were made of vessels sailing under our
protection, attended by similar acts of atrocity ; and at length most
indisputable proof was afforded of the faithlessness of their promises
to respect the British flag and pass, by the capture of the Company’s
armed boat the Turrarow.
59. The measures of the Government were limited to remonstrances,
and to the disposal of the cruisers for the protection of the trade, until
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the exigencies of the public service in other quarters should admit of
an expedition being detached against the pirates.
60. A deputation was sent to Ras-ool-Khyma to obtain redress for
the capture of the vessels in the Arabian Gulf, which failed. The
Joasmees explicitly and boldly declared “ that they would respect the
sect of Christians, and their property, but none other; they did not
consider any part of Western India as ours besides Bombay and Man­
galore ; that if we interfered in favour of the Hindoos and other

* The people of Mogoo were privy to this depredation, and had, in fact, given information
of the Buggalow being there.