Page 372 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

330 JOASMEE3.

The defenceless state into which many of tile places in the neigh­
bourhood of Bushire had been thrown, by the ravages of the plague,
tended to encourage a return to habits of plunder and piracy, and was
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taken advantage of by some Joasmees, who, on their return from
Bussora, finding that the towns of Bunder Dillum and Bunder Rein-
had been deserted, plundered them, as likewise a boat returning from
Congoon to Bushire.
When called upon to afford satisfaction for the outrages committed
by the dependents of Shaikh Rashid bin Humeed
a. d. 1832.
of Ejman, Shaikh Sultan bin Suggur distinctly
stated, (as he had before done by letter, which referred also to the
Shaikh of Amulgavine,) that he no longer possessed any authority over
him, nor could either control or be answerable for his proceedings, any
participation in which he most positively disavowed. Upon this ex­
plicit avowal, therefore, of the virtual independence of Shaikh Rashid,
the British authority turned for redress to that chief himself, and a
formal demand, backed by the presence of two vessels of war, was
accordingly made upon him, for the restoration of such vessels and
property, belonging to Muskat, as had been captured and plundered
by his subjects, and twenty-four hours were allowed him to consider the
same, or abide by the consequences.
The Shaikh at first attempted evasions upon various grounds :—his I
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counter claims upon the people of Bussora, Grane, Amulgavine,
Aboolhabee, and Sohar; the discontinuance of late of the payment of the
annual allowance, and the non-fulfilment of the promise of a Buggalow
made to him by the Imautn ; his being now a subject of the Wahabee
Chief, and the necessity, therefore, for a reference to that personage ; the
people of Muskat having taken possession of an Ejman Buteel with
her cargo, worth 1,500 dollars, &c. ; but was informed, in reply, that
being in his own person a member of the General Treaty, he must be
held responsible for the acts of his subjects. His assertion, however,
regarding the seizure of his Buteel, having been confirmed (with the

assistance declined when he again offered it to His Highness, for the reduction of his revolted
dependent Ilumood bin Azan, and in consequence threw himself into the opposite scale.
Accordingly, when Rashid bin Humeed, who, subsidised by His Highness, had joined his
enemies, declaring in their favour, returned to his territory, he learnt that Ejman had
been plundered, and several of his people killed and carried away by a party of the Beni) as dur­
ing his absence. Immediate retaliation and hostilities between these parties were the result,
and because the Sohar people refused to admit the Ejman boats into their ports, while those o
Aboothabee were permitted to trade and export provisions as formerly, Rashid bin Uumee
commenced aggressions against them, and now, in opposition to all that had ot late occurre
setting up the plea that they were subjects of Ilis Highness the Imaum, proceeds wi. out
further notice to an attack upon the trade of Muskat.

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