Page 385 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

j
I
J0ASMEE3. 341
!
the proceedings of Shaikh Sultan in respect to themselves; and |
as the faithless conduct of the latter towards his own adherents
and allies would .necessarily deprive him of all internal or external
aid for the future, full scope was given to the ambitious projects of
his son.
On the conclusion of the pearl fishery of this year, a Ras-ool-Khyma
boat, with money and cargo on board, arriving at Biddah, excited the
cupidity of some lawless characters residing there, who, on her quitting
again, went in pursuit, and overtaking her off Khore-al-Jullaya, captured
her, and after stripping the crew, and putting them on shore, proceeded
with their prize to Khorc Shugcer, a backwater between Aboothab.cc
and Adeed.
Shaikh Salmin bin Nassir, of Biddah, on gaining the intelligence,
despatched two Buggarahs in pursuit; but these arrived in lime only
to find the Ras-ool-Khyma boat abandoned, and quite stripped. Among
the pirates was the old delinquent and notorious character, Jassim bin
Jabbur Rugragee/*1 who had in the course of the last five years been
guilty of two or three similar acts, and who, as he had invariably
proceeded into the interior with his plunder, nor returned until the.
following fishing season, had always escaped detection-
Strong suspicions existed—indeed little doubt was entertained:—tliat
were it not for the protection afforded by the Biddah Shaikh, who, it
was believed, actually shared the booty, he could not thus have found
the means and opportunity for these almost yearly acts of piracy. Fur­
ther, one thing was certain, that Jassim had resided at Biddah during
the whole of the last pearl fishery. With reference, therefore, to the
warning personally given by the Resident, in September 1836, regarding
this notorious character, and the chief having on that occasion actually
asked for and received a written authority from that functionary for his
seizure, he could not be looked upon as other than a direct or indirect
accomplice, and therefore deserving of being held responsible for his acts.
His sending out two boats in pursuit was evidently a mere blind, for he
acknowledged that his people, fifty in number, fell in with the pirates,
consisting only, of twelve men, whereas these brought back to Biddah
the Ras-ool-Khyma and pirate vessels mere shells, stripped of sails, and
every moveable article in them. Accordingly the Indian Naval squadron
then in the Gulf, consisting of the Auckland, steam-frigate, the Coote,
sloop, and the Tigris, brig, under the command of Commodore Brucks,
proceeded to Biddah, to demand the surrender of the pirate boat and its
prize, and the payment of 300 dollars, with an additional 40 dollars as.
the value of the property subsequently plundered by Rugragee, together.-
with the boat which on that occasion fell into his hands.
* Vide Sketch of the Bcniyas, in a subsequent part of this Selection.

»\

A