Page 391 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

J0A9MEES. 347

which, and the fulfilment of the other requirements, not one of the
boats, or of the people belonging to them, were to be permitted to go
back to the fishery. A vessel of war was despatched with the above
communication, and she had not been long away ere she returned, to
inform the Resident that the Joasmee Chief had shown the greatest
“ zeal and alacrity in taking measures for the execution of the requisi­
tions made upon him”; that the property and captive had been given
up to the people of Dcbayc, and the money demanded as security for
the peaceable bearing of the delinquents had been paid, and deposited
in the hands of the British Agent.
This was all satisfactory enough ; but, unfortunately, the very vessel
that was the bearer of such welcome tidings was also charged with other
intelligence, of a less satisfactory nature. She brought news of a fresh
violation of the Maritime Truce in September 1844.
The Joasmces were again the offenders : one, Esai bin Jassim, a
native of Shargah, quarrelled with the master of an Ejman boat; high
words ensued, and these were shortly succeeded by blows. Esai bin
Jassim boarded and attacked the Ejman craft, and severely wounded
one of the crew on board with a spear. This case, though more grave
in its character than any preceding it, was likewise brought to a settle­
ment without any difficulty. Shaikh Abdool Azeez having begged the
Resident to obtain reparation for the wrongs his people had suffered,
that officer called upon Shaikh Sultan bin Suggur to make Esai bin
Jassim disburse the sum of 200 crowns, “ by way of punishment for
his irregular conduct.”
The Joasmee Chief, on his part, did not hesitate to comply with the
requisitions preferred against him, but hastened, in December 1844, to
furnish an order for the 200 dollars demanded. The money was lodged
in the hands of Moolla Hussein, the British Agent at Shargah, and
subsequently made over by him to the Chief of Ejman, as compensa­
tion for the wounds inflicted on his subject.
In the early part of the ensuing year (1846),* hostilities commenced
between the Joasmee Tribe and the Chief of
a. d. 1846.
Debaye. Shaikh Sultan, it would seem, with a
view to extend his authority over the minor ports of Ejman and
Amulgavine, determined, as a preparatory measure, to erect a number
of towers at a place called Khan,f which, although in his own dominions,
bordered also upon those of Debaye, the growing influence of whose
chief it was his particular interest to keep in check and restrain. Shaikh
Muktoom was by no means inclined to permit the plan to be carried
* Nothing worthy of notice occurred in 1845.
t The actual site of the fort was at a place called Aboo Heyle, within gunshot range of
Khan, and distant from Debaye three miles.