Page 408 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

364 UTTOODEES.

increased in Strength and consequence. This state of prosperity
excited in particular the fears and jealousy of Shaikh Nassir of the
Bomeheere Tribe, who was also Shaikh of Bushire and of Bahre’in, and
who had been empowered by his sovereign of Persia to reduce Zo’bara.
Repeated but ineffectual attempts were accordingly made to reduce
that place between the years 1777 and 1801.
11. Availing themselves of the general warfare that prevailed in the
Gulf on the death of Kureem Khan, the Zobara
a. d. 17S2-83.
Arabs made a descent on the island of Bahrein,
and, after a short conflict, obliged Shaikh Nassir to retire to the fort:
after plundering and destroying the town, they returned to Zobara,
taking with them one of the Bushire gallivats that had been sent to
Bahrein to receive its annual tribute to Persia.
12. In pursuance of orders from Ali Moorad Khan. Shaikh Nassir
prepared an expedition against Zobara, for the destruction of his
powerful rival, in which he was to be assisted by the Shaikhs of
Bunder Reig, Genowa, Dushistan, &c. The fleet sailed from Bushire
with two thousand of the Dushistan Arabs for Bahrein, under the
command of Shaikh Mahomed, Shaikh Nassir’s nephew. Though
deemed sufficient to attack Zobara, it appeared to be Shaikh Nassir’s
object to bring the Arabs to terms by blockading their port, for which
purpose the Persian fleet kept constantly cruising between Zobara and
Bahrein,
13. The Uttoobees, unable to oppose them, offered through Meer
Gunneeh, of Bunder Reig, to restore the whole plunder taken at Bahrein,
as the price of peace. That Shaikh proving unsuccessful in his
negotiations, Shaikh Rashid of Julfar engaged to settle all the differ­
ences to the satisfaction of both parties.
14. These negotiations also failing, the Persian troops landed at
Zobara to storm the fort, which they expected to reduce with little
opposition. The Persians, however, had scarcely landed, when they
were resolutely attacked by a force much greater than they expected,
which sallied from the fort, and, after an obstinate conflict, the Persians
threw down their arms, fled, and embarked on board their gallivats.
Shaikh Mahomed was killed in the action, and a nephew of Shaikh
Rashid’s, and some men of consequence belonging to the Shaikh of
Ormus. Intoxicated with their success, the want of means of transport
alone prevented the Zobara Arabs from proceeding to the attack of
Bahrein.
15. The Grane* fleet, consisting of six gallivats, and a number of
armed boats, arrived on the same day at Bahrein, set fire to, and plun­
dered the town, and obliged the force left to protect it to return to the ort.

* The Al Khaleefa, or Uttoobee Tribe of Arabs, occupy Grane.