Page 422 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

378 UTTOOBEES.

The reports of the Imaum’s preparations for the attack of Bahrein
having now become very prevalent, the chief of that place applied all
his energies to meet the impending storm, and spared
no exertions to
place himself in the best posture of defence his
resources would
admit. The small and middling sized vessels were ranged round
Muharag, the large Buggalows collected together in the Khore of
Fasht, the forts repaired, and large reinforcements of Arabs, both horse
and foot, brought in from all quarters. The chief source of the Uttoo-
bee Shaikh’s alarm was the circumstance of Shaikh Tahnoon joining
the Imaum against him j and he endeavoured, both by large presents
and earnest entreaties, to induce that chief to remain neutral,__appa­
rently without effect, although subsequent events afford every reason to
believe that it was treachery on the part of the Beniyas Chief that
caused the failure of His Highness’ enterprise. After being consider­
ably scattered by a violent gale on the 27th October, His Highness’
fleet entered Bahrein harbour on the 31st, and cast anchor off Sutra,
outside the Khore of Killa. Khaleefa bin Suliman, the nephew of the
Bahrein Shaikh, immediately proceeded with a body of troops, and
took post opposite to His Highness’ vessels, and subsequently a second
party, under the command of the governor’s son, was sent to support
him. After remaining there three days without any active operations,
he received orders to take up a position near Horah, to the east of
Munama. During the first four days after their arrival, the Imaum’s
people were employed in opening the passage of the Khore of Killa,
which had been blocked up by means of sunken boats filled with
stones. This being effected, two small vessels and eleven Buggalows
entered, but before anything more decisive was attempted, an effort
was made by the Chief of Makulla, Shuheer, to induce Abdoolla bin
Ahmed to agree to such arrangements as would spare the effusion of
blood. Whether this was with the knowledge of His Highness is
unknown,—at all events the only answer returned was one of defiance.
On the night of the 5th November, a part of the Imaum’s troops landed
near the fort of Sutteah, and took possession of that place, and the next
day an abortive attempt was made by some of His Highness’ vessels
to cannonade the town of Munama and fort of Kiila. Affairs remained
in statu quo until the 9th, when the Imaum was astonished to learn
that the Beniyas, under Shaikh Tahnoon, were landing without any
orders. Alarmed at the probable consequences of this imprudent, i
not treacherous proceeding, His Highness collected all the ^troops
available in such an emergency, and, accompanied by his Nu lan
slaves, hastened to the shore, but arrived only in time to witness e
total defeat of his partisans by the Uttoobee forces, under the comman
of Shaikh Abdoolla bin Ahmed, who had marched out o - unam ,