Page 431 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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UTTOOBEES. 387
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the termination of the month Ramzan, when the pearl fishery would
be concluded, they would be considered as at war, and at liberty to
pursue their own plans for the attainment of what they considered their
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just rights, being at the same time warned of the restrictive line, whose II
limits were to be carefully observed.
Before the expiration of this limited period, Shaikh Abdoolla des­
patched his confidential minister to Bushire, to intimate his desire
“to come to an amicable arrangement, if such could be effected with i
honour” ; avoiding, however, to yield concessions that might lead to
some understanding, and still tenaciously adhering to the condition he
had before considered as a sine qua non of their return to Bahrein, to !
which he was aware they had as positively made up their minds not to
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consent, and modifying it only in their favour with the promise that their
security and lawful claims should be guaranteed by the British Govern­
ment,—a guarantee which could not of course, as he was aware, be
afforded. The Coast of Guttur was then offered as their place of resi­
dence ; and with the chance of such being accepted, as well as to avert !
ihe distress and misery incidental to war, the Resident placed a British
vessel of war at the disposal of the Bahrein Chief, for the purpose
of conveying himself or his accredited Agent to negotiate with the
refugees at Aboothabee. The services of this vessel were declined
on its arrival at Bahrein, it being supposed that any terms proposed
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would not, if accepted, be adhered to, unless guaranteed by the
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British Government. War therefore became inevitable.
Some objections were at the time made by the old Shaikh to the
“war limit” ; but the superior advantages of its restrictions to his own
subjects over those of his opponents being pointed out, these were
overruled and abandoned.
The conduct of the Shaikh throughout (for it was evident he ii
was unwilling to go to war) would appear to sanction the suppo­
sition of his entertaining the belief that the British authorities were
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prepared to go any lengths rather than that hostilities should break out
between himself and Aboothabee, and therefore to compel the return
of his fugitive subjects to their allegiance in accordance with his
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wishes.
;
Upon the fall of the Wahabee ruler, Ameer Fysul, his General, Omer
bin Oofeysan, sought and received asylum at il
a. d. 1839.
Bahrein. His surrender was demanded of the
Uttoobee Chief by the usurper Khalid, as also that the fort of Demaum
should be given up to him. These demands much alarmed Shaikh
Abdoolla, who evaded compliance with them, as well as those previ-
ously made for tribute, and the surrender of Tirhoot, under the pretence
of connection with, and submission to the Persian Government. The