Page 432 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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fears entertained .by the Ultoobec Chief, that whatever
concessions or
submissions he was prepared to make would only lead
to further
exactions, and eventually to the entire loss of his authority,
w ere now
confirmed by the avowal of Korshid Pacha, the Egypti an commander,
by letter to the British authority, of his intention to attack
and reduce
the island to subjection. The grounds upon which he stated himself to
have come to this determination, it is needless to mention . were perfectly
invalid : might, and the desire of aggrandisement, constituted his only
rights; even the flimsy pretext of supporting the pretender (Khalid)
against the legitimate ruler (Fysul) being abandoned, and Central
Arabia openly claimed as a possession of Mahomed Ali Pacha by right
of conquest.
Upon the strength of the overtures made by the Uttoobee Chief to the
Persian Government, a certain Hajee Kasim, formerly supercargo of a
trading vessel, was selected as envoy from the Prince of Shiraz to
Bahrein, bearing a Rukum and dress of honour for its chief, and
attended by an escort of ten Sirbaz. He was under directions to
remain at Bahrein as. Persian Agent, and to be the medium of receiving
and transmitting the annual tribute, which the Persian authorities
vainly flattered themselves the Bahrein Chief was disposed to pay for
their countenance and protection.
Hostilities were in the mean time carried on between Bahrein and
the A1 Ali at Aboothabee, which entailed much distress upon the inha­
bitants of the former. The merchants, being naturally anxious for the
restoration of peace, solicited the interference and mediation of the Re­
sident, who accordingly despatched his Assistant, to endeavour to
effect a reconciliation. Nothing resulted from this mission, as no terms
would be entered into that had not the guarantee of the British Govern­
ment. It was, however, ascertained that the Beniyas Chief had no
intention of making common cause with Esai bin Tarif,—indeed that
these two were no longer on friendly terms, the former requiring the lat­
ter either to leave his country, or settle there permanently as a peaceable
subject. Civilities, too, in the shape of presents, had been interchanged
between the Bahrein and Beniyas Chiefs, who shortly after entered into
a treaty of peace, which of course deprived Esai bin Tarif of the alliance
of the latter, and put ail end to his carrying on aggressions against the
former from the now friendly port of Aboothabee, which he conse­
quently determined upon leaving on the conclusion of the pearl fishery,
consenting of course to suspend hostilities up to that period. .
Although no positive pledge of support and assistance in e
maintenance of the integrity of his possessions could at this time
«
afforded by the British Government, yet Shaikh Abdoolla bin