Page 437 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

UTTOOBEES. 393
The towns of Muharag and Munama formed the head quarters of
the respective chiefs. These are merely separated by a narrow gut,
in many places fordable at low-water. Abdoolla bin Ahmed in pos­
session of the former, and the more powerful at sea, had complete
command of the harbour of Munama, which he contrived effectually
to blockade.
Several skirmishes took place between the contending forces, in
which were killed Dhyj, the brother of Mahomed bin Khaleefa, and the
grandson of Abdoolla bin Ahmed, Mahomed bin Moobaruk, without,
however, any decisive advantage resulting to either side ; and the
parties maintained their respective positions until the middle of June,
when Abdoolla bin Ahmed, making a simultaneous attack by land and
sea, entirely defeated the forces of Mahomed bin Khaleefa, and obtained
possession of his town.
That chief fled with a few followers to the Guttur Coast, and thence
to Lahsa and Riaz, to solicit the aid of the new Wahabee ruler, Bin
Sooneyan.
The Bedouin troops in the pay of Abdoolla bin Ahmed were let
loose to plunder the town which had fallen into their hands. Friends
and enemies shared the same fate; property was indiscriminately
plundered ; and, among the rest, some goods belonging to British
subjects.
Many people and much property had been injudiciously, indeed
irregularly, received under his protection, by the British Agent on
the island : among the former were the sons and several dependents
of one Shaikh Ilumood Omeree, who had been actively engaged in
the last struggle.
It appeared from the Agent’s statement, that the Zenana and
children of Humood found refuge in his house with his sanction, but
that his son and immediate dependents, on Mahomed bin Khaleefa’s
forces being broken, fled there for protection, and, finding the door
open, entered without his permission ; that having done so, he was
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unable to eject them without force, which he was unwilling to
exercise.
Abdoolla bin Ahmed coming shortly after, with his victorious followers,
demanded that the abovementioned should be given up to him;
threatening, in the event of refusal, to level the house with the ground,
and kill and plunder all the persons and property therein, the former
amounting in number to above 1,000 individuals, and the latter in
value to between thirty and forty thousand Keroonees.
Fearing and believing that that chief would carry his threat into
execution, and thus the lives of himself, his family, and so large a number
of harmless individuals be sacrificed, he thought it advisable to throw

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