Page 438 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

394 UTTOOBEF.S.

down (from the top of his house) the persons demanded, who had hardly
reached the ground when they were cut to pieces. *
Abdoolla bin Ahmed, well knowing the timid and imbecile character
of the late Agent, appears to have confined himself to threats and
remonstrances to obtain the fulfilment of his object. When called
upon, he offered the following explanation that at the commencement
of the outbreak he had sent for the Agent, and given him the option of
either coming with all his family and dependents, and taking up
his temporary residence at Muharag, or proceeding onboard the British
vessel which happened at the time to be at anchor in the harbour-
alleging that his mercenary Bedouins, being perfectly uncontrollable’
he had reason to apprehend that some injury might result lo himself or
his house. That the Agent would not consent to this arrangement, but
returned to Munama, and received under his protection a great
quantity of property belonging to the inhabitants, which, on the place
falling into his hands, he had found great difficulty in restraining his
Bedouins from plundering; but that finding that the dependents of
Humood bin Omeree, of the Amayir Tribe, of whom he was the head,
—who were particularly obnoxious to him, by reason of their having
killed his relative,—had taken refuge in the Agent's house, he sent to
explain this circumstance, and requested their surrender, which was no
sooner granted than the persons in question were cut to pieces.
The Shaikh’s proceedings could not be pronounced entirely free from
blame, he having himself in propria persona demanded the surrender of
the victims, threatening the Agent, his family, and friends with instant
death in case of refusal. As his own presence, however, appeared to
have been with a view as well to secure his great object of possessing
himself of his enemy as to prevent any outrage on the British Agent,
and all other accounts corroborated his earnest desire to save the Agent
from harm, both before and after capturing the town of Munama,—a
courtesy which that individual requited by receiving under his protec­
tion a blood enemy of the chief, and thus unjustifiably taking a part in
the civil broils,—no further notice was taken of his conduct, which yet
deprived him of all claims to the sympathy of the British Government
in the troubles which afterwards befel him; but the part taken by the
Agent in the affair, as having been, too, induced generally, there was
good reason for supposing, by the prospect of pecuniary benefit in return
for the protection he afforded to persons and property, subjected him to
immediate dismissal.
After the pillage of Munama (an impolitic measure, however severe
a punishment the rebellious conduct of its inhabitants appeared to call
for, as rendering him highly unpopular, and totally alienating them
from his interests), Shaikh Abdoolla proceeded with his Bedouins o