Page 439 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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UTTOOJJEES. 395

Khor Hassan, on the main, which too lie delivered up to partial plunder,
lie then, with a view to concentrating and strengthening his resources
on the Guttur Coast, planned and commenced the rebuilding of Zobara,
now deserted, but which forty years before had been the Uttoobcc head
quarters.
• Omcr bin Oofeysan, the Wahabec General, and Governor of Lahsa,
having seized the person of the Chief of the seaport town of Soliat, and !
compelled the destruction of that fort, the inhabitants (for the most part
pearl divers), at the instigation of Shaikh Abooolla bin Ahmed, seceded
to Bahrein, to the number of about three-fourths of the population.
The continued detention as a prisoner, by the Wahabee ruler, of
Shaikh Shafee, the Chief of the Iluwajir, a staunch adherent of Shaikh
Abdoolla bin Ahmed, whose release had been declared a sine quk non
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by that chief to the entertainment of any overtures of peace between
them, precluded compliance on the part of the latter with the demands
of the former, for the suspension of the blockade of his seaports of
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Kaleef, Sohat, &c., and determined the former in favour of the cause of
his guest, Mahomed bin Khalcefa, to whose solicitations his power had I!
not as yet attained sufficient stability to admit of his actively acceding, !•
in consequence of some of the Bedouin Tribes having failed to tender
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their submission to his authority. Mahomed bin Khaleefa accordingly
commenced collecting forces on the mainland, for the purpose of
renewing the war.
Affairs were in this state, and the unpopularity of the Uttoobee
Chief at his height, when Esai bin Tarif, of the A1 Ali Tribe, residing
at Kenn, and Busheer, (with from three to four hundred adherents,)
the son of Bahmah bin Jaubir (the famous Pirate Chief of Demaum,
who in the latter end of 1S26, worsted in an engagement with a
very superior Uttoobee force, to avoid capture, with his own hand
set fire to the powder magazine, and blew up himself and his vessel), !
visited Bushire together, for the purpose of intimating to the Resident
their desire to make common cause with the junior Uttoobee Chief, M
who had invited them to join his standard; and of soliciting his I
permission to wage open war accordingly upon Bahrein.
The reason given by the latter for becoming a party to this formid­ : !
able coalition* was, that in consequence of the blockade maintained by i
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Abdoolla hin Ahmed, he was unable to carry away the produce of
his paternal estates at Demaum (near Rateef).

* The outline of the cause of Esai bin Tarif’s discontent has been already given. The
public opinion was now very strong that the late disturbances at Bahrein had been instigated
and fomented by him, who, having no adequate means singly of attacking Shaikh Abdoolla,
forced on gradually by his intrigues that great object of his ambition, a powerful coalition
against his enemy.

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