Page 456 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

412 UTTOOBEES.

pany the expedition. When the naval force approached the pirate’s
den, and Ilumecd bin Mujdcll was called upon to afford redress for tin
tVrongs he had committed, he sent back a reply of haughty defiance'^
he declared his perfect indifference for any plans the British
vessels
might think fit to adopt, and spoke in somewhat boastful terms of the
deed he had done. The bold and resolute conduct of the Commodore,
however, quickly brought the chief to his senses; for notwithstanding
the strength of his position, and the numerous shoals that surrounded
it,—so difficult of access that the Coolc could not approach within five
miles of it, and even the schooner Constance, after threading her way
through an intricate channel, with frequently only six inches of water
under her keel, was unable to get within effective range of her guns,_
daylight of the morning succeeding their arrival found the town and
vessels of the Amayir Chief closely confronted with a formidable line
of gunboats, in battle array, all ready to pour forth their contents should
resistance be offered, or satisfaction denied ; and the insolent tone of
contumacy hitherto held by the haughty pirate was instantly changed
into one of profound submission. He hastened to wait upon Captain
Kemball, and to pray for mercy, and finished by surrendering his
Buggalow* as a pledge for the payment of the demands preferred
against him.
Thus were brought to a successful issue, without loss of life, or blood­
shed, the operations against Humeed bin Mujdcll, which, though short
in duration, when we consider the terrific heat of the sun in the month
of June, the risk incurred by the vessels, and the exposure to which
their crews were of necessity subjected, must be pronounced to have
been both arduous and harassing.
We now revert to the rival chiefs.
In October 1845, a letter reached the Resident from Abdoolla bin
Ahmed, intimating his intention to leave the Persian Coast, and proceed
to Kateef, for the purpose of recommencing hostilities. Kateef was at
that time held by a Wahabee Governor, Abdoolla bin Saeed, who,
although professing feelings of am ity for the Shaikhs of Bahrein, was
well known to be secretly planning an attack upon their island. It
unlikely, therefore, that the ex-chief, who had lately received
is not
intelligence from the Wahabee Ameer, was invited to join in common
cause with the Kaleef Governor, and repair to his neighbourhood, wit a
Mahomed bin Khaleefa. The bland de-
view to aid in displacing
meanour and loud professions of friendship that were made by Abdoolla
the Uttoobee
bin Saeed, in lieu of producing the desired effect upon

* The Buggalow was redeemed in the month of October 1845, by the paymen fiance
Mahomed Shah rupees in hard coin, and the deposit of property to the va uc o
of 141 Mahomed Shah rupees.

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