Page 465 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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UTTOOBEES.

island. This person, together with two other seccdcrs (Shaikh Mahomed
bin Saeed, and Shaikh Jassim bin Mahomed), were conveyed to Bahrein
by one of the British vessels, and, after some discussion and hesitation,
matters were, in June 1849, amicably arranged between Shaikh
Mahomed bin Khalccfa and themselves.
In the following year (1850) a piracy was committed by some
Bedouins of the Huwajir Tribe upon a Gooncha
a. n. 1850.
of Karrack. Towards the close of the month of
June, the latter vessel “left Karrack with a crew of six men, and a cargo
of wheat and barley, for Katccf.” On arrival off Has Tanoora, Abdool
Rahman, her Nakhoda, was suddenly attacked by a party of twenty-six
of the Huwajir Tribe, who were returning to their country in a Bah­
rein Buggarah, and, after a show of resistance, was compelled to sur­
render up his boat and people to the mercy of the pirates, who took
them to the mainland, and stripped them of all they possessed.
The Resident had frequently warned the Chief of Bahrein that for
any piratical acts committed by the Bedouins of the Huwajir Tribe he
would be held responsible by the British Government, for not only had
he connected himself by marriage with the people of that tribe, but he
permitted them to frequent Bahrein in considerable numbers, and was,
moreover, known to be secretly encouraging them in the prosecution
of their lawless proceedings. Demands were accordingly made upon
Shaikh Mahomed bin Ivhaleefa for the payment of 100 Tomans, by way
of compensation to the Nakhoda and crew, and instructions were
issued to Commodore Porter to communicate with the chief, and
point out to him the necessity of an immediate compliance with the
Resident’s requisitions. No measures of coercion proved necessary on
this occasion, for notwithstanding the constant assertions of Shaikh
Mahomed bin Khaleefa that he did not consider himself answerable
for the acts of the Huwajir Tribe, he paid over without demur the 100
Tomans required from him, and brought the matter to a speedy
settlement.
Scarcely had he adjusted the affair, however, apparently too with
less reluctance than he was wont to display in cases of demands
being preferred against him, than he suddenly plunged into the
other extreme, and adopted a line of behaviour at once insolent
and inexcusable towards the British Government, He received
a number of letters from the Resident on the subject of certain com­
plaints he had made to the British Agent regarding the death of one of
his subjects, and at the contents of those communications he
fence, and sent back messages to Colonel Hennell, through Hajee Jassim
of the most “insulting and unbecoming character” messages applying
not only to himself in person, but reflecting upon the British Go°