Page 519 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

475
BENIYAS.
crying ‘Alla Akbar al Kaffer.’ Some were seen in the act of attempting
to throw grapnels into us, but were immediately shot. About ninety or
a hundred men rushed towards the head, with their long spears, which
touched our quarter, for the purpose of boarding us, in which they
failed, having met with a most destructive fire from small arms, There
must have been at least two hundred men in this vessel, and they
presented a most formidable phalanx, with their lowering spears. Very
serious damage must have been sustained by these vessels, as large
splinters were seen flying in all directions. Immediately after passing,
about ninety men jumped overboard from the tow, and were picked up by
the Shaikh’s vessel, who hoisted her sail, and stood to the northward,
accompanied by one of the Butcels, which afterwards parted. En­
deavoured to close with him, but he outsailed us. Shifted the bow gun to
the bridle port, in the hope of being enabled to cripple him, but without
effect, the shot falling short. The remainder of the boats hauled up for
the abandoned Buggalow, and stripped her of her sail, and some other
small articles, and then stood to the SW. At 9 o’clock observed the chase
heaving overboard some articles that we could not make out. The wind
decreasing, plied his sweeps, by which he gained. Lowered the two
cutters, sent them ahead to tow, and got out the longest oars for sweeps,
but without effect. We continued the chase until sunset, when he
rounded the eastern point of Polior, about five miles ahead of us. Hav­
ing lost sight of her, and night coming on, deemed it advisable to give
over the pursuit in our present direction, and hauled up to the south­
ward, in the expectation of meeting with her al daylight; which not
doing, stood on for Aboothabee, and about 8 a. m. of the 17th discovered
the abandoned Buggalow, and stood for her. At 10 o’clock observed
a raft, with men waving flags, about five miles to the eastward. Sent
an officer to take possession of the Buggalow, who found eight bodies
on her deck, and committed them to the deep. Sent the pinnace to the
raft, who found nine men on it, and brought them on board. On
examining them, they stated that they were part of the crew of the
Buggalow we had taken possession of, called the Nassir, belonging to
Congoon; had been forty days from Mangalore, when she was captured
by the fleet we found her with, near Koong, four or five days ago ; the
crew consisted of forty originally,—a few are supposed to have escaped,
but the others and Nakhoda were put to death ; that the mode of intend­
ed attack was to board us in passing between the two Buggalows in dif­
ferent points, and that they were confident of success. They boasted
of having large vessels of oil boiling for the purpose of dipping us in
when taken. They had no idea of the effects of a broadside from
32-pounders, and were completely paralysed ; so much so, that they forgot
to fire themselves, and immediately jumped overboard. Salim states that