Page 523 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

BENIYAS. 479

Willi these objects, and to remove the impression that that part of the
dangerous and intricate coast between Ras Reccan and Adeed could
not be approached by our cruisers, two sloops of war and a schooner
were despatched to make the attempt, which succeeded, after threading
the numerous and dangerous shoals, in touching at Biddah, Wukra, and
Adeed, and returning in safety. The governors of these places (Salim
bin Nassir, Ali bin Nassir, and Khadim bin Nahman) bound them­
selves by an engagement to do their utmost to seize the boats of the
pirates. The last (Khadim) was, through his Agent (Mahomed bin
Ateef, the chief himself being absent) further required to afford security,
in the shape of money or property, in value to the amount of 600
dollars, to be returned on the fulfilment of his promise.
A fleet of Ulloobce boats, well manned and armed, also sailed in quest
of the pirates, with whose secret haunts the commanders professed
themselves to be well acquainted, but effected nothing. Although the
pirates themselves were not seized, their lawless proceedings were put
down, and the objects of the expedition fully attained. The amount,
therefore, of the pledge, with the exception of 227 dollars in cash,
(returned also in May 1838,) was after the lapse of several months
restored to the Wukra Shaikh, who, with the others before men­
tioned, were informed that they would be held responsible for their
future acts.
Three of Jassim bin Jabbur’s gang were subsequently secured by the
Chief of Aboothabee, while engaged in an act of piracy, attended with
loss of life, upon a Bahrein boat. After having detained them in con­
finement four months, during which time one had died, he set the
remaining two at liberty, further punishing them by the seizure of their
boat, which he subsequently, at the request of the Resident, and in his
presence, publicly burnt on the beach.
The Shaikh of Aboothabce, at the instance of his guest Esai bin
Tarif, and probably at the instigation of the Tmaum, who had for some
time maintained a correspondence with the disaffected members of
Shaikh Abdoolla bin Ahmed’s family, intimated to the Resident his
wish to join his (Esai’s) cause ; but was in reply informed, that per­
mission could not be granted without the special sanction of the British
Government, whose decision he was called upon to await, on the
grounds of the late serious misdemeanours of his tribe, and of his
having no causa belli with the Uttoobees. The departure of Esai bin
Tarif and Sultan bin Salameh, with a large proportion of their followers,
from his territories and protection, for the purpose of joining the expe­
dition of the Imaum against Mombassa, deprived him of any pretext for
further urging his proposal to wage war against Bahrein.