Page 527 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

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BENlYASi
and wounding several, ill efFecting their object, and gaining possession
of all the money and property she contained. The perpetrators, it was
ascertained, belonged to the tribes of Monasir and Howamil, established
in the Khorain Beniyas. On their crime being brought to the notice of
Khaleefa bin Shakboot, that chief imprisoned five of the Howamil, who
were at Aboothabcc, as also several of the chief men of the Monasir;
and embarking, Went in person, with two or three Buggarahs, and
cruised on that ground ([Chore Beniyas) in search of the remainder, and
finding a boat in olie of the creeks, he burnt it. Fifty camel-riders were
also despatched, to trace them into the desert: these succeeded only in
seizing five of the Howamil, kilown thieves, together with their women,
children, &c», and bringing them with fifty camels to Aboothabee. The
above measures on the part of the Beniyas Chief, when contrasted with
the late atrocities committed under his sanction by the tribe, afforded a
pretty good proof of the success and efficiency of the policy pursued by
the British Government.
It was proposed 1o Khaleefa bin Shakboot in April 1842 to become
one of the subscribers to a truce, binding the
A. D. 18J2.
parties to abstain from making aggressions upon
each other by land as well as by sea, during the pearl fishery,—a
proposal which he not only declined, but intimated that he was just
preparing to attack the Joasmees during the fishing season, as the time
most suited for success, in revenge for the checks and losses he had
sustained in his late forays. He had accordingly opened a negotiation
with Muktoom of JDebaye, who agreed to remain neutral.
On the termination of the pearl fishery, in October 1S42, Muktoom
sent his cousin, Syf bin Dulmooj, to Khaleefa bin Shakboot, who
received and treated him with much kindness. His representations so
much gratified the Beniyas Chief that he was induced to depute, in
return, his relative, Viab bin Esai, to the Chief of Debaye, to make a
final settlement, and establish a lasting alliance.
When the Aboothabee ambassador arrived at Debaye, the Chief,
Muktoom, considering it politic to invite Sultan bin Suggur and
Suggur bin Sultan to join in the friendly relations about to be estab­
lished, and being also afraid to enter into bonds of amity with
Khaleefa without apprising these chiefs of his intentions, and in a
measure obtaining their consent, sent a message to them, to ascertain
their wishes in regard to the proposed arrangement. They answered
that they would be very glad to be at peace with Khaleefa bin Shak­
boot, if that chieftain was sincere in wishing for peace. They therefore
Requested that Yiab bin Esai should come to them; but on his arrival
Sultan bin Suggur having ascertained that the basis of any terms of
peace must be his abstaining from molesting the Imaum of Muskat, his