Page 572 - Arabian Gulf Intellegence

528 KHOll IIASSAN.

from Bushire, with a reinforcement of twenty-five or thirty Bclo ’1
and proceeded over to Demanm, where lie ordered his vessel to fire *
salute,—a mark of contempt which so irritated the Bahrein Chiefs that
Ahmed bin Suleman, a nephew of the ruling Shaikh, volunteered to
attack him in his own Buggalow. His offer being accepted, he laid
himself along side of Shaikh Rahmah’s vessel, and a most furious action
took place, the struggle being for life or death. The people of the
Uttoobee Buggalow, however, suffered so severely from the heavy and
well directed fire of the enemy, that she was under the necessity of
sheering off in order to recruit her exhausted crew from the other
Bahrein vessels in the vicinity. Having procured a reinforcement, and
refusing the assistance of the rest of the fleet, Shaikh Ahmed again ad­
vanced to the attack, weakened as his crew was in the former combat.
Rah mail soon found that he was in no condition to carry on the engage­
ment, and that in a short time he must be taken by boarding, unless
he surrendered,—an alternative which was out of the question, consi­
dering the atrocious and sanguinary warfare he had so long carried on
against Bahrein. Having, therefore, given orders for his vessel to
grapple with the enemy, he took his youngest son (a fine boy about
eight years old) in his arms, and seizing a lighted match, directed his
attendants to lead him down to the magazine. Although acquainted
with the determined character of their chief, and of course aware of the
inevitable destruction which awaited them, his commands were in­
stantly obeyed, and in a few seconds the sea was covered with the
scattered timbers of the exploded vessel, and the miserable remains of
Rahmah bin Jaubir and his devoted followers. The explosion set fire
to the enemy’s Buggalow, which soon afterwards blew up, but not be­
fore her commander and crew had been rescued from their impending
fate by the other boats of the fleet. Thus ended Rahmah bin Jaubir,
for so many years the scourge and terror of this part of the world, and
whose death was felt as a blessing in every part of the Gulf. Equally
ferocious and determined in all situations, the closing scene of hi&
existence displayed the same stern and indomitable spirit which had
characterised him all his life.
now
Shaikh Busheer bin Rahmah, the son of the above person, being
cut off from all chance of assistance, and all his provisions being con­
sumed, was compelled to surrender JDemaum unconditionally. e
Bahrein Chief, however, spared his life, and even gave him
liberty. He afterwards proceeded to Muskat, where His Highness t
Imaum permitted him to reside, and made him a present o a ug
galow, to enable him to obtain an honest livelihood by commerce.
As a proof of the restless and intriguing spirit of Rahmah bin a
it may be mentioned, that after his death Sultan bin Suggur transmi

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