Page 94 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

84 ADMINISTRATION REPORT ON THE PBR8IAN GULP POLITICAL

On this occasion they killed a boy, wounded two men, and stole about
Ea. 1,000 worth of property.
In September, somo^ 8 Boni Ilajir Bedouin who had been visiting the
Chief of Bahrain for their customary presents, made free with a boat which
they found at Uatnala on the west coast of Bahrain, and went off in her to
the mainland, without taking any steps to ensure the return of the vessel.
c In October, throe Bedouin who were proceeding as passengora in a boat
from Doha (Katar) to Bahrain, suddenly fell upon and murdered another
passenger, robbed all the remaining persons on board and compelled the boat­
men to divert their course direct to the Dthaharan mainland.
In December 1905, there is grave reason to suspect that a technical
piracy was committed on a Persian cargo-boat laden with wheat which had
been driven by bad weather aground on the north-west coast of 'Katar near
Abu Dhaluf. The villagers of this place are accused of having appropriated
the greater part of the cargo in the name of salvage money though they
allowed the boat to loave after a detention of about 15 days. The consider­
ation of the case by Government has not yet been completed, but it is signi­
ficant that the incident seems absolutely parallel to one which occurred in
this village in February 1899, when no punishment was inflicted upon the
culprits
Kovetaonts of The Political Agent made two short sailing trips of about 4 days’ dura­
the Political tion each, in June and July, in search of the pirate, Ahmad bin Salman.
Agent.
He was accompanied by about 50 armed retainers of the Chief of Bahrain,
and, though he failed to fall in with the pirates, his party was seen by them,
and his action is believed to have curbed t-o some extent the enterprise of the
outlaws.
In November, he paid a short visit, again in a sailing boat, to Katar, a
more detailed reference to which has been made ante.
In September, he paid a brief visit to Katifm His Majesty's Ship Sphinx
and interviewed the Kaimmakam, Nejib Bey, in company with Commander
Bowman, B,N.
At the end of January 1906 he proceeded, again in His Majesty’s Ship
Sphinx, to Abu Dhaluf, near the north-west corner of Katar, to enquire
into a charge of ^wusi-piracy preferred against the villagers by the crew of a
Persian cargo-boat.
In February he made a short trip of inspection amongst the Phoenician
tumuli in Bahrain, for the purpose of selecting those to be opened on behalf
of the Indian Archaeological Department.
In March, he went into camp for 9 days with the majority of his Infantry
Detachment at Sakhir, in the centre of Bahrain, for change of air and to be
near two of the sons of Sheikh Esa-bin-Ali, who invariably spent most of the
spring season at that place.
Major P. Z. Cox, C.I.E., paid one visit to Bahrain during the year under
Political
Besident'a review, in February 1906. He had twice come to the Islands in the oold wea­
Visit*. ther preceding the commencement of the year, and has again visited Bahrain
twice immediately after the close of the year.
Xfavy. Bahrain has received six visits from British men-of-war during the year.
His Majesty’s Ship Sphinx 6peni some time here in July, September,
October and January, and His Majesty’s Ship Zapioing a few days m April
and October. .
In April 1905 Mr. G. Pilgrim, Deputy Superintendent of the Geological
Vifttrof Official
god other Survey of India, revisited Bahrain to complete the inspection he had been
European*- making of the Island in 1904.
On the 6th April 1905 a young Frenchman, named Gaston
arrived in Bahrain for the ostensible purpose of purchasing pearls. He aw
not seem to be well provided with funds nor to have much expert *°ow * g°
of the subject. It is believed that be combined this
of newspaper correspondent. He left Bahrain on the 30th July, having
interim spent one week at Lings,