Page 16 - Records of Bahrain (1) (i)_Neat

6 Records of Bahrain

MO UTT00.HEE8.

UTTOOBEE TRIBE OF ARABS.—BAHREIN.

' Date. Occurrences.

a. d. 1710 The Beni Subah, A1 Yalahimah and A1 Khalccfa, consider­
able tribes of Arabs, the first under Shaikh Solcyman bin
Ahmed, the second under Jaubir bin Uttoobee, and the
third under Khalecfa bin Mahomed, enter into a compact,
and take possession of Koweit, belonging to the Persians.
1766-75 Khalccfa bin Mahomed, with a portion of his tribe, passes
over and settles at Zobara, where, after gradually drawing
over the rest of his own tribe, completely separating him­
self from the other two, he establishes his independence.
The Yalahimah, shortly after expelled from the port and
town of Koweit by the Beni Subah, seek and obtain the
protection of their kinsmen at Zobara. Quarrelling in a
few years, they quit Zobara, and take up their residence,
at JRaveish, a barren spot, a short distance eastward of
Zobara.
A desperate feud arises between the tribes, which terminates
in the almost total destruction of the Yalahimah.
1776 On the attack of Bussora by the Persians, some of the mer­
chants of that place, and one of the Shaikhs of Koweit, with
many of the principal people, retire to Zobara, and the
power, wealth, and influence of the Beni Khalecfa rapidly
increase.
1777 The fears and jealousy of Shaikh Nassir, the Persian Go­
vernor of Bushirc and Bahrein, are thereby excited, I-Iis
repeated attempts, however, to reduce Zobara, arc
ineffectual.
1782-83 On the death of Kureern Khan, and the warfare and confu­
sion which ensue, the Zobara Arabs make a descent upon
Bahrein, compel Shaikh Nassir to retire to the fort, and,
having plundered and destroyed the town, return to
Zobara.
A military force, in a large fleet from the Persian Coast,
blockade Zobara, and, after some fruitless and unsuccessful
negotiations on the part of the Arabs, assisted by Shaikh
Rashid, of llas-ool-IChyma, land to storm the place; but,
resolutely attacked by an unexpectedly large force, arc