Page 246 - Records of Bahrain (1) (i)_Neat

236 Records of Bahrain

528 KHOll I1ASSAN.

from Bushire, with a reinforcement of twenty-five or thirty Bcloochccs,
and proceeded over to Demaum, where lie ordered his vessel to fire a
salute,—a mark of contempt which so irritated the Bahrein Chiefs, that
Ahmed bin Sulcman, a nephew of the ruling Shaikh, volunteered to
attack him in his own Buggalow. His oiler 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
Uttoobcc Buggalow, however, sufTcrcd 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.
Rahmah soon found that he was in no condition to carry on the engage­
ment, and that in a short time lie 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 look 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 his
existence displayed the same stern and indomitable spirit which had
characterised him all his life.
Shaikh Busheer bin Rahmah, the son of the above person, being now
cut ofT from all chance of assistance, and all his provisions being con-
sumed, was compelled to surrender Demaum unconditionally. The
Bahrein Chief, however, spared his life, and even gave him his
liberty. He afterwards proceeded to Muskat, where His Highness the
Irnaum permitted him to reside, and made him a present of a Bug­
galow, to enable him to obtain an honest livelihood by commerce.
As a proof of the restless and intriguing spirit of Rahmah bin Jaubir
it may be mentioned, that after his death Sultan bin Suggur transmitted