Page 313 - Records of Bahrain (1) (i)_Neat

Renewed hostilities with Rahmah b. Jabir, 1825-1826 303

where he was received with a salute by his followers, This
decisive indication of his presence excited the instant atten­
tion of the opposite party, one of whose boats Commanded by
Shaik Ahmed been Sulerman, the Nephew of Shaik Abdoola pro-

cceded to attack him. A desperate struggle ensued till Shaik
Ahmed having lost nearly the whole of his crew by the fire
of Rahma's boat retired for reinforcements, These were speedily
furnished by the other vessels of the fleet which were directed
by Shaik Ahmed to keep aloof from the conflict, while he returned
after making this chivalrous arrangement to meet his brave
antagonist. The fight recommenced with fury, but Ramah per-

ceving that his people were rapidly falling around him, mustered
the remainder of the Crew, issued orders to grapple with his
opponents, and after embracing his young son was led with a
lighted torch to the Magazine, which immediately exploded, blow­
ing his Bagiow to atoms and setting fire at the same time to the

Bahrine boat, which soon afterwards shared a similar fate. Shaik
Ahmed and a few of his followers fortunately effected his escape
to the other boats of the Squadroon but only one person was
saved out of Rahma's Bagiow, and it is supposed that in the
course of the action 300 men must have perished.
3 Bashire still held out in the Fort of Daman, but it
is impossible that he can long withstand the force that has been
brought against him, destitute, as he now is, of all hope of

assistance, and deprived of the advantage of that enthusiasm
which the undaunted Spirit of his Father had infused into all his
followers. While Rahma lived the peace of the Gulf could never
be considered secure, and his restless unprincipled habits
afforded a dangerous example to other unsettled characters who
under pretence of a declaration of war against the mercantile

State might like him have evaded all responsibility and rivalled
the enormity of their piratical predecessors, till emboldened by