Page 365 - Records of Bahrain (1) (i)_Neat

The war with Muscat, 1828-1829 353

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with their guns. The " Suiytir 11 mudo her escape during tlio night and
eventually reached Bahrain with little damage, except to her cargo.
Meanwhile the 'Atbi squadron, after attacking on their way down the
Gulf a large Baghlah belonging to the Shaikh of 'Asalu, by which they vcawel Uk«n
by thu ‘Ulub.
were beaten oft’ after an encounter lasting several hours, found an easier
prey ir. a vessel from Murbdt, which they seized at sea in the neighbour­
hood of Masqat. On the way home with their prize they found them­
selves intercepted by the two Masqat frigates near Kiih Mulmrak, upon
which they took the Murhat vessel into shoal water, and, placing her
between themselves and the enemy, proceeded to transfer her cargo to their
own holds; darkness then coming on, they scuttled and sunk her, and by
altering their course contrived to escape with their booty to Bahrain.
Murlmt, situated far off on the south coast of Arabia, was not at this
time a dependency of Mascpit, and the treatment by the'Utub of the
vessel belonging to that port which they captured was consequently
piracy. The ltesident immediately sent an ultimatum, in which restoration
of the plundered cargo was demanded, to Bahrain by two vessels of war ;
and so effectual was this measure that property worth Its. 8,001) was
delivered up, besides which some of the goods consigned to persons in
Bahrain were handed over to the owners. A balance remained for which
it was proposed that the Shaikh of Bahrain should be compelled to pay
compensation in cash ; but the consideration that “ it would be necessary
to blockade the port witli four ships of war, and perhaps to destroy the
shipping by means of shells and congreve rockets, for which latter
purpose a small vessel would be required 99 was considered serious and
led to a decision that no further action should be taken.
In the meantime, in response to hints thrown out by Saiyid Sa’id, who Couoluaiub
professed to be fitting out another expedition against Bahrain, the
Government of Bombay had in April lK&'J instructed Colonel Wilson, the ’Atbi
ltesident at Bushehr, to oiler his services as a mediator. The Saiyid, who gaiyid of
was in reality anxious to proceed to Zanzibar, and who cannot but have ‘Oman, 2nd
been aware of the favourable disposition of the British authorities towards
himself, accepted the proposal with great readiness; but the victorious
' Utuli found means to bring the proceedings to a standstill
by insisting that the British Government should undertake full
responsibility for enforcing the observance of any treaty that might be
arranged. '1 o this condition, though the Saiyid was anxious that it should
bo conceded, the British Resident steadfastly refused to accede; and,
after some months of unavailing effort, he declared his intervention at an
end. Partly, it would seem, to punish the Shaikhs of Bahrain tor their