Page 80 - Records of Bahrain (1) (i)_Neat

70 Records of Bahrain

412 UTTOO DICES.

pany the expedition. When the naval force approached tlie pirate’s
den, and Humced bin Mujdcll was called upon to afford redress for the
wrongs he had committed, he sent back a reply of haughty defiance :
he declared his perfect indifference for any plans the British vessels
might think fit to adopt, and spoke in somewhat boastful terms of the
deed he had done. The bold and resolute conduct of the Commodore,
however, quickly brought the chief to his senses ; for notwithstanding
the strength of his position, and the numerous shoals that surrounded
it,—so difficult of access that the Cootc could not approach within five
miles of it, and even the schooner Constance, after threading her way
through an intricate channel, with frequently only six inches of water
under her keel, was unable to get within effective range of her guns,—
daylight of the morning succeeding their arrival found the town and
vessels of the Amayir Chief closely confronted with a formidable line
of gunboats, in battle array, all ready to pour forth their contents should
resistance be offered, or satisfaction denied ; and the insolent tone of
contumacy hitherto held by the haughty pirate was instantly changed
into one of profound submission. lie hastened to wait upon Captain
ICemball, and to pray for mercy, and finished by surrendering his
Buggalow* as a pledge for the payment of the demands preferred
against him.
Thus wore brought to a successful issue, without loss of life, or blood­
shed, the operations against Humced bin Mujdell, which, though short
in duration, when we consider the terrific heat of the sun in the month
of June, the risk incurred by the vessels, and the exposure to which
their crews were of necessity subjected, must be pronounced to have
been both arduous and harassing.
We now revert to the rival chiefs.
In October 1845, a letter reached the "Resident from Abdoolla bin
Ahmed, intimating his intention to leave the Persian Coast, and proceed
to Kateef, for the purpose of recommencing hostilities. Kateef was at
that lime held by a Wahabec Governor, Abdoolla bin Saecd, who,
although professing feelings of amity for the Shaikhs of Bahrein, was
well known to be secretly planning an attack upon their island. It
is not unlikely, therefore, that the ex-chief, who had lately received
intelligence from the Wahabec Ameer, was invited to join in common
cause with the Kateef Governor, and repair to his neighbourhood, with a
view to aid in displacing Mahomed bin Khalecfa. The bland de­
meanour and loud professions of friendship that were made by Abdoolla
bin Saecd, in lieu of producing the desired effect upon the Uttoobee
* The Buggnlow was redeemed in the month of October 1815, by the payment of 2,059
Muhomed Shah rupees in hard coin, and the deposit of property to the value of the balance
'of HI Mahomed Shall rupee*.