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bv their own friends and set at liberty. The Court of Directors approved of
these proceedings (Despatch No. 8 of 1856, dated 20th February).
lii) .HUTUHi AGGRESSIONS OX THEIR BOATS BV THE PEOPLE OF SHARGAII AM)
SMAYSMAH : QUESTION OF EXPEDIENCY OF PERMITTING RELAXATION OF
THE PRINCIPLE OF HOLDING CHIEFS RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTS OF THEIR
DEPENDANTS, 1853-1834.
57. Mahomed bin Fullah, a native of Murazur, in the outskirts of Shargah,
having put into Doah on the Katar Coast
Foreign Department Cons., 20th Junuorj por wu^crj ^w0 slaves absconded from his
I863*ib64, No*. boat, and made good their escape to the
neighbouring town of Smaysmah. Having traced them thither ho demandod
their surrender, but the Chief man of the place, either unable, as he alleged, or
unwilling to recover them from a parly of Bedouins into whose hands they had
fnllon. declined compliance. Mahomed bin Fullah then left Smaysmah, and
presently falling in with a boat belonging to that port, boarded her, and not
only took out two slaves to replace those ho had lost, but also a quantity of
property ; and wounded two of her crew. Captain Kemball was engaged in
investigating these occurrences, when the people of Smaysmah, without awaiting
his intervention to redress their grievances, took the law into their own hands
for this purpose, and having intercepted a boat belonging to Rasul-Khyma
bound for Bahrein, captured her with everything on board; but happily
without inflicting any injury upon her crew.
6S. The Political Resident decidod thatbolh parties should make restitution
for the value of the property plundered from each other and that Mahomed bin
Fullah, being the aggressor, should furnish security to the amount of 250
dollars for his good behaviour until after the termination of the Pearl Season.
The Commodore of the Persian Gulf squadron, Captain Pcobinson, found no
difficulty in recovering the amount of damages (200 dollars) and that of tho
security from the Mahomed bin Fullah ihrough the authorities at Shargah, but
the amounts the Smaysmah tribe were liable to pay, was recovered with consi­
derable difficulty. The Sheikh of Bahrein showed much reluctance to compel
the tribe to pay the money, and wished the British authorities themselves to
recover it from them. Ho urged that any attempt at compulsion by himself
would result in the tribe renouncing allegiance to him and ranging themselves
under the sovereignty of his enemy the Beni Saud.
59. A question was raised on account of the objections urged by the Chief
of Bahrein to be held responsible for the acts of the Smaysmah people, viz,
whether it was expedient to permit any relaxation of tho principle of holding
the Chiefs on the Gulf responsible under all circumstances for the acts of their
dependants.
60. Tho Government of India, concurring with the Government of
Bombay, stated in their letter No. 206, dated 16th January 1854 :—
“ He considers it desirable that Captain Keraball should be allowed to exercise bis own
discretion in ca^cs in which tho enforcement of the responsibility by a Chief would lead the
tribes to renounce their allegiance to him, and he is accordingly pleased to direct that Captain
Kemball be authorized to relax the operation of the Treaty in the manner proposed, whenever he
may see occasion to do 60.”

(Hi) PIRACY AGAINST ABDUL KARIM’S VESSEL, 1855.
61. In January 1865, a shoee belonging to one Abdul Karim of Bahrein
Consn.9, November 1856, Noe. 24*27. while returning from the coast of Oman to
that island, encountered a storm from tho
north and went in for shelter abreast of Odeid. Whilst there two buggalows both
belonging to the people of Abu Thabi bore down upon the ship and plundered
her, wounding Abdul Karim and killing one of the crew in the fight.
62. The Resident decided that prompt roparation should be demanded for
this atrocious crime, and despatched Commander Ethcrscy with instructions to
demand from the Chief of Abu Thabi (t) the value of the plundered property
estimated at 740 M. S. Rs. as well as (it) Deeah or compensation for blood