Page 325 - Gulf Precis (III)_Neat

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CHAPTER VII.

PIRACIES AM) OTHER MARITIME IRRECCLARITIES
1859—01.

(i) AN ATROCIOUS PIRACY AND MURDER BY THE I'EUASA TRIBE AND A NATIVE
OF KUUSSAB, IS39-U0.
72. Littlo before the death of Shaikh Said of Debai in 1839 an atrocious
act of piracy and murder was committed by parties of the Bu Fclasa tribe, and
full redress was demanded from the Debai Chief. The case was in many
respects an extraordinary one. Seldom had a murder of so cold-blooded a
character been perpetrated in these seas. Few and rare were the instances that
had occurred of criminals being overtaken by the band of justice and brought
to punishment under circumstances so favourable to non-discovery and escape.
Finally, as expressed by Captain Felix Jones, never before had a murderer been
unconditionally surrendered by Arabs of the Persian Gulf into the hands of the
Political Resident. Biiefly the circumstances attendant on the enoimity,
as also the steps that were adopted to obtain redress, were as follows:—
73. Abdullah bin Hussein ul Baili, and cousins Abdul Rahman and Suley­
man, all inhabitants of Hasa, and all subjects of the Wahabi Amir, left Basa on
business. Besides divers articles of wearing apparel, provisions, and so forth,
they carried with them eighteen hundred dollars in hard cash, and took ship for
Ojcirat which place they arrived in safety. From Ojcir they proceeded to Jirza
touching at Bahrein on the way. At Jirza they went on shore, and stayed
some three days in the house of one Bussain Abdullah. On the third day they
fell in with a person called Obiyd, Nakkoda of a boat belonging to Debai, who
agreed to take them across to Lingah lor the sum of three kraus. They invited.
Obiyd to take refreshments with them, and after sunset prayers embarked with
their coin and their baggage in his boat, safely bound as they imagined to the
port of their destination on the opposite coast. Abdullah bin Bussain and his
companions had not been long on board era they retired to rest, tho boat having
by this time reached some distance off the shore. Sleep overtook them, and
they remained in ignorance of the fate that was hanging over them until
they were aroused by the boatmen fastening rope round their necks, evidently bent
upon their destruction. And notwithstanding their appeal to have their lives
spared, “ and their promise in God’s name to inform none of God’s people ” if
permitted to reach the shore, a deaf ear was turned to their entreaties, and they
were pitilessly hurled into the sea. The bout spread her sails and sailed away.
Only one of the crews managed to keep float until two native vessels belong­
ing to Sur picked him up, and oarried him to Maskat where he laid a com­
plaint before the British Agent. From Maskat he oame to Bushire, and placed
his case in the hands of the Political Resident.
74. Captain Felix Jones at once proceded to adopt measures for the obtain-
ment of full reparation. The first step he took was to depute Lieutenant Fendalb
Commanding Her Majesty’s Corvette Falkland, on the errand of tracing out,
if possible, the perpetrators of the outrage, and this officer having succeeded in
ascertaining that the criminals, and a vessel which they had purchased out of
the proceeds of their crime, had gono to Debai, Commander Balfour repaired with
the available vessels of the squadron to call upoD, and, if necessary, to compel
the Chief of Debai to fulfil the demands preferred upon him by the Resident.
The domands were five in number—
1st.—The surrender of the vessel to the British Officer who had full
authority to burn it publicly off Debai.
2nd.—Payment of a sum of 1,800 dollars, being the amount of cash sworn
to as in possession of the murdered men and in the plunder of which indeed
emanated their destruction,
I