Page 146 - Records of Bahrain (1) (ii)_Neat

504 Records of Bahrain

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ho would bo obliged, therefore, to outer into relations with tho Wahhabis;
and lie finally offered to allow Bashir-bin-Rahmah to remove his produce
from Dammam, provided that ho did not, under this protoxt, bring any
largo vessels into the vicinity. Captain Kcmball reported these remarks
to the Kesidont, but no further communication was made at tho timo to
Shaikh 'Abdullah, who afterwards affected to havo thought that tho
allies would bo ordored by tho Rcsidont to suspend their operations and
to have been prejudiced in his defence by this belief.
Meamvhilo Shaikh 'Abdullah had opened a correspondence with tho
Wahhubis and had apparently offered, on condition of tho rcleaso of 'Abdullah
Shaft' of the Bani Hajir, to rcstoro 'Oqair, of which he had 6omohow \VohhiUiii
becomo possessed. A littlo later, whothcr on these or on other terms,
the Wahhabi ruler set Shaft’ at liberty and suggested to tho Shaikhs
of Bahrain that they should compose their differences ; but Shaikh
' hdullah, who seems to have distrusted tho sincerity of the Amir's me­
diation, replied discourteously, advising him to observe a strict neutrality.
In these circumstances the Wahhabis, not unnaturally, reverted to their
support of Shaikh Muhummad.
At tho beginning of 1813 Shaikh Muhammad mado his appearance Aolivo
in Qatar, of which promontory the inhabitants generally were favour- expulsion
able to his cause. lie succeeded in occupying a small fort at Murair*
before it had been garrisoned by the opposite party, and the troops sent by from
Shaikh ' Abdullah to hold Murair returned without making any effort for
its recovery. From the point of vantage thus secured Shaikh Muham- April 1843.
mad at onco opened communication with his associates on Qais Island.
In February 1843, alarmed by tho arrival of several boats from Qais,
Shaikh 'Abdullah wroto to the British authorities requesting them to re­
strain 'Isa and Bashir; but for various reasons, aud partly in consequence
of a misapprehension, no reply was vouchsafed to his application.
At length Shaikh Muhammad, from Fuwairat in Qatar where no
was now established, despatched a considerable forco in five Baghlahs
to the eastern coast of Bahrain Island ; aud a landing was effected at a
point 02>posite Rifa'-ash-Sharqi. Troops sent in liasto by Shaikh
'Abdullah under tho command of his 6on Nadir, however, succeeded in
reaching Hif.V before them ; and an indecisive combat took place, in
which several men were killed and wounded. An attempt to surround
tho invaders by laud and to cut off their retreat by sea scorns to havo
beon unsuccessful.
• Id the records this plsco is oallod “ Meozoer," but no pluco with such a mono is
kuown, sod the rofsreuoe must apparently bo to Qal'at Muruir wbioh tkon stood 1J
miles southeast of Zufcunb.