Page 147 - Records of Bahrain (1) (ii)_Neat

Civil war in Bahrain, 1840-1847 505

870

In March or April of 181-3 the town of Manuiuah passed into Clio
possession of a brother of Shaikh Muhammad, not without the connivance
of the inhabitants, who remembered with bitterness the conduct of
Shaikh 'Abdullah's Bedouins in the previous year ; and shortly after­
wards 'Isa bin-Tarif and Bashir-bin-llahinah arrived in Bahrain with
a large force.
In April the allies attacked Muharraq town, the scat of Shaikh
'Abdullah, and obliged him to take refuge in "a small fort, situated
at no great distance from the town"—possibly that of liuluL Abu
Mahur—where, finding himself completely invested, he capitulated ;
uud the fort of 'Arad, held by his sons, then also surrendered at discretion.
The sons of 'Abdullah taken prisoners at 'Arful remained, with the
consent of the victor, in Bahrain ; but the Shaikh himself, to whom
his captors allowed only one Batil and one Ghunchah for the conveyance
of his family, dependents and property, took his departure for Dammam.
That place, the sole remuaut of Lis possessions, was now governed by
Shaikh 'Abdullah's son Mubarak.

Iuoidents of the civil war iu Bahrain affecting the British
Government.

Outrage In 184-2, on the defeat of Shaikh Muhammad by Shaikh 'Abdullah,
cotuuullo J tho town of Manamah, as wo have seen, fella prey to the Bedouins nl*
at tho houac
of tho the successful party j and among the goods pillaged were some belong­
British
lloiidouor ing to British subjects. But a more serious incident arose from the
Agent, behaviour of the native Agent of tho British Residency in Bahrain, a man
1812.
of u timid and imbecile character." To this individual Shaikh 'Abdullah,
iu the beginning of tho troubles, suggested that lie should either remove
to Muhnrraq or go on board a British vessel, then in tho harbour,
until tho crisis was over ; but tho Agent preferred to stay at
Munamuh, and, on tho town being attacked, he extended tho protection
of his house—if not that of tho British Government—to the persons
aud property of a number of people having no claim to it, probably in
return for a peouniary consideration. Among those who took refuge
with the Agent were a 6ou and other dependents of a blood-enemy of
Shaikh 'Abdullah, one Ilumud of the 'Anmir section of the Bani Khiilid
tribe, and tho Shaikh shortly appeared iu person to demand, uuder