Page 53 - Records of Bahrain (2)(ii)_Neat

Zubarah, 1874-1878 379

Ono hundred men from Agair and •lCatiff liavc come over to Bahrein during
tho last ton days iu driblots by ICowoit boats. Bahrein boats liavo been forbiddeu
to bring pcoplo on tlio Island (tribo Ajnian).
Tliroo days ago Rashid bin Jubber(brought fifty men over from Zobarch,
tribo Npimeo, all have como unasked, but givo out nro goiiifj to assist Chief if
Boni Hajir como over. Chief thinks lhbro likely they will joiu in tho scramble
for loot. •L'
I havo persuaded bunyahs uot to ombark their goods yet, as only cause
extra pauic, to wait a fow days until I ico for myself, at present havo promised
I will.wait here until tho end of the month (require man-of-war hero); got
Chiof to 8ond his brother along with'me, nud start to-day for Al Biddah and
IClior Shnjoyj to warn Beni Hajir it1 is not safe to bo found at sea, also
warn pearl boats they are not to givo their boats up to Beni Hajir. Will not
allow Shoikh Ahmed to laud at Biddah oV elsewhere, but pcoplo may come off to
sco him. • i
Ohiof has two hundred men ready, but if it come to a scratch, doubts are
entortained if ono hundred would como to tho front.
He has got ouc of his large butlcclji ready for sea and wishes to scud her
along with us. I think it better sho should lay in Bahrein at present.

No. 44, dated Bahrein, 25th August 1874.
From—Ofiiccr Conimandiug Ilcr Majesty's D. V. May Frerc,
To—Her Brilnunic Majesty's Political Resident in the Persian Gulf.
Findino that tho letter I despatched to you per buggalow, dated I'1th
August, has not reached you iu timo to _receive an answer by Mail Steamer that
arrived horo ou tho 20th I rocommoucc report of proceedings from first arrival.
Bahrein, \2th August,—Arrived hero 10 a.m. finding tho placo was in
an unsettled stato, had an interview with the Chief at '1 i\m. Ho informed
mo that ho had letters (which he showed me) from Al Biddah. Beni Hajir gayo
out they did not intend to retain posscssiou of Bahrein if successful in the con­
templated raid on that place, but would be satisfied with a goucral slaughter,
and carry off all goods they could lay their hands ou.
Tho Chief of Al Biddah has refused boat publicly, but, it is surmised,
would havo no objection to their gettiug boats by nominal forco aud in such a
stylo that ho could not bo implicated in tho affair.
I* *
Tho plan of the Beni Hajir is to get posscssiou of ono boat, then go to
tho banks (being nil armed mou) and compol somo of tho largo poarl boats to
follow them to somd nrcviouslv determined noint.
• - - *
That is how Mahomed- bin Khalifa and Nasir Mobarik succeeded in 18G9
wheu they landed, killed tho Chiof, Ali,(und.plundered Bahrein.
Itashid bin Jubbor with fifty mou of Nn.com tribo arrived from Zobayc
on tho 10th on tho protonco of assisting tho Chief of Bahrein, also during tho
lost ton days about ono hundred of the Ajmau tribo havo arrivod from Ojair
jyd Katiff in boats bolouging to. ICowoit. ,/Tlioy havo arrived in tons and twolves.
I hoy ^ivo out tlioy havo como for charity. • Tho Chief is afraid of thorn,
and thinks thoy liavo como.to join|in tlio-goncral loot. •
Bahrein boats liavo boon prohibited-from bringing people on tho island.
Tho Chiof has launched and got ready ouo of his largo boats; ho has also
two hundrod men ready, but is afraid to prevent tho pearl boats • from going
to sea, as ho truly obsorves if thoy can’t fish iu tho season, they will starvo dur-
fljo winter. After tho fishing season' is ovor, ho will not bo afraid of tho
Bom Hajir, ns all his pcoplo will then bo in tho island.
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