Page 236 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

214 [Part VI—Chap. XLIV.
vessels of war which visitod his place : and further that an answer had been written to tho
letter, whioh ho oxpoctcd I would have sent for: this last provo 1 true as it was produced. To
this I nnswered that his lack of hospitality was unliko anything that I had witnessed amongst
tho Arab Cl-iofs ospoeia'ly those of consequence, that the Imam of Muscat, although his port
was often visited twico or thrice a month by Government vessels, invariably returned all
salutes, and eont some one of his household on board with a comp'imoutary message, present
of fruit or the liko. In reply tho Shaik again repeated that ho had omitted nothing
necessary and so tho subject dropped. Notwithstanding Ins persisting in and justifying his
refusal to return our salute and tho rudeness of my reception, it is difficult to boliovo that
Sheik Jabir intenled a gratuitous insult; but these indications would s.-cm clearly to provo
that ho values not tho good opinion of tho British Government, and would liavo little or no
faith io its power to protect him wero such a thing proffered. From what I heard and from
my own observation, it would appear that although a porson of some energy and rather popular
a* a rulor, ho is naturally a coarse bigotted Arab extromcly ignorant of all countries nnd
affairs excepting those with which ho is immediately concerned and belioving Mahomed
Ali to bo tho greatest potentato cn earth: this consideration and tho fact of an emissary
(an Kgyplian Turk) from Khorshid P«sha being now, and having for many months been
rosideut at Koweit, may help to explain bis conduct. This ageut is ostensibly placed-in
Kowoit to purchase barley, some boat-loads of which have really been sent by him to Kutest,
although no grain is grown nt Kow«*it, it boing imported fro n the Bussora river and Persian
Coast; but his moro important aud real duties aro doubtless to intrigue, gain* information,
nnd to watch Bussora. Ho is noil treated by the Sheik, who gives him the first placo at bis
assembly or durbar, and it seems not improbable that wo were eliglr.ed in order that it may
be reported to the Pasha that the English receive no oncouragcment at Koweit. As wo have no
treaty with and havo not of lato years been (1 b-liovo) very intimately connected with Kowoit,
the Sheik’s conduct so far as allying himself with Egypt (and that he has submitted or allied
himself or contemplates doing so can scarcely bo doubted) would not appear 60 reprehensible as
that of other Chiefs, who have beoo directly advised against the step and who have treaties
with us : but I w-*uld beg to suggest that some means of shewing the displeasure of Government
might be adopted, such as for instance abstaining from affording protection to his vessels, or
recovering any property lost by plunderers, etc. As Koweit oxists purely by its traffic such a
measure if made kuown would be severely felt and might effect some change in Sheik Jabir:
at any rate it would 6hew others that although the English men-of-war gratuitously perform
the pulice duties of this sea, they wdl no longer bo permitted to protect tho pioperty of theso
who insult them by refusing to return their salutes.
Leaving Koweit wo proceeded to Fuleeja, distant about ten miles, and in fact forming
ono side of the harbour ; day was 6p?nt in examining the inner or western, and tho following
two days tho opposite and outer side of the island. It is about eight miles long, by two or
three wide, extremely low, and to all appearance tfwarapy ; after rain or high tides, the soil
though sandy is by no means bad, and there is plenty of fresh water and no groat depth from
the surface. The only village at present inhabited is Znor containing from 100 to 150
families mostly engaged in fishing, and situated on tho western side of the island. I there
fell in with Moobarruk, tho petty Sheik of the place, a relative and dependant of the Koweit
Sheik ; he also on the following day came on board the vessel to briiur a sick man for advice.
From Moobarruk’s account the climate of Fuleeja must be very bad, for he said that most of
tho children died and that the people generally suffered much from fever ; the appearance of
the place certainly warrants this assertion. On the western and protected side of ihe island
the shoals run out. so far that steamers and the smallest sized ships could not approach nearer
than four miles ; on the eastern side there is water enough at half this distance but then the
anchorage is exposed and there are no inhabitants. On tho whole I think Fuleeja ill adapted
for either a naval or military station oven less so than Karrak, for although it posses*es the
advantiges of comparative fertility, good holding ground and on one 6iae sheltered and safe
anchorage for shipping, yet the inconvenient distance (especially so for steamers ooaling)
at which vessels must remain and the probable greater anhealthineES of the place are serious
drawbacks.
Although Fuleeja'possesses few advantages, there are several considerations connected with
the neighbouring town of Koweit, which has already risen to considerable commercial
importance on the decline of Bussora to render it worthy of attention should it be resolved
to evacuate Karrak and gain possession of 6ome other place; as also if a coal depdt and
rendezvous for the vessels of war only were sought for. Its first recommendation is the
magnificent harbour, the only one in this Gulf capable of receiving very large vessels. As
all the supplies come from the Persian Coast and Bussora River, and as all depend upon the
sea for their livelihood, the place might be easily controlled by a naval force only. The chief
merchants are men of wealth and the whole population 6cem actuated by a commercial spirit
and much less addicted than the generality of Arabs to engaging in feuds. A lino of battle­
ships would ride two miles from th* town and ordinary vessels at half that distance. I have
already sttted its advantages as regards the overland post, and it is a place where intelligence
would from the number of boats resorting there be quickly received from every part of the
Gulf." As compared to other places in this sea, the natives praise the climate of Koweit, but
as they say that the old Bussora Faotory resided there for some seven or eight years there may
possibly be some record of its effect on European constitution. Koweit is certainly the most