Page 89 - Gulf Precis(II)_Neat

Part III—Chap. XIX. 67

166. Sheikh Behma relied much for the secure enjoyment of his plunder
upon the venality of the person, who might be deputed to enforce its restitution.
The Resident endeavoured, however, without making any particular stipula­
tion, to convince Aga Reza of the superior advantages which ho must obtain
by pursuing an honourable course of conduct on the present occasion. It was
pointed out to him tho increased lustre which his roputation would acquire
by tho successful execution of tho task now committed to him by seizing the
opportunity which now presented itself and by vindicating the right of human­
ity of laying two powerful Governments undor an obligation to him.
160. Tho prosonts which the Resident made Aga Roza amounting to about
R5,000 scarooly exceeded those of form upon such an occasion. The Resident
proposed to divide a cortain portion, say, 10 or 16 per cent, of tho plundered
property, after deduoting'this and all other expenses, amongst those who might
be concerned in its recovery. The charge was to bo then entered in the
Raotory Books undor the head of salvage to which it would most probably
belong.
167. Sheikh Rohma, on being called to account for his conduct by the Shiraz
Government, asserted the right of every country to the property which might
be shipwrecked on its coasts, and Aga Reza thought that the principle might
perhaps be recognized, had it not been for a regard to the persons who were
sufferers on the present oocasion, and the friendship which it was the desire of
the Persian Government to preserve between tho two nations inviolate.
168. On the coast of Guzerat and Konkao, though contrary to the law of
nations and repugnant to the first principles of civilized sooiety, the Resident
believed the attempts hitherto made to repress such a barbarous practice had
been without avail. The question was how far we could make the same
attempts on the Persian Coast. Between the oases of the Alert and Sector, there
might, in what could be called the refinement of barbarity, be some difference.
One was wrecked beyond the power of recovery, the other, as far could be
ascertained, had merely touched, and was very inconsiderably damaged, when
she was taken possession of by Sheikh Rehma.
169. As little was done for many months to obtain reparation for the
plunder of the Hector, representations were duly made to tho Shah by
Mr. Manesty, who had gone to Teheran in 1804, on a self-imposed * task of
Envoy. The King issued a firman to the Prince of Shiraz, translation of
which is given below:—

Translation of Royal Firmaun to the Prince of Shiraz directing an immediate settlement of
the affairs, Naquiloo, July 1804,
To the Prince Hussein Ali Meerza, eto., etc., be it known that an ambassador from the 8ecret and PolL
English Government at Bombay, having arrived at the presenoe and represented that an icar
English vessel had been wrecked off Kelveh and plundered of her cargo by one Sheikh Rehma, 553.A4** 1805,
an inhabitant of Nukheeloo, you are hereby directed to depute some person to recover from the pp*
abovementioned Sheikh Rehma the property in question, to bring away what of the articles
he may still have in his possession, and to receive the amount price of what may have been
used or expended, that it may be restored to the rightful owners, or as this Sheik Rehma is
more immediately under the jurisdiction of Abdullah Khan, you are positively to desire that he
take every means of recovery that he can of proporty or the worth thereof, that it may be duly
restored, and in the event of the above Sheikh Rehma coming to you to discuss the matter,
you are to send them both to tho Resident at Bushire that he may substantiate and satis­
factorily adjust this olaim, and you aro moreover direoted to exert every endeavour for speedy
adjustment of this affair, your success in which will be the means of conciliating an increase
of His Majesty's favor.
160, About the middle of the year 1804, Sheikh Rehma with whole of his s^ntand Poll,
family and about seven hundred of his immediate dependants abandoned fians
Nakhelu entirely, taking with them all their property and effects in order to pp%88-588°.
form a permanent settlement on the Island of Busheab. In the most vulner­
able parts of that island he built two lofty towers which wore constantly
guarded by a well appointed garrison. He had entered into the strictest union
with the Arabs of the Wahabi sect, ever since the murder of the Imam of
Maskat. It was reported Mahomed Zukki Khan, nephew of Abdula

• Vide paragraph 22 ante.
X 1