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HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. 343

take all India and ]\rnscat too, when nothing would be left for
them to plunder. This was plain speaking indeed, and to such
diplomatic utterances onl}' the sword could give any adequate
reply. On the 18th of November, the 'Ariel ' having returned
to Bushire, the squadron of four ships sailed thence, with
Mr. Bruce and j\lr. Taylor on board, and arrived before
Ras-ul-Khyuiah on the 2()th of November.
At daylight on the following morning, a boat was sent from
the ' Challenger ' to take on shore Mr. Taylor and an Arab
interpreter, as bearers of a letter from Mr. Bruce, stating the
firm conviction of the British Government, that the capture of
vessels flying the English flag was committed with a knowledge
of their nationality, and insisting upon the immediate restora-
tion of the plundered property, amounting to about twelve lacs
of rupees. A demand was also made in this communication
that the commander of the piratical squadron, Ameer Ibrahim,
should be delivered up for punishment, and that two of the sons
of the chiefs should be placed in the hands of the Bombay
Govenmient as hostages for their future conduct. A refusal to
comply with all or any of these requisitions, would be considered
as a defiance of British power, and therefore noon was fixed ibr
the return of a definitive answer, by wliich the i'uture movements
of the squadron would be regulated.
The bearers of this letter soon returned and reported that
they were denied admittance within the gates of the town, upon
which Captain Bridges proceeded on shore, and was conducted
tlirougli the town to the presence of the pirate chief, who was
attended by about fifty armed tbllowers. An eye-witness, Mr.
—
Buckingham, says: "Thechief Hussein-bin- Hahmah was a small
man, apparently about forty years of age, with an expression of
cunning in his look, and something particularly sarcastic in his
smile. One of his eyes had been wounded, but his other features
were good, and his teeth beautifully wliite and regular, his
complexion very dark, and his Ijeartl scanty and chielly confuied
to his ('hin. He was dressed in the usual Arab garments, and
a Cashmere shawl turban, and a scarlet l)enisii of the iV-rsian
form, to distinguish him froui his followers. These were habited
in the plainest garments, with long shirts and keft'eas. or hand-
kerchiefs, thrown loosely over the head; and most of them, as
well as their leader, wore large swords of the old Norman
form, with long straight blades of great breadth, and hirge cross
handles, perfectly ])lain short spears were also borne by some,
with circular shields of tough hide, ornamented with knobs of
metal and gilding. They are thought to have at present about
sixty large vessels from their own port, manned with crews of
from eighty to three hundred men. Forty other craft of a
smaller size may be counted among their auxiliaries, from the
ports of Sliarjah and Rams, on the Arabian coast. ( 'harra<'k and