Page 189 - Arabian Studies (II)

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The First Days of British Aden 181

Aden was sold to the Company by the Sultan and when
they sent to take possession of it, the Bedouins would not
consent and fired upon the English. Since when they have
been blockading the place. The Sultan had however several
times offered to deliver it up but as often retracted his word.
The flag of truce was flying this morning but is now down.
27 Fine. Onboard the Coote till 2. Finding that the steamer for
Suez from Bombay would not be here till the 9th or 10th of
January resolved on sailing tomorrow for Zeyla.
Whilst below reading in the afternoon I was aroused by
the report of a gun which was returned by several musket-
shots and on going on deck I found that some Bedouins had
come down from the hills at the back of the town and were
Firing at the Coote but at such a distance that their balls were
not even heard en passant. The Coote's launch returned their
Fire with several shells one of which pitched amongst a group
of them, but we could not ascertain whether it had caused
any damage. The party however quickly fled and made
towards the low pass which unites the Peninsula to the main,
here they were followed by the launch and two others of the
Coote's boats Filled with marines and we lost sight of them
behind the projections of the land.
There were many fish in the bay but generally too shy to
take the bait.
28 Fine. Got under weigh at 7 A.M. for Zeyla with a good
breeze from the Eastward.
29 Fine. At daybreak land was in sight which proved to be in the
vicinity of Zeyla. By log we had only run 75 miles but by the
bearings of the town and the Islands of Juat and Sadduckeen
the distance was upwards of 100.
At 10 A.M. we suddenly found ourselves in 5 fathoms
water where 37 fathoms are laid down on the chart and
before the vessel could be hove to, she grounded on a coral
reef about 7 miles to the E.N.E. of the town. It was
fortunately nearly calm, still a slight swell set in and she I
thumped heavily on her keel and afterwards on her bilge till
the tide receding left her nearly dry.
Soon after she struck, 4 fishing dows approached, no
doubt in the hope that she would be wrecked and that they
would gather an ample harvest. I went aboard one to order
them to keep off on pain of our firing into them and to ask I
the time of low water. I also wished to get a pilot to enter the •;
harbor in case of our getting off and the rascals thinking that
they would take advantage of our distressed situation had the
impudence to ask 300 Dollars for one which of course I
laughed at. There however we lay and the anxious coun­
tenances of every one onboard fully betrayed the fears which

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