Page 183 - The Pirate Coast (By Sir Charles Belgrave)

prepared to tackle the vessels. They returned during the night,
having destroyed two pirate ships, bringing with them three more.
‘This was done without molestation, although not without con­
siderable show of resistance which was kept under by the persons
sent by Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed.’ While the boats were away
Loch heard that several other pirate dhows were preparing to sail
through the southern passage so, as soon as the boats returned, %
they were sent off again with the same officers and men. They
did not return till the following day ‘but, unfortunately, unsuc­
cessful’. Loch says that ‘all were knocked up with so many
/?-
hours hard work’.
Next day a boat with a large red flag was seen approaching. It
carried a messenger from Rahmah bin Jabr, ‘the old Butcher, as
he is well named’, who was established in the fort of Katif on the
mainland, where he lay in wait for Bahrain ships. Rahmah
offered to help the British ‘with every disposable man, so that he 1
might avenge himself by cutting the throats of all those in power i
in Bahrain and their adherents, and washing his hands in the blood a*
of his enemies. Bruce and I informed the messenger that the '
expedition was sent to the Persian Gulph to put an end to all m
piracy and murderous warfare, which was to the detriment of
trade, more particularly that of the English. Whoever commit­ m
ted such acts hereafter would suffer as those at Ras al Khaima had
suffered. His proffered assistance was declined with disgust, and
he was informed that our feelings were rather to support those in 'fi’i
Bahrain against him than him against them.’ M
On the 24th, Loch and Bruce had midday dinner with Shaikh
Abdulla at Muharraq. Loch had made it a condition of their %
going that the Shaikh should meet them on the shore. ‘The
reason for so doing was to humble him in the eyes of his own
people as a punishment for his duplicity, cunning and prevarica­
tion, and for his having thrown every obstacle in our way when
I visited the island at the time of the report about the European
Lady and her Niece. It was through him too that the Joasmi
received shelter in the port which was a market for their plunder.’
Since the business of the European Lady, Loch had taken a strong
dislike to Shaikh Abdulla, but for the Shaikh to meet the English­
men on the shore would not have impressed the Arabs as anything
unusual.
When the ship’s boat arrived near the shore, the Shaikh was
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