Page 195 - The Pirate Coast (By Sir Charles Belgrave)

What Tavanicr said in the 17th century came to pass in the
20th century for after oil was found in Bahrain, in 1932, there
was no shortage of employment, and most of the divers did ‘quit
their trade’. The same thing happened when oil was found in
Kuwait, and in Qatar and in Saudi Arabia. Now the Arabs of
the Trucial coast, who used to be employed in diving, arc for­
saking the sea and working for the oil companies. The pearl
industry, upon which most of the Gulf Arabs have depended for
their livelihood from time immemorial, is almost a thing of the
past, only a few diving dhows go out from Bahrain, which used
to be the centre of the industry. Its decline began when Japanese
cultivated pearls made their first appearance in the markets of
Europe and America. Then came the discovery of oil in Bahrain,
and some years later, oil was found elsewhere in the Gulf. The
production of oil provided well paid work for large numbers of
men, who preferred working in the oil fields to diving in the sea.
Today, hardly any Bahrainis arc engaged in diving.
The Eden left Bahrain on January 27th, carrying ‘considerable
freights of pearls’. Naval vessels, as well as those of the East India
Company, frequently carried freight such as pearls and bullion
which was described as ‘treasure’. The pearls from Bahrain were
destined for Bushire and Bombay. Loch had discovered that the
Bahrain merchants were in the habit of under-declaring the value
of their pearls in order to pay less freight, so he decided to teach ,
them a lesson. On reaching Bushire he deposited the largest and
most valuable consignment of pearls with Bruce, and informed
the Bushire merchants that, most unfortunately, their pearls had
been ‘mislaid’. He assured them, however, that he would, of
course, be responsible for the amount on which freight was to be
paid if the pearls were not found within a certain time. He then
left Bushire for a week or two.
On his return he sent for the Bushire merchant who was to
receive the pearls and said that, as they had not been found, would
he accept a draft for the amount in the invoice. The Bushiri
merchant told Loch that he could not agree to any arrangement
without consulting the owner of the pearls, who came from
Bahrain, as fast as he could. On arrival, the owner of the pearls
admitted to Loch that his consignment was worth more than
double the amount shown in the invoice., Bruce was now
brought in to explain to the merchants Loch’s ‘real motive for
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