Page 5 - The Pirate Coast (By Sir Charles Belgrave)

CONTENTS

PAOE
INTRODUCTION ix

CHAPTER I i
The Persian Gulf in ancient times. Dilmun. Archaeological dis­
coveries. Pirates. Alexander the Great. Voyage of Ncarchus.
Classical writers. Islamic period. The Slave Rebellion. The
Carmathians. Hormuz. Marco Polo. Portuguese in the Gulf.
The- taking of Muscat, Hormuz and Bahrain. Antonio Correa.
Turkish activities. Portuguese power declines. Loss of Bahrain.
East India Company. Persians take Bundar Abbas. English and
Portuguese in competition. Ruy Freirc. Portuguese take Kishin.
Anglo-Persian force takes Kishm and Hormuz.

CHAPTER II 13
Bundar Abbas replaces Hormuz. Dutch East India Company.
Omanis expel Portuguese. Portuguese attempt to recover Muscat.
Increase in piracy. Decline of English influence. Bogus French
Mission to Shah. Persia occupies Oman. Mutinies and murders.
Nadir Shah. British treaty with Muscat. Civil wars. Said be­
comes ruler.

CHAPTER HI 25
The Wahabi movement. Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab. The
family of Saud. Expansion of Wahabism. Pirates embrace Wahab­
ism. Wahabi conquests. Turkish reaction. Pirates. The Joasmi
tribe. Pirate exploits. Mr. Mancsty of Basra. British attempt
suppression of pirates. Ineffectual treaty. Piratical attacks increase.
Sir Harford Jones. British expedition of 1S09. Destruction of Ras
al Khaima. Disaster at Shinas. Fleet departs. Resumption of
piracy. Unsuccessful British show of force.

CHAPTER IV (Junc-Novcmber 1818) 38
Loch’s Diary. H.M.S. Eden sails from Plymouth. Madeira. Shore
visits. An English ‘confidence man’. Crossing the Line. Sharks.
Rio dcjanciro. A dinner on shore. A Portuguese funeral. Whales.
Trincomalcc.
CHAPTER V (Novcmbcr-Deccmbcr 1818) 49
Voyage up the Indian coast. Cochin. A Jewish village. Goa.
Portuguese wives. Bombay. Men-of-war and merchantmen.
Incident at Ambah. Turning turtles at Astola. First scrap with
pirates. Arab vessels. Engagement with pirates. Pirate prisoners.
v