'Persian Gulf Gazetteer, Part I Historical and Political Materials, Précis of Nejd [Najd] Affairs, 1804-1904' [‎27] (40/72)

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" On tbe 4th, I sent the boats in charge of Lieutenant Long to shell the fort of Demaum
at high-water, and, if possible, breach the wall, but the water was so shallow he was uuable to
approach near enough to do so, he, however, must have done considerable damage to the interior
of the fort and its defenders."
106. The Jlighjlyer rejoined the Eesident at Maskat on the 9th Teb-
ruary, and on receiving Captain Pasley's report of the operations before
Pemantn, it appeared to Colonel Pelly more than ever necessary that a prompt
and severe example should be made of those Arabs (of the Jenebah tribe) who
were implicated with the Wahabis in the plunder and murder of ^ our subjects
at Sur. There were other reasons too which called for the punishment of the
Jenebah. They had long been notorious among our Naval Officers as the most
cruel and unscrupulous slavers and pirates. They were among the Arab slave-
dealers who had conspired in 1861 to assassinate the British Agent at Zanzibar
for his anti-slavery proceedings. It was also believed that they were concerned
in the murder of three seamen of H. M's. S. Wasp who had disappeared in one
of their craft a few months before. The Sultan of Maskat was assured of their
criminality and had himself proceeded to Sur five or six months previously
with the intention of punishing them, but he was suddenly obliged to return to
Maskat owing to the detection of a conspiracy to dethrone him. Colonel Pelly
had also in the preceding month sent the Berenice to Sur with a letter
addressed to the heads of the Jenebah tribe, demanding from them the payment
of 27,000 dollars as compensation for the property plundered by them from
British subjects, and warning them that measures would be taken to enforce
the demand if not speedily complied with. Their reply, however, was " that
• on a former occasion when Lieutenant Pengelly threatened a tribe on the
Coast nothing was done, and that they were quite sure the Resident would not
come now."
Letter to' Oaverament, No. 9, d.ted tie 1211. Matters Were in tllia position wrote
February 1866. Colonel Pelly.
« When Highflyer arrived at Maskat on the 9th instant with a report of her repulse at
Dema«m, and then it seemed to me more than
to slrrlTZ^'u'Sred 0 °. y ^'"dUnS ever n to give a prompt and severe example
fherein made. I now warn you forthwith to remove with Highflyer. Accordingly i started at once
all non-combatants from_ any buildings, whether "Berenice" taking the Maskat Wazir Minister. with
town, village or what not in the_ neighbourhood of ^ arrival at Sur sent the appended
your fort and shipping, as it is my intention to l r
attack you at noon, six hours from this time. letter* to the tube.
" HigMyer joined me on the morning of the 11th, and her fire was to open at noon J
at 11 a.m. the Chiefs came aboard to me to ask for delay till the spring when tbeir craft from
Jeddah would return. At noon Captaia Pasley fired a gun every half hour, thus giving a
further caution to all non-combatants round the forts and shipping to clear out, and it waa
arranged with a neighbouring Chief that he might shelter these.
t( At 1 p.m . Captain Pasley opened fire on the forts, utterly ruining them.
(( At day break in the morning of the 12th Highflyer's boats went^ up the Sur creek in
charge of Lieutenant Long and destroyed or confiscated every Suri craft ; burning also a
large quantity of ship-timber. Some of the tribe showed in the distance, but they were com
pletely awed by the fire.
<f I be"- to append Captain Pasley's report of proceedings, in original, and beg to draw the
attention of Government to the complete and skilful manner in which Captain Pasley and the
officers and men under his command have inflicted this severe punishment on the Suri
Jenebah tribe in their own creek and nest. This tribe number some six thousand fighting
men, reputed the bravest and most cruel of littoral Arabs.
"Owin 0 * to a shift of wind during the operations, a small part of the temporary huts of
the town caught fire, but this accident was wholly unavoidable, and no great damage is don©
to the Town.
" All non-combatants had cleared outafcefore the attack."
107. The Miahfiver returned to Bombay on the 18th Pebruary, bringing
with her Lieutenant-Colonel Pelly^ des-
crnrnmby the HonourabirBoard*dated 6 the' 24th patches On which His Excellency the GOV-
Febmiry 1866. ernor recorded the following Minutef
" I think the acknowledgments of Government are due to Captain Pasley and the officers
and mfin of the Highflyer, for the energy aud ability with which all these operations were
carried out."
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