'Selections from the Records of the Bombay Government' [‎482] (524/733)

482
BENIYAS.
A misunderstanding, of which the following are the particulars, arose
during the year 1840 between the Shaikh of Debaye and Aboothabee,
whose settlement was delayed until the present time, but which happily
led to no serious consequences. It appeared that an inhabitant of the
latter place, named Belor Shat, had proceeded to the pearl banks with
a boat furnished to him by his Chief, Khaleefa bin Shakboot, but, instead
of returning to his own port, had conveyed the boat to Debaye, where
he remained until the present season, when, having manned her with
other men, from the Boo Felasa Tribe, he proceeded to the island of
Azema to fish for pearls. At this spot several other Debaye and
Aboothabee boats were assembled, and Sultan bin Shakboot, the brother
of the Beniyas Chief, happening to visit the island, and finding the crew
of Belor Shat's boat on shore, took possession of her, and seizing his
brother's fugitive subjects, returned with his capture, including pearls,
arms, &c. to Aboothabee. The Debaye men, finding themselves thus
unexpectedly left on the island, with the loss of all they had in Belor
Shat's craft, embarked in a boat belonging to some of their own people,
and surprising a Beniyas Buggarah, seized her, and canied her into
Debaye, where she and her crew were detained. Two other boats
were seized by either tribe, but subsequently returned uninjured by the
respective chiefs, who now contented themselves with referring the
dispute for the decision of the Resident, their subjects prosecuting
the fishing in the interim without any further interfeftnce with each
other.
Towards the final adjustment of the dispute, it was insisted that
Shaikh Khaleefa bin Shakboot should release Belor Shat, together with
the boat, arms, pearls, &c. taken by Sultan, his brother; that person
being left at liberty to return to Aboothabee or not as he pleased, and
the boat, if proved to belong to Shaikh Khaleefa, being returned to him
at the termination of the pearl fishery ; and that Muktoom on his part
should surrender the Beniyas boat (seized in retaliation), with her cargo
and crew, and make good whatever articles his people might have taken
therefrom.
These requisitions were acquiesced in by the respective chiefs.
A respectable person of the Amayir, who some years previously had
separated himself from his tribe, and taken up
A * ^ 1S11 " his abode at Taknoonyah, opposite to Bahrein,
south of A jeer, was on his way from the former place to Bahrein with
his family and property, when his Buggarah ran aground. He landec,
with his family, leaving his property in the boat, intending to return to
it at the rise of the tide. At night they observed a Buggarah, manne^
by fourteen persons, approach their boat, for the purpose of plundering
her. A fight ensued; but the pirates succeeded, after killing one man