'Selections from the Records of the Bombay Government' [‎492] (534/733)

492
BENIYAS.
tion to the injured parties, they seceded, and located themselves at
Adeed, " a town situated in a backwater between Bahrein and Aboo-
thabee,' and considered by the inhabitants to be quite inaccessible to
our vessels of war."
In this, however, they were sadly misktaken ; for they had scarcely
taken up'their position, and commenced indulging in piracy, ere Major
Hennell proceeded with the squadron of the Gulf, in command of Com
modore Lowe, and exacted full satisfaction for past offences. In the
following year (1837) they were again disturbed by Shaikh Khaleefa
bin Shakboot, then Chief of the Aboothabee Tribe, who attacked them
in their den, and completely demolished the place. The greater portion
of the Gubeysat members, now scattered and powerless,"were induced
to go and reside once more at Aboothabee, where they remained until the
present year (1849), when, partly from the dissatisfaction with which
they viewed the friendly demeanour of Shaikh Syud bin Tahnoon
towards the people of the Moharibah, a tribe at feud with themselves,
and partly owing to the intrigues of Shaikh Sultan and Shaikh Muktoom
bin Butye, who assured them Bin Saood would shortly send a force to
rebuild Adeed, and re-locate them therein, they were led to adopt the
course of proceeding to Biddah.
The intrigues of his enemies, the cause of the secession, and the
mischief likely to emanate therefrom, all these things were perceived
at a glance by the discerning Shaikh Syud.
He resolved (November -December 1849) to nip the evil in the bud,
and by promptness of action to crush the disaffected spirit of the
offending members. The measures he adopted bore the impress of his
wonted energy ; but were far removed from the uprightness and honesty
of spirit that had hitherto been the principal characteristics of his
dealings with others.
He seized the heads and rulers of the tribes still left in Aboothabee,
and cast them into prison ; he deputed a messenger to induce the
leaders to returft to their homes ; he received and welcomed them, on re
turn, with marks of the utmost kindness and respect ; he gave them every
reason to believe that past offences were forgiven, and forgotten,—that
they were no longer labouring under the displeasure of their Chief;—
in short, he succeeded in lulling them into a state of unsuspecting
security. What, then, must have been their surprise, when the day
succeeding their arrival dawned upon them, to awake and find their
boats had been stripped in the night of sails, masts, and rudders, and that
means of escape had been snatched from their hands; to find orders
had been issued to the people of Aboothabee that all parties possessing
claims upon the Gubeysat Tribe were to enforce immediate payment;
that a fine of no less than 2,000 dollars was inflicted upon them ;—in