'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎133] (152/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
133
lilt'
the British for the future, and Sultan Mahsin, of Lahej, visited
Aden, on which occasion he entered into a treaty of peace and
friendship,* and arranged for the restitution of the property of
the British Agent, who had been murdered by his orders. His
monthly stipend, which had been stopped from the date of his
first attack upon Aden, was restored to him in February, 1844,
together with one year's back pay, in consideration of his
having ceased to molest the British since 1841; but before
doing so, it was thought necessary to guarantee his fidelity by
a more stringent agreement than had previously existed.f
In the early part of 1845, Aden was threatened with an
attack from the Arabs, who assembled from the interior in very
considerable force, and boasted of their intention to storm the
British stronghold. The garrison and squadron were accord
ingly reinforced, and, in March, 1845, w T e find that there were
one thousand two hundred European, and one thousand three
hundred Native troops, while the squadron in the harbour con
sisted ofH.M.S. 4 Serpent,' sixteen guns, Commander Nevill, and
the Hon. Company's ships 6 Elphinstone,' eighteen guns, Com
mander J. P. Porter, senior naval officer, and 4 Euphrates,' ten
guns, Lieutenant A. H. Gordon. However, the Arabs quarrelled
among themselves, and, after some fighting, dispersed; but,
although all immediate danger had passed away, the Govern
ment, on the requisition of Captain Haines, strengthened the
squadron by the addition of the steam frigate 6 Auckland,'
Commander Carless, which was temporarily stationed at Aden.
In August, 1846, a fanatic named Seyyid Ismail, who had
preached a jehad, or religious war, in Mecca, made his way
thence, by slow marches, to the vicinity of Aden, accompanied
by a crowd of dervishes and religious zealots. On his arrival
at El Ghail, distant about two days' journey from Lahej, his
force amounted to some two thousand men. He there issued a
proclamation to the Abdali, Foudtheli, and Akrabi tribes, calling
on them to join his standard, and promising them divine
assistance and complete invulnerability. He then proceeded
within seven miles of Lahej, where he was met by the infirm
old Sultan and several of his sons, and his army was plentifully
supplied with food and fodder by the neighbouring tribes, and
further augmented by one thousand Abdalis, five hundred
Foudthelis, one hundred Akrabies, and two hundred Mughrabies.
On the 17th of August about four hundred men of the Seyyid's
army approached to reconnoitre the outposts of Aden, but were
driven back with loss. On the 21st a division, eleven or twelve
hundred strong, advanced to the vicinity of Khore Mukser, while
the Seyyid fixed his head-quarters at Sheikh Othman; and, on
the 26th, a body of two thousand men advanced close to Aden,
but were repulsed by a well-directed fire from the line of works
# Bombay Book of Treaties, p. 285. f Bombay Book of Treaties, p. 287.