'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎324] (343/622)

324
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
plans the British vessels might think fit to adopt, and spoke in
somewhat boastful terms of the deed he had done. The bold
and resolute conduct of the Commodore, however, quickly
brought the chief to his senses ; for notwithstanding the
strength of his position, and the numerous shoals that sur
rounded it—so difficult of access that the 'Coote' could not
approach within five miles of it, and even the schooner 4 Con
stance,' after threading her wa}^ through an intricate channel,
with frequentty only six inches of water under her keel, was
unable to get within effective range of her guns—daylight of
the morning succeeding their arrival found the town and
vessels of the Arnayir chief closely fronted with a formidable
line of gunboats in battle array, all ready to pour forth their
contents should resistance be offered, or satisfaction denied;
and the insolent tone of contumacy hitherto held by the
haughy pirate, was instantly changed into one of profound
submission." The Chief hastened to wait upon Captain
Kemball to pray for mercy, which was accorded to him on
surrendering his great baghalah, which, in the following
October, was redeemed by the payment of 2,059 6< Mohamed
Shah rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. ," and the deposit of property to the amount of the
balance of the value of the bagarah, the capture of which had
brought down this punishment upon him. 44 Thus were
brought," says Captain Kemball, 44 to a successful conclusion,
without loss of life or bloodshed, the operations against
Humeed bin Majdull, which, though short in duration, when
we consider the terrific heat of the sun in the month of June,
the risk incurred by the vessels, and the exposure to which
their crews were of necessity subjected, must be pronounced to
have been both arduous and* harassing." In their despatch to
the Bombay Government of the 22nd of April, 1846, the Court
of Directors said of this affair:— 44 We concur in the praises
bestowed by Major Hennell and by your Government, on
the gallant conduct and skilful arrangements of Commodore
Hawkins, by which the confidence of Sheikh Humeed bin
Majdull, in the inaccessibility of his coast was destroyed,
and his submission to your demand for reparation, for the
plunder of the Kharrack boat, w 7 as obtained without firing
a shot."
In the summer of 1846, Abdoolla bin Saeed, the nahabee
Governor of Kateef, who was at war with Mahomed bin
Khaleefa, the Bahrein Sheikh, whose dependent the Amayir
chief was, addressed an insolent letter to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. ,
informing him that unless he took measures to expel Humeed
bin Majdull from Gunnah, and forced him to restore several
boats he had seized belonging to his people, he would let loose
the Bedouin coast tribes under his authority: in reply, Coione
Hennell despatched two cruisers to honour him with a visit,