'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎536] (555/622)

536
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
Twynam, whose health failed him. The 'Ferooz,' Commander
Tronson, with Lord Elgin on board, arrived at Hong Kong
from the seat of war on the 8th June, 1861, and, after proceeding
to Canton on the 12th, his Lordship sailed in her on the 21st,
for Manilla, thence proceeding to Batavia, where his visit was
one of the means of the introduction into India of the chinchona
plant, a project in which he was greatly interested. From
Java the 4 Ferooz' proceeded, with Lord Elgin, to Galle and
Suez, thence returning to Bombay.
During the month of June, 1861, Lieutenant Cookson, then
in command of the schooner 4 Constance,' performed an act of
conspicuous gallantry in rescuing Europeans from the island of
Jibleea, one of the Kooria-Mooria group, who would have
starved to death had not relief been brought to them, as all
their supplies were consumed, and communication with the island
was impossible, owing to the stormy season having set in.
These men had been left on Jibleea when the merchant
ships, employed in removing the guano, had sailed in disgust
at the small extent of the deposit and the impracticable nature
of the coast for shipping purposes.* It was blowing heavily at
# The Kooria-Mooria Islands were ceded by the Imaum of Muscat to the
Queen in 1856, and by license, which appeared in the ' London Gazette' of the
15th of July in that year, three merchants were permittee, to remove guano
therefrom for a period of five years. In 1836 Captain Haines, I.N., carefully sur
veyed the Kooria-Mooria Islands, and completed a chart of the Bay and entire
group, which was published by order of the Directors. He also remained for
some little time at Hullaniyah, the largest island of the group, " mixing," he says,
" with the inhabitants and becoming intimately acquainted with every particular
relating to their locality." From what he ascertained on the spot, he stated that
the Imaum of Muscat had no sovereign rights whatever. In his Journal, written
in 1836, Captain Haines says, that "besides the boats occasionally touching at
Hullaniyah, this island is sometimes visited by a boat belonging to the Khalfan
family of the Maharah tribe (^for an account of which family see De Lacy,
" Chrestomathie Arabe," Second Edition, Yol. 3, p 357), who claim the Kooria
group as their hereditary property"—and then follow the names of the three prin
cipal members of the family. " These chieftains," he says," reside at Ghazir, and
their periodical visits to the islands are made for the purpose of claiming any
ambergris the inhabitants may have collected, as well as to obtain from them
whatever money they may happen to have received in exchange for salted and
dried fish, in return for which the natives are frequently rewarded with a small
quantity of tobacco, dates, or coarse cloth." Captain Haines, on learning of the
intention to station " a small vessel of war " to protect the guano fleet, expressed
his opinion, that owing to the stormy weather and the dangers of the open
anchorage, "her own security would engage her principal attention." He says in
his Journal that in 1836 some of the islands were covered with mvriads of birds
of the garnet species, but with respect to the supply of guano, he wrote, on the
3rd of May, 1857, in the " Bombay Telegraph and Courier," on learning of the
scheme for its collection, " I look for further disappointment to the sanguine pro
jectors." And Captain Haines was right in his anticipations, for at a meeting of
the masters of thirty-nine vessels, held at the Kooria-Mooria Islands on the 14th
of January, 1858, resolutions were passed to the effect, " that the three islands,
Haski, Jibleea, and Ghurzood, are not covered with guano, as stated by Ord,
Hindson, and Hayes, the lessees; that the quality is not anything like Ichaboe
and Upper Peru; that the sea is often very rough, and several ships have
lost anchors; that there are no safe harbours for ships on the island of Jibleea,
within half a mile of which no ship can lie; that sufficient labour is not pro-