File 14/1 'Piracies & Irregularities at Sea' [‎88v] (176/610)

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o On the 18th August the Nakhuda, Sahaim bin Qaid, arrived in the pirate
0 helium ” accompanied by one of the suspected crew, with ghi and other articles
for sale. Both the men were apprehended and confined separately. At nrst
both denied all connection with the piracy, but eventually the younger man,
Zahir, agreed to turn informer if promised a pardon. This the Shaikh granted
and the "story the informer gave is as follows :—
The Nakhuda of the “ bellum ” Sahaim bin Qaid, when visiting ^Kuwait,
became aware of what Saleh al Hajri proposed taking in his boom to the
pearl*banks and the probable date of his sailing. He planned the piracy
and accordingly sailed back to the river to pick up arms and ammunition at
Rabthda near Saniya. Having done this he brought the bellum back and
remained sailing about to the south of Falaikha Island on watch until Saleh a
Hajn’s “ boom ” should set out.
Saleh al Hajri sailed on the 28th June in the afternoon and on perceiving her
the pirate “bellum " made off on an eastward tack as if to clear Falaikha Island
for the Persian coast, then with the advantage of weather position suddenly
veered round and sailed down on the Kuwait <( boom’' She reached her some
time after noon on the following day, the 29th June, off Ras al Ijlaieh and ^an
her down amidships, her crew firing at those on board the “ boom. Most ot the
latter were shot on board and the rest jumped over board to save themselves but
were pursued in a dinghy and shot in the water, no one being left alive. i he
pirate crew then removed everything in the Kuwait f ‘ boom ” to their own vessel
and scuttled her as already reported. The pirate “ bellum ” went off and sheltered
some days up the Bahmishir River and eventually got back to the Shatt-el-Arab
after her crew had gradually disposed of the loot which had already been shared.
4. The informer gave the names of the pirate crew and where they were to
be found and the Shaikh has sent to try and apprehend them.
c The names of the men murdered in the Kuwait “ boom ’ and those of the
pirate crew as hitherto ascertained are given in the annexure attached hereto.
6 I am informed by the Shaikh that the pirates are all Shiah Arabs of the
Cha’ab tribe under the authority of Shaikh Khazal, though their present residence
is on the right bank of the Shatt-el-Arab and so in Turkish territory. The
Shaikh anticipates no difficulty in dealing with them, however, on this score as
the men are w r ell known in Kuwait and Mohammerah and there is no chance of
their claiming to be Turkish subjects, their position being analogous to a large
number of Shaikh Khazal’s subjects who for purposes of date-tillage reside in
Turkish territory.
The Shaikh is endeavouring to secure further evidence by recovering some of
the looted property. At present there is only the informer’s story and marks on
the “ bellum ” which show she has charged another vessel with some consi
derable force.
Note — Above letter was drafted by Captain Shakespear before his departure.
ANNEXURE.
Names 0) the men murdered in the “ boom ” of Saleh al Hajri,
Nakhuda Saleh al Hajri.
Sailor Nasir bin Adaila.
M Muhammad al Kharkawi.
,, Towfik Abd as Saiyid.
,, Zahid bin Awaiyid.
„ Abdulla bin Usman bin Paris.
„ Afaiz (boy of Abdulla bin Asaf).
Passenger Muhammad al Mosalawi, Tobacconist.