"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [و‎‎١‎٠‎٤] (٦١٦/٢١٢)

AND THE MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908.
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but neither course bore fruit. Meanwhile the Shdkh ( f Koweit addressed the
Eesid^ncy urging tbat, if the British authorities were not prepared to arrange
for the extermination of this notorious family themselves, they should permit
him to send out an armed dhow for the purpose, and generally for protection
of Koweit craft at sea at the head of tlie Gulf. Tor several reasons GoTern-
ment considered tl at this proposal jnust be negatived ; at the same time they
held that it was incumbent upon th'm to see that other steps were taken to
deal with the gang, and decided that tlie Persian Government should be
informed that, failing compliance with our reasonable demands, His Majesty's
Government would instruct their own ships to do the necessary. There being
no result from this communication H.M.S Righfiyer, Captain C. H. Hickley,
was sent up from Bombay at the end of November with orders to endeavour to
capture the pirates at sea. In order to co-operate with the Naval authorities
the Resident proceeded in H M.S. Sphivx to join Captain Hickley on the
Highflyer at Henjam, and reliable informers having been obtained through the
Residency Agent at Lingah, the latter was sent in a native boat to Da>ir to
obtain fresh information of the pirates' whereabouts and the services of persons
who could recognise them if met with. It appeared from the Agent's enquiries,
very skilfully carried out, that the pirates had just migrated with their families
to the jurisdiction of Bunder Big north of Bushire, the Khan of which place,
as a condition of their remaining, having taken a pledge from them that they
would conduct themselves as peaceable members of the community. His
concurrence secured the outlaws Ganawa as their place of abode, a hamlet 10
miles nerth of Bunder Big, where they had b( en seen a few days before by one
of our informers. H.MS Highflyer and Sphinx thereupon proceeded to
Bunder Rig. On the way thiiher Captain Hickley, Commander Litchfield and
the Resident conferred as to the best line of action to be adopted. Owing to
the waters off the coast in question being extremely shoal it v^as decided that
the only chance of capturing the pirates was through the co-operation of the
Khan of Bunder Kig, which could best be induced by a threat of the imme
diate bombardment of his fort if he did not forthwith hand the pirates over or
assist us in their capture.
Bunder Rig being on the telegraph line it was anticipated that on our
making any demand on him the Khan would attempt to gain time in order to
telegraph tor instructions from Bushire, but the solemn threats of the Naval
Commanders had the desired effect, and the Khan was sufficiently overawed to
arrange witii Captain Hickley that he himself would ride off to Ganawa imme
diately and endeavour to capture the brothers, and that if successful he would
hoist a flag on the fortlet of the village, on which signal H.M.S. Highflyer and
Sphi' X were to close upon Ganawa and land a party to take over ttie prisoners.
The Khan being made to understand thoroughly that by co-operation he Would
earn the good-will of the British auihorities while any duplicity on his part
would be rewarded with immediate retribution, fortunately rose to the occasion
and the plan succeeded admirably. Bis passage along the coast to Ganawa
was watched with much interest from the ships in the offing and in due course
a red flag appeared over the Ganawa fort. An hour or so later a landing was
effected by an armed party from the ships including their Commanders and the
Resident, and it was found that the Khan had succeeded in capturing two
of the brothers, Abdulla, and Adhibi, alias Ibrahim. The third brother
Abdul Reza had unfortunately not been in his house when the Khan and his
men arrived and, hearing that two of his brothers had been arrested, had
disappeared inland. As it was just getting dusk at the time he was able to get
clear away.
Their dhow, however, which was lying in the creek preparing for sea, was
seized and taken to Bushire together with the pirates themselves.
Having got the men it remained to be decided what was to be done with
them. The Resident was strongly of opinion that if they were handed over to
the Bnshire authorities for trial, there was great risk of their being allowed to
escape, or of a failure of justice in the corrupt Persian tribunals, and as the sons
of Humaidi were originally Muhaisin Arabs, and subjects of the Sheikh of
Mobammerah, who had himself had one of the family in prison for some
years and had expelled the others from his territory for piratical conduct in the