"ملخص لمراسلات تتعلق بشؤون الخليج الفارسي، ١٨٠١-١٨٥٣" [ظ‎‎٨‎٩] (٣٤٤/١٧٨)

158
Part V—Chap. XXXVI.
27. My chief difficulty was respecting" the dispute with Rama bin JaMr and I
Bama bin Jahir. am , t0 sa y ^at my endeavours to effect an
„ . . , , adjustment have hitherto been o£ no avail. This
affair however will form the subject of a future letter.
28. The Sheikh informed me that a Battile belonging to one of his subjects hai been
captured by His Majesty's shin Sophia in consequence of having seized a boat from Bushire in
-Bussora nver, on account of a claim which the owner of the Battile had against the Sheikh of
Bushire. He declared his entire disavowal and disapprobation ol: tne act and ju^tined himself
by saying that he had expressly warned the owner of the boat not to retaliate on any Bushire
vesseis which he might meet with. ^ I informed him that until I was made fully acquainted
with the circumstances, I could not judge of the merits of the case, but that every Sheikh must
nn, a^weraMe for the acts of his subjects, and that if he could not punish them, we must.
Ihe Sheikh assented to this, promised to punish the offenders and expressed much anxiety
in endeavouring to excuse himself from blame. It was not until my return to this phice that
1 tound the Battile had been carried to Bombay, under circumstances which I have already
explained to Government,
29. The Sheikh made great complaints against the Imaum of Mascat, who he said had
not only violated his engagements with him, but had abetted Rama bin laher in his un-
provoked aggression on his people, although it was only at the I^iaum's entreaty that he had
admitted that Chief, who was the ancient enemy of his family, to terms of peace. He at the
same time professed the utmost contempt for the Imaum as well as for the Sheikh of Bushire,
and the Persians in general as enemies ; and declared that the Utuhis were both able and willing
to revenge themselves on the whole of them, but for their peaceable engagements with us.
30. Observing that the Sheikh seemed to consider the adoption of the pacificated fla^ as
implying a nearer and more dependent relation with our Government than it really does, I
took occasion toexplain to him that it was the Arab, nol the British flag ; but those tribes who
were part es to the treaty with us had agreed to distinguish themselves by wearing round the
piracy* 1 ^ al0ne embleinaticof P eace ' in token of tlle i r relinquishment
81. Both the Sheikhs were profuse in their assurances of attachment to our Government
and promised to abide by their amicable engagements j indeed, the whole of the Sheikhs of the
coasts professed their determination to avoid every act which would be an infringement of their
gratified W English. I made small pi esents to them all, with which they seemed
32. On our voyage back to Bushire, 1 took the opportunity of violent and continued
contrary winds to visit Congoon, and reached this place on the luth February.
33. Having thus detailed my proceedings in execution of the orders of Government, I beg
General state of the Gulf. leave to offer for your consideration some further
particulars respecting the state of the Gulf, and the
condition of its Chiefs.
34. The most prominent character in the Gulf is Sultan bin Suggur. As this Chief |.a«
Sultan bin Suggur.
hitherto been generally branded with the stamp of
nature, it would be presumption in me on so very short Txperience^to hold out^TnThm™at
rwiance w^h the senhments which I bdieveaU the British author,ties in the Gulf have from
time to time expressed o h.m Yet from personal enquiry on the spot, and from other sources S
tstowaUd' vhrtiZl h f togu *P ect Mat offences against us may have been somewhat
exaggerated, whatever his _ conduct in other respects, may have been. He is a turbulent and
-rr T n ' wa f . driven t0 desperation, partly by the effects of his own misconduct, and
hl /J nem ! eS u A 1 . r . 00ted enrnit y ,1as a1 ^ existed between this flmily
and that of the Imaum of Mascat, who himself bears the most rancorous hatred towards hinf
0Pr08ed the Imaura ' s views, both by sea and land and h T s
Highness through whose representations our opinion of him may probably have in some measure
been found, has naturally depicted his character in the blackst colours.
35 - } am T not P r cp ar ed to offer a history of the life of this Chief, far less to excuse hi 3
a tions, but I may remark generally, that as far as my information goes, I believe that he was
ot Zul Kh? • P ?« n nT rr d ,,f th £ e Wahabi aod that although he was the
EnffS wSfSfthe T aft f r . w . al ' d J s Resented as the particular friend of the
^nghsh when all the rest of the pirates had joined against ns, that I think his alleged trea-
HS. 0 T d ^ ImaUrn / Mas( ' at ' lf tru e,nQay perhaps be palliated by the conduct of His
ordfrtemlu him"! 6 'I YT* t0 that th e I^aum only espoused his cause in
order to make h.m subservient to his own views in Rassel Khyma; and 1 have heard that some
bm W ^ f ptracy on Enghsh vessels which have lately been charged to Sultan
^e jmaum of Mascat probably possesses great wealth, but he is extremely weak
rSnlt hln'V^ 4114,1 hl,11 ' and 1138 ^ th^m 6