"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٩‎٥‎٢] (١٧٨٢/١١٠٧)

i
:
Rahmah's
blockade of
Qatif, 1825.
New breach
between
Rahmali and
tbe Shaikhs
of Bahrain.
Last engage
ment and
death of
Rahmah,
1826.
952
the course of liis operations against them, Rabmali s financial difficulties
had been to a great extent relieved.
Early in 1825 Rahmah paid another visit to Masqat; and he also
obtained from the British Political Resident an authorisation, of which
he did not apparently avail himself, to take part, on the side of Shaikh
Tahnun, in a war then in progress between the rulers of Abu Dhabi
and Sharjah in Trucial 'Oman. Towards the end of trouble
having again arisen over the blackmail payable by the people of
Qatif, Rahmah, in total disregard of remonstrances by the British
political authorities, began to harry the defenceless merchant vessels
of that port. Two British cruisers were accordingly stationed off
Dammam, and it was at first intimated to Rahmah that, unless he
discontinued these depredations, active proceedings would be taken
against him; but ultimately it was decided to refrain from coercion
unless he should extend his depredations beyond the shipping of Qatif,
and a further remonstrance was addressed to him. The obstinacy of
Rahmali was attributed to his confidence in the reviving power of the
Wahhabis, to whom, he believed, the renewal of piratical disturbances
at sea would not be unwelcome.
Meanwhile a fresh ruputre had occurred between Rahmah and the
'Utub of Bahrain ; but the hostilities had not free course until after
the removal, in consequence of the decision not to interfere between
Rahmah and the people of Qatif, of the British cruisers from Dammam.
Neither Rahmah nor the 'Atbi Shaikh being fully prepared for a
regular war, both of them requested the British Resident to impose a truce,
and their suggestions were apparently entertained; but, the Resident
having insisted that the people of Qatif should be included in the
truce a condition to which Rahmah would not agree, matters were in
the end allowed to take their course.
About the end of 1826, finding himself hard pressed by his enemies
who had now invested Dammam, Rahmah crossed the Gulf to Bushehr
and sought to interest the Resident in his case; but, failing in this,
he recruited some 25 or 30 Baluchis for service and returned with
them to Dammam, where a Bahrain fleet was then lying. On arrival at
Dammam he fired a salute by way of insult,—an act which so
incensed the Utub that Ahmad-bin-Salman, a nephew of their principal
Shaikh, volunteered to attack him with his own Baghlah, and, the
ffer being accepted, immediately laid his vessel alongside that of
mah. A veiy determined struggle then ensued, in w T hich the Bahrain
a ship once diew off to take more men on board from the rest of the