مجموعة ٣٠/١١٤ "تقارير إجراءات السُفُن البريطانية." [و‎‎٥‎١‎٠] (١٢٠٣/١٠١٩)

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hon ur was Mahmood who was supported by the five tax
collectors.
As regards the taxes after considerable argument
Suliman agreed to pay Rupees 10 a year to the Sheikh of
Ras al Khaimah as tax on his pay for carrying water to
the lighthouse. This has not yet been paid as the
Sheikh's concurrence in the smaller amount is first
necessary.
Taxes were extracted from the Fisherman on the
island and the 5 tax collectors left in the evening for
Ras al Khaimah. They will return after I D D to collect
Suliman's tax.
WKm i3DAY f 15th M/UCH . Basldu .
Leaving Tuhb at 0740 we anchored at Basidu at 1130.
Previous to our arrival an engagement had been
announced between the First Lieutenant's servant, f/ohammed
Abdulla Moussa, only son of Abdulla Mohammed Moussa of
British Basidu, and Fatima, daughter of Hassan Kalali of
Persian Basidu. The respective ages of bridegroom and
bridge are 20 and 14.
The wedding had been arranged to take place at an
early date, and as the respective parents were well
satisfied with the match, it was confidently expected that
the ceremony would be performed during H.M.S. BIBKFORD's
present visit.
Preparations, moreover, were so well advanced that
the time of the service was fixed for 2200, and Mohammed
Abdulla Moussa* s leave was accordingly extended to 0600
to enable the honeymoon to be spent in British Basidu.
But when the prospective bridgroom landed, he
discovered that, owing to a temporary financial embarrassment,
his father was unable to pay the first instalment of Rupees
100 demanded, in accordance with local custom, by the
bride's father.
So the wedding was postponed for a year, and an
impromptu reception was held instead at the Moussa home
the principal guest being the prospective bridegroom's
employer.
The interpreter, meanwhile, was engaged in the
more prosaic occupation of gaining local intelligence,and
reports that he obtained the following information from
Ali Hafaz, the caretaker, and from his brother Hussein
Hafazs-
(a) On about 6th March a Persian motor dhow anchored
off British Basidu and the Inspector of Customs
who was on board asked the Mudir why the Senior
Naval Officer had taken Hussein Hafaz away. The
Mudir said he did not know, and the dhow then
went on to Lingeh.