'Extracts from Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia by J G Lorimer CIE, Indian Civil Service' [‎31r] (66/180)

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provided at Dibai with a refuge from his father's vengeance. Seemingly stung to
fury by these proceedings, Shaikh Sultan-bin-Saqar underwent a reconciliation with
his arch enemy, Shaikh Khalifah of Abu Dhabi, and it was agreed between them
that, on the capture of Dibai, the town should be completely destroyed and the
inhabitants obliged to remove to Abu Dhabi or Sharjah; the Shaikh of Umm-al-
Qaiwain also, having been placated by Shaikh Sultan, was persuaded to join in
the arrangement. When matters had reached this point the Shaikh of Shariah,
with a falseness almost incredible even in one so celebrated for that quality,
suddenly accepted the submission of the Shaikh of Dibai, which was accompanied
by a gift of $1,000, and withdrew, leaving his indignant allies to conclude the affair
as they best could.
In 1841 Dibai was much weakened by the exodus of 500 discontented A1 Bu 1841.
Mahair, who settled at Sharjah; and at the same time the prevalence of a virulent
fever in the town of Dibai caused a number of the inhabitants to desert it and
settle temporarily, with the written permission of Shaikh Sultan, at the place called
Dairah which in 1824-1827 had been the cause of a serious dispute between the
Shaikhs of Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. Finding Dibai almost undefended in
consequence of these events and of the departure of the men of the Al Bu Falasah
to the pearl fishery, the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi, after securing the neutrality of the
Bani Qitab and other Bedouin tribes, made a dash with 150 men upon the town,
which he took and plundered, ravaging the date groves, destroying all provisions
found, and burning a Batll, the property of Shaikh Maktum, on board of which
two men also were killed. The Shaikh of Dibai at once applied to the Shaikh of
Sharjah, who came to his aid with 200 men; but, while the allied force did not
venture to attack the invaders, now in occupation of Jumairah, the enterprising
Khalifah-bin-Shakhbut sent out a raiding party which looted the village of Khan
in their rear, carrying off fifteen slaves, and returned to headquarters in safety.
The Shaikh of Abu Dhabi then retired to his own territory, whence he afterwards
attempted a surprise on the towns of Dibai, Sharjah and Ras-al-Khaimah; but this
time, finding the enemy everywhere prepared to receive him, he was obliged to
retreat with the loss of a few men and of his own riding camel.
In April of the following year it was suggested to Shaikh Khalifah that he, 1842.
with the other Trucial Shaikhs, should enter into an engagement to abstain from
mutual aggressions by land as well as by sea during the approaching pearl season;
but the Shaikh, who was still smarting under the ill success ol his latest raid,
declined to consider the suggestion, and even proceeded to detach Shaikh Maktum
from Shaikh Sultan as a preliminary to a fresh attack on the latter. He remained
quiescent, however, during the summer months; and in October 1842, unusual
cordiality then prevailing between himself and Shaikh Maktum, the latter under
took to arrange a peace with Sharjah; but the Sharjah Shaikh refused to abandon
his enmity with the Saiyid of Masqat, which was an indispensable condition, and
the negotiations accordingly failed.
In March 1843 the Shaikh of Abu Dhabi paid a visit to the Shaikh of Dibai, 1843.
and, much to the chagrin of the Shaikh of Sharjah, their friendship appeared to
be confirmed.
A raid by 150 camel-riders of the Bani Yas was next conducted by Sultan,
a brother of the Abu Dhabi Shaikh, against the allies ol the Qawasim One of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates; also used to refer to a confederation of seafaring Arabs led by the Qāsimī tribe from Ras al Khaima. ; and, all
in the space of seven days, the Bani Qitab had three men killed and 70 camels
taken, a caravan bound from Baraimi to Sharjah was plundered, and three of
the Na'im were slain, the raiders themselves returning home with the loss of only
two men killed and two wounded.
In July a hollow peace put an end, temporarily, to the war; but in August,
at the instigation it was believed of the Shaikh of Dibai, Shaikh Khalifah-bin-
Shakhbut with a considerable force of horse and camelry ravaged the territories
of the Bani Qitab, Ghafalah and Na'im and carried off a number of their camels,
which had been collected for safety at Dhaid while the owners themselves were
absent on a foray in the Batinah district. Promises to restore the booty taken
were given by the Bani Yas, but they were not fulfilled.
In November 1843, in consequence of an attack by Ghafalah on a Dibai
caravan, Shaikh Maktum carried fire and sword into the country of that tribe
and of the Na'im, who were allies of Shaikh Sultan-bin-Saqar, and the result was
an approach to a rupture between the two Shaikhs; but the Qasimi Shaikh from
prudential motives so hung back that even the Ghafalah, incensed at his desertion,
turned their arms against him and threatened to transfer their allegiance to the
Shaikh of Abu Dhabi. An inhabitant of Sharjah having been killed by the hand
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