"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎٨‎٤‎٥] (١٧٨٢/١٠٠٠)

(4€*f)
846
time, however, Saiyid Sa^id discovered that the Persians really intended
to seize him by treachery and carry him a prisoner to Shiraz, so
he abandoned the idea o£ accepting their assistance and returned home.
Soon afterwards a Persian emissary arrived in Bahrain, by name
Sikandar Khan, who accepted presents from the Shaikhs of Bahrain for
the Prince of Shiraz and conferred on them in return Persian robes of
honour. Some political understanding, also, was probably arranged at the
same time ; but it cannot have been one of any consequence.
In 1817 Rahmah-bin-Jabir visited Masqat and would fain have
persuaded the Saiyid to equip another expedition against Bahrain ; but
he found Sa'id's attention engrossed by domestic difficulties.
Close connection between the 'Utub and the Qawasim, 1817-1819.
The attitude of the Shaikh of Bahrain, whose plausible assurances
in 1816, backed as they were by an invitation to open a direct trade
between India and Bahrain, had convinced the Resident of his attachment
to commerce and his aversion for piracy, now became extremely unsatis
factory ; and he was shown to be assisting, with grain and every other
kind of store, the piratical Qawasim, " who hourly frequented the ports
of the island," and with whom he had now formed an alliance. In 1817
Lieutenant Bruce was constrained to report that Bahrain, which had
become the principal mart for property plundered by pirates and the
main depdt from which the Qawasim drew their supplies of rice and
dates, could itself hardly be regarded otherwise than as a piratical settle
ment, especially as numbers of the inhabitants were accustomed to proceed
to Kas-al- K haimah and there to enlist as temporary members of bucca
neering crews. At this time craft engaged in piracy generally landed
their booty direct in Bahrain, whence a portion of it was carried over
to Bushehr and other places on the Persian coast by vessels belonging
to Kuwait. Nevertheless, on the appearance of the Egyptians in Hasa
about the end of 1818, Shaikh 'Abdullah appears to have offered to
provide them with sea transport for a force that they proposed to send
against Ras-al-Khaimah and the other piratical ports.
In February 1«19, a report having been received that several Indian
women had been brought from Ras -al-Khaimah and sold in the
Bahrain bazaar as slaves, H.M .S. " Eden," Captain Loch, with H.M.S.
<4 Conway and the ti.E.I. Company's cruisers " Benares/' " Mercury "
Sale of
plundered
property in
Bahrain.
Inoperative
agreement
by the
Shaikh to
prevent the