"ملف أ/ ٢ I تجارة الرقيق. مراسلات مع بوشهر بخصوص الرقيق وشهادات إعتاقهم وطلباتهم" [و‎‎٢‎١‎٧] (٦٨٦/٤٣٩)

Statement of Slave Hamdan bin Mubarak,aged about tv/enty years,
recorded in the Political Agency, Bahrain.
I v/as born in Saya, a village near Mecca. While at play
with children outside the village, I along with two others was
kidnapped by bedouins and taken to Najd. Prom there they
brought me to Bahrain and sold to Fatimah bint Abdullah al
Ghatam of Pastern Rafa(Bahrain) for a sum of Hs.900/-. She took
me to Qatar where her husband udimad bin 'Isa al Ghatam used to
stay for the winter. In sunnier I used to go a-diving for her
and in winter serve in her household, bringing water,wood and
grass. Six years ago I was married to a slave girl of hers,
Hasina bint Ibrahim by name, and have a daughter four months
old by her.
In the last winter my mistress Fatimah was divorced by
her husband and she came to live in a separate house which she
rented. In the beginnig of the month of Muharram she turned me
oilt, and, although I insisted upon knowing the reason why she
was actuated to do so, she did not give me any, as also di£
she refuse to give me a Barwa of freedom. Similarly, ray
entreaties to allow my flrife and daughter to come along with me
met with flat refusal on the score that the former was bought
by her for Rs.700/- and as such I had no claim to her. Then
I went to the Amir of Rafa f in quest of the Manumission
Certificate and he directed me to the High Government's
Political Agency.
I request that I may kindly be granted a Manumission
Certificate as well as my wife be graciously sent for a.nd her
statement taken. In her heart she was quite willing to come
with me but v/as afraid of Fatimah who beat her and threatened
her with still more severe punishment if she shov/ed the
slightest inclination to me. In case my wide evinces her desire
to live with me, I am quite willing to take her care.
Recorded before me this the Aoth day of May 1934.
Political Agent, Bahrain.