BOMBAY. 
193 
aiice against his enemy ; and he was not a httle mortified to find 
that the affair of Hadjee Khaleb Khan's death, about which he was 
perfectly indifferent, was the only subject on which the new 
ambassador could speak. Had a simple messenger, like Mr. Loveit, 
carried the letter, this inconvenience would have been prevented, 
and the Company v/ould have saved three lac of rupees, that is, if 
they should please to allow Mr. Manesty his expenses, a point 
which will be referred to them by Lord Wellesley. 
With prudent management, I think a close connection might 
be cemented, between the two countries, as the trade between 
them would be beneficial to both; and the only difficulty, the im- 
practicability of our assisting one ally against another, might be 
obviated by a friendly mediation at St. Petersburgh. At present 
our respectability is not great in the Persian Gulf, where we have 
submitted to have our merchant vessels plundered, and our cruizers 
insulted, by the piratical states on its shores. Of these the most 
powerful are the Johesserm Arabs, whose coast extends from Cape 
Mussendom to Bahrein. Their chief ports are Rosselkeim, about 
forty leagues S. S. W. of the Cape, and Egmaum, about twenty-four 
miles further on. Through the systematic forbearance of the Bom- 
bay Government they have risen to a great maritime power, and 
possess at least thirty-five dows of different sizes, carrying from fifty 
to three hundred men each. They have few guns, but, being brave 
and fierce, chiefly attack by boarding, with their crooked daggers 
stabbing every one who resists. They have taken two large vessels 
belonging to Mr. Manesty, and had even the impudence to attack 
the Mornington frigate ; but were beaten off. The Honourable Com- 
pany's cruizers have positive orders to treat these pirates with 
