22 
HISTORY OF THE SHEIK OF BUSHIRE. 
Bruce, the Assistant Resident, was sent by the Envoy to learn the parti¬ 
culars of its situation: he found the gates shut, and the towers manned, 
but he gained admittance through the wicket, and saw all the misery 
and confusion of the crisis. The Sheik’s wives and servants were em¬ 
barking in great haste on board one of his ships; his Vizir also, Hajee 
Suliman, was hastening his own preparations to escape. The shops 
were shut, the streets were crowded with men transporting their house¬ 
holds to the sea shore, and their wives and daughters were beating their 
breasts and crying in loud lamentation. Nor was there a shew of re¬ 
sistance, except on the Avails ; or a thought of defence: the only hope 
and the only thought of every man was the preservation of his little 
fortunes and the honour of his Avomen. The same alarm prevailed in 
the country ; all the poor date-hut villagers flocked for protection into 
the Factory, and trusted to its walls the security of their families and 
their scanty wealth. Women and children, their asses and their poultry, 
were all indiscriminately hurried into the enclosure; and before the 
evening Ave saAv around us no common scenes of misery and 
terror. 
The Assistant Resident, who had examined this state of things in the 
town, Avas sent, on his return, by the Envoy to the Khan, to represent 
the alarm of the place; and to add, that the Envoy expected that no 
molestation should be offered to any of the persons belonging to his 
mission. The Khan was extremely civil, and treated him as usual Avith 
coffee and three kaleouns. He informed him on the subject of his com¬ 
mission ; that he had orders from his court to seize the Sheik, his 
cousin, and his Vizir: and then read to him the firman. The firman, 
in the first place, ordained the act of seizure; and then ordained, that 
not the smallest molestation should be given to the English, that every 
possible respect and attention should be sheAvn to them, and strongly 
denounced vengeance on any offender; and lastly ordained, that no in¬ 
habitant, either of the toAvn or of the villages, should receive the least 
harm. In his oavii name, he assured the Assistant Resident, that he Avas 
determined to put the firman in its full force; and turning to his fol- 
