374 
ARAB PIRATES. 
them, they returned upon their assailants the hand-grenades and fire* 
balls before they could burst. Twice Lieutenant-Colonel Smith 
ceased firing, to endeavour to spare the unavailing effusion of their 
blood ; till at length, when they were assured of being protected from 
the fury of the troops of our ally the Imown of Muscat , which had 
co-operated with us, they surrendered to the English. 
The expedition then scoured all the coast a second time, to destroy 
any fragments of that pirate power, against which it was directed; 
and extirpated in every quarter all the means of annoyance which the 
Joassmees possessed. There was indeed another force of another tribe, 
which might eventually grow up into a formidable enemy ; but this was 
distinctly under the protection of the Wahabee , who had invested its 
chief with the title of Sheik al Behr, or “ Lord of the Sea and till 
it marked its hostility to us by joining in the attacks upon our com¬ 
merce, it was judged expedient not to confound it in one indiscrimi¬ 
nate warfare ; but rather to open a communication with this particular 
chief, and through him to the Wahabee himself, advising the one to 
prohibit the piracies of his dependants, and requiring the other to 
respect the flag of England. In answer the Wahabee observed, “ The 
“ cause of the hostilities carrying on between me and the members of 
“ the faith, is their having turned away from the Book of the Creator, 
“and refused to submit to their own prophet Mahomed. It is not 
“ therefore those of another sect, against whom I wage war, nor do I 
“ interfere in their hostile operations, nor assist them against any one; 
“ whilst under the power of the Almighty, I have risen superior to 
“ all my enemies/' * * * “ Under these circumstances, I have 
“ deemed it necessary to advise you that I shall not approach your 
“ shores, and have interdicted the followers of the Mahomeclan faith 
“ and their vessels, from offering any molestation to your vessels: 
“ any of your merchants therefore, who may appear in, or wish to 
“ come to my ports, will be in security; and any person on my part 
“ who may repair to you, ought in like manner to be in safety/' * * * 
“ Be not therefore elated with the conflagration of a few vessels, for 
