28 
ARABIAN PIRATES. 
Their ship was laden with oranges, figs, almonds, walnuts, dates, 
and other fruits, mostly the growth of Laristan. The dried figs and 
dates were very bad. The oranges, being packed in cases, could not be 
broken in upon. 
We continued nearly opposite the same shore for two days, having 
but a very light breeze to stem a current that sets down the mouth of 
the Gulf. Our ship was surrounded by the largest shoal of porpoises 
which I ever saw. The grampus is frequently seen in these waters, but 
we could hear of no fish large enough to be called a whale. 
On the 17th, in the evening, we made the Koh Mobarek, or the 
Fortunate Hill; and the next day, at sunrise, descried two boats that 
had all the appearance of pirates, for they first approached us as if to 
reconnoitre, and then stood off again, as we supposed, towards Rassal 
Kheimeh. We made no doubt that they were the scouts of the Joassims, 
and as it fell a dead calm we got out four of our boats, and sent them 
in chase. Two of the boats had each a gun in their bow, and the two 
others were well armed and manned. They did not reach the suspicious 
boats until it was nearly dark, and at midnight they were brought along¬ 
side. Their appearance and their manoeuvres were so much against 
them, that we could not well be brought to believe the account which 
they gave of themselves, viz. that they belonged to the Imaum of 
Muscat, and were bound to Bender Abassi to bring over Persian troops 
to assist their master against the Wahabi. The only circumstance in 
their favour was, that they had not made the smallest resistance ; 
whereas it is established by the history of the pirate force, that on no 
occasion have the Joassims yielded without fighting ; for they believe, 
perhaps with more faith than other Mussulmans, that Paradise is the 
immediate reward of him who dies in combating the infidels. Their 
boats were filled with arms of all descriptions, consisting of spears (1), 
match-lock guns (2), shields for the hand (3), swords (4), belts for 
cartridges (5), khanjars, or daggers (6). The shields were made of the 
skin of the houtf the Arabic word for whale. 
