IOR/R/15/1/138, ff 145-149

The letter concerns a recent incident of piracy taking place off the Arab coast of the Persian Gulf. Kemball reports that a boat carrying slaves and belonging to Mahomed ben Fullah, a native of Mumzur near Sharjah recently landed at Doah [Doha] for water, whereupon two of the slaves escaped to a neighbouring village of Smaysmah. Kemball writes that, unable to retrieve his two slaves, the man forcibly took two other slaves as replacements from a boat belonging to Smaysmah, taking property and wounding members of the boat's crew in the process. In response, the people of Smaysmah intercepted a Ra's al-Khaymah boat headed for Bahrain, taking everything they found on board.

There are two enclosures following the letter:

1. The translation of a letter (folios 147-48) from Kemball, to Sheikh Sultan ben Suggur [Sultan bin Saqr], chief of Rusulkhymah [Ra's al-Khayman], dated 16 June 1853, demanding that Sheikh Sultan ensure Mahomed ben Fullah is made accountable for his actions, and that compensation or restitution of the stolen property is arranged;

2. The translation of a letter (folios 148-49) from Kemball, to Sheikh Mahomed ben Khuleefa [Muhammad bin Khalifa], chief of Bahrein, dated 16 June 1853, demanding that Sheikh Muhammad arrange for restoration of the stolen property.