Abdalli chiefs, on the other hand,
made an effort to induce the Sultan of the Futhalis, (with whom they
held a conference during the first days of 1839, at the tomb of
Sheikh Othman near Aden, on the occasion of the payment of the annual
tribute above referred to,) to make common cause with them against
the intruders who were endeavouring to establish themselves in the
country; but the negotiation wholly failed, and the two parties
separated on not very amicable terms.

[Footnote 47: It is worthy of remark, that in a note of December 1st,
(_Corresp_. No. 81,) from the Governor of Bombay to the Sultan,
the ill treatment of the passengers of the Derya-Dowlut is again
advanced as the ground of offence, as an atonement for which the
cession of Aden is indispensable; though for this, ample satisfaction
had been admitted long since to have been given.]

It appears that the determination of the Abdallis to hold out had
been materially strengthened by the intelligence which they received
from India, (where many Arabs from this part of Yemen and the
neighbouring country of Hadramout are serving as mercenaries to the
native princes,) of the manifold distractions which beset the
Anglo-Indian government, and the armaments in course of equipment for
Affghanistan, Scinde, the Persian Gulf, &c., and which confirmed
them in the belief that no more troops could be spared from Bombay
for an attack on Aden. The stoppage of provisions by sea, however,
and the threatened hostilities of the Futhalis, caused severe
distress among the inhabitants of the town; and dissensions arose
among the chiefs themselves, as to the proportions in which (in the
event of an amicable settlement) the annual payment of 8700 dollars
should be divided among them--it being determined that Sultan
Mahassan should not have it all. An attempt was now made by the
_synds_ to effect a reconciliation; but though abundance of notes
were once more interchanged, [48] and the old Sultan came down
from Lahedj to offer his mediation, all demands for the main
object, the cession of the place, were rejected or evaded. The
negotiation consequently came to nothing, and hostilities were
resumed with more energy than before, the artillery of Aden being
directed (as was reported) by an European Turk; till, on the 16th of
January, the flotilla from Bombay, under the command of Captain Smith,
R.N., anchored in Western Bay.

[Footnote 48: In this correspondence, the phrase of--"If yo