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expulsion of tho Oliaab from Dowasir, the emancipation of the tribe from any
further political dependency upon JBussorah may be regarded as the actual and
legitimate issue of the contest.
Another circumstance, which at this time tended to complete the with­
drawal of the Chaab from the control of
Founding of Fellahiah in tho Persian territory.
Turkey was the removal of the rcsidcnco
of the Sheikh from the Guban to the Jerrahi. It occurred in the following
manner. ICcrim IClian, to weaken and distress his adversary, had destroyed
the famous dam which divided the waters of the Karoon, and the channel of
the Guban had thus a second time become almost dry. When Sheikh Salman
accordingly returned after the withdrawal of tlio Persians and found his
capital in ruins and the lands around it deprived of the means of irrigation,
ho had to make his election between again undergoing the labor and expense
of constructing a dam, subject at any moment to destruction by any enemy
possessed of superior forces in the field, and permanently fixing his residence
in a more favorable situation, when tho water should be his protection rather
than his ruin. He adopted tho latter course and founded Follahiali.
The founding of Fellahiah being one of the groat epochs in Chaab history
it may be interesting to observo the gcucral political appearance which the
tribe exhibited at that period. About four-fifths of the extent of country
occupied by the Chaab was unquestionably Persian territory and tho liability of
the tribe to pay to the Persian Crown tho revenues of those lands, if that power
were in a condition to assort its rights, docs not appear ever to have been
questioned.
When the Chaab indeed first came in contact with tho Persian Afshars
and dispossessed them of their lands on
Oponing of political connexion with Persia.
the Jerrahi, Sheik Salman for a short time
continued to pay to the Walee of Howeizah tho same amount of revenue,
which had beeu realized from the former occupants. Kerim Khan’s first
invasion also was undertaken in consequence of the stoppage of this payment of
revenue and tho Sheikh actually disbursed a considerable sum to him on his
withdrawal. Tho second Persian invasion it is true was rather a campaign
undertaken for the reduction of a rebellious province, than a mere expedition
to levy tribute, but the negotiations which were carried on between Sheikh
Salman and the Persian monarch during tho progress of hostilities had a
general reference to the amount of assessment (or mahyat) to bo imposed upon
the tribe. It was never contended, in fact, but that the Chaab were liable to
tho Persian Crown for the rent of the lands which they cultivated on the
Jerrahi, tho Eindian and the upper part of tho course of the Karoon, and I
infer from the increased connection which is observable between tho Persian
Government and the Chaab, subsequently to tho foundation of Fellahiah, that
the distinction between this liability for the payment of rent, as tenants of the
soil and of a fixed tribute as subjects, was gradually lost sight of; and that the
Chaab residing for the most part in tho Persian territory governed by a Chief
whose capital of Fellahiah was within the well established frontier of the
province of Pars, aud subjected almost yearly to demands for revenue from the
Porsiau Crown, came to be regarded as Turkish colonists who had emigrated
to the Persian territory and by a continued residence of many years had
naturalized themselves as Persian subjects.
The arguments of tho Turkish Government in favor of its uninterrupted
claim to the allegiance of tho Chaab are
Turkey maintains her claim.
simply these, that it had never made any
formal renunciation of its rights; that tho Chaab, notwithstanding the
removal of the seat of Government to Fellahiah, continued to hold lands upon
the Haffar and Shat-ol-Arab, subject to Bussorah, and even to pay the revenues
of these lands to tho Governor of that city: that tho Aleer-i-Kalamiyah for­
merly payable by tho tribo was morely withhold because tho district of Guban,
to which it particularly referred, had become desert, and that a robe of office
was frequently also furnished to tho Sheikh of Chaab, long after his settlement
on the Jerrahi, in accordance with the old fashion of annual investiture.
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