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a placo held in such veneration by thorn. The population varies from ten thousand to twenty
thousand and oighty thousand, it is ahvays fluctuating, and I was informed that during* the
timo tho pilgrims arrive, tho streets are almost impassable. Tlio bouses are mostly divided
into several small courts, occasionally one hundred persons nvo orowdnd into ouo of tboso houses
which to outward nppearnneo could with diflioulty contain half that numbor. The poorer
pilgrims tnlco up their abodo in tho Courts of tho Mosques. Tho working olaseos at Ivcrbello,
via,, linkers, srnnll shopkeeper*, day labourers, etc., were («c) all Persians.
Korbella was supposed to contain much treasure, but Sayd Waliab, tho Governor, who bad
ohnrgo of the two Mosques, is said to liavo plundered much proporty belonging to them, the
Arab tiibos in tho neighbourhood conveyed their plunder to that town in timo of trouble, in
short Korbella although a plnco of sanctity was the abode of every criminal, and tho Ynramas
supported by the holy men, did os they deemed fit aud defied the authority of the Government.
Ilis Excellency Negib l’asha on taking charge of his Pnshalick found affairs in this stato.
On tho twenty-third of October, about forty slays after his arrival in J3ugdnd, llis Excel­
lency left for Mossaibon the Euphrates about twenty miles from Korbella; whero Zaadollah
Pasha Scraskier had proceeded with some troops and pitched his camp, for tho nominal purpose
of digging a canal to carry back tho water, which now escapes from that river into the
IIoor (Marsh), into its original bed. The great object I havo been told in recovering this
marsh was to drivo out of it large tribes of Arabs cillcd Mardaus, who are in rebellion against
the Government and who occupy small Islands in it, thoir chief occupation is growing lico aud
feeding buffaloes, they arc all robbers.
Many reports about this timo were in circulation that tho Pasha intended marching on
Kcrbolla. The Chief Priest Ilnjeo Sayd Kansom Itesty, wrote to tho Persian Consul, that
many Persians were daily ooniing to him for advice and begged him to go lo the Pasha's camp,
or writo to him to know his intentions. At this timo also some lctir-rs passed between the
Pasha and tho Persian Consul relative to the Yarn mas oppressing tho Persians at Korbella,
hut not regarding the Pasha’s advance on that place. Many Persiau families were daily
leaving the place for Bagdad.
The Pasha being in want of provisions for his troops sent to Korbella to command a
certain quantity, at tho samo timo intimating his inteution to visit the ebrines of the
saints. In answer to his demand for provisions they Bent him a small quantity saying
they could provide no more, and informod him if he wished to visit the shrines of the
Saint6, lie might come with four or five attendants, but that thoy would not allow any troops
to enter the town. On receiving this reply, perceiving the tone of tho people, he determined
to re-establish the authority of the Sultan in Kcrbolla, but if the inhabitants did not become
submissive to his Government, ho should order the place to be taken by force, and felt after
the reply he had received, he could not now recede from his intention without great dangor to
his authority in his Pashalic. The news of tho Pasha’s intentions soon spread abroad, but
before commencing operations, on tho 18lh of November, he addressed a lotlor to tho Persian
Consul and also to the British and French Consuls detailing his reasons, and requested the
former to advise and command all Persian subjects to leave Korbella, he prevented also a large
body of Pilgrims, wbo had just arrived from Persia from proceeding, informing them of bis
reasons for so doing.
The inhabitants of Korbella held many meetings, and it was unanimously ngref-d, that
they would not allow the Pasha's troops to enter the town ; they would give him money, and
began to take measures for defending it. The Yaramns and chief influential people, seeing
that many respectable Persian families were leaving daily tried to persuado them to remain,
reminding them cf their roligion, and tho time Daoud Pasha in vain attempted to besiege them
many poor families who were settled at Korbella would not leave the littlo property they
possessed, and had not tho means of procuring transport, also ; scorn g that some of the families
of the Persian Royal Family remained, did not believe the Pasha was serious in his intentions
of attacking the place,and if he did, that ho would not succeed.
The Persian Consul in reply to the Pasha bogged him to postpone his intended attack,
that if the town was taken by assault many innocent people (Persian subjects) would suffer,
who at present were unable to come away, that he was newly arrived in his Pashalio, that by
persuasion and giving time the inhabitants of Kcrbolla would bo brought to obcdioncc, that* if
ho would delay his expedition for four or six months, to give tho Persians time to arrange
their affairs, ho would proceed to Korbella and bring the Persians away, and arrange ovorything
for him.
Three days before receiving the Pasha’s lotier, the Consul asserts ho wrote privately to tho
Chief Priests llagec Scid Ransom saying u w« hear the Pasha will move on Korbella and if he
is determined will certainly come, lie is not an Ali Pasha, tell the Persians thoy had better
come out". Official letter he again wrote to the Chief Priest of the Pasha’s fixed determina­
tion and requested him to tell all tho Persians to quit the town, this letter ho sent by a con­
fidential person, but it appeals it never reached, as tho Chief Priest declares ho never wrote to
him, although he requested him to come lo Korbella.
. cl'° raC',a woul<1 nofc ,ist.ento 11,0 propositions of the Consul. Ilis Royal ITiglmcss tho
ZiW-Sultan, son cf the late King of Persia a refugco accompanied by Hageo Said Ransom