Page 377 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

345
Chief Priest, Soid Wabab Govornor of Kerbolla, Soid Hopaineo and Seid Nusserovla all in­
fluential people of Korbolla camo to tho Pasha's Camp at Mossoib and remained four days.
Tho Pasha told thorn ho did not wish to injure tho people, that Kerbella was in rebellion and
belonged to tho Sultan, that if thoy would allow him to place throe hundred soldiers in tho
town, tho Yoramus with thoir families should be allowed to leave it without molestation, but if
opposed ho would certainly attack the place. Thoy nnswored we will give money, wa will obey
but tho Ye ram us and Chief people will never agreo to tho soldiers entoring Kerbella. The
Pasha then said a Let Seid Ibrahim ZafTranco, Chief of the Yeramus come to me." Seid
’VValeh nnswored, that ho would not come but if the Pasha would give him ten days delay, that
ho would kill him. They all returned to Kerbella, hut chiefs refused to agree to the Pasha's
terms, and determined to defend tho place, guns were placed in the bastions. The Pa?ha in
tho moantime eont to Bagdad for more troops. Shortly after this, His Royal Highness, the
Zil-i-Sultan and Chief Priest Hagee Seid Ransom wrote to tho Pasha, that if he would send
Hagco Abdul Rahman Hansheem a native of Bagdad’, to Kerbclla, they would settle every­
thing for him, he arrived, the chiefs of Yoramus and all tho influential psoplc assembled at tho
house of the Chief Priest, a long debate ensued, at last they agreed, and sealed a paper that five
hundred soldiers should be allowed to enter the town. Hagee Abdul Rahman then proposed
that the chiefs should go out to Mossaib, and visit tho Pasha, and that ho would rema:n in the
town as a hostage for their security, they would not agree to this, a violent discussion took
place, tho Hagee was threatened and abused, from fear left the assembly and quitted the towo;
the paper was destroyed. Tho Chief Priest then entreated them all to listen to him and at last
persuaded them to agree to tho Pasha’s terms ; he wrote to tho Pasha that they had all con­
sented that be might place five hundrad soldiers in the town, viz., one hundred at one of
the gates, and the rest at a carvansavai in tho town, also that they would give hostages. The
Pasha would not consent to their terms being afraid of treachery.
The Pasha told the Chief Priest and His Royal Highness the Zil-i Sultan before leaving
his camp, to warn all Persians to separate themselves from the Yeramus (and gave the Prince
a paper to that effect) that if they could not loave the town, they should retire altogether to cne
quarter of it, or else with their familios and property seek protection in the courts of the tombs
of Hoosein and Abbas, for he was determined to proceed to extremities if the Kerbella is re­
fused to submit to bis orders. Up to this time many thousand Persian families had left the
town; with the exception of a fow of the refugee Persian Piinces, who considered
themselves secure, the greater part of those who remained were poor shopkeepers and labourers
settled in the placo who could not movo their families for tho want of carriage, or runaway
oriminals from Persia who joined the Yeramus—some Pilgrims also remained. The price of
carriage had become very high and scarcely procurable, much property during this time was
convoyed to Nujif. Thirty ono days had now elapsed since the Pcrsiau Consul received inti­
mation from tho Pasha of his intentions.
His Excellency Negib Pasha learning that preparations for defence wore going on, and
that Arabs were flockiug into Kerbella despatched the Seraskier Zaadoollah Pasha with three
regiments of Infantry ono Regiment of Cavalry and twenty guns to that place where he arrived
on the 19th December, bo was also accompanied by some friendly Arabs; and pitched bis camp
about $ miles South East of the town outside the Gardens; whilst tho soldiers were em­
ployed pitching tboir tents they were fired at from tho Gardens. The Seraskier placed his guus
in positron but did not commence operations.
Seid Ibrahim Zaffranee and other Chiefs seeing that troops had arrived went to Hagee
Seid Ransem Chief Priest and his Royal Highness Zil-i-Sultan and asked their advice, they
both most earnestly recommended them to bo obedient, and surrender to tho Pasha's orders as
he was sure to take the placo. They would not listen, all said they would fight, that they were
afraid if the troops entered the towo, they would be killed. His Royal Highness the Zil-i-
Sultan accompanied by Hajee Seid Ransem went out to tbe Seraskier’s camp and proposed
that he should withdraw his army to Mossaib, leaving five hundred men in camp, that after
the main body had arrived at Mossaib, they would allow the five hundred mon to enter the
town, that all hostilities should, cease, that the familios of Soid Ibrahim Zaffranee, Meerza
Saulcfc, Chiefs of Yaramus, and 6omo others should be given over to the Pasha as hostages, that
the Yeramus with their familios should leave tho town without molestation, after which the
army might return to Kerbella. It is said the Seraskier agreed to this proposal, and sent off to
the Pasha at Mossaib to say what he had done. Tho inhabitants of Kerbella accompanied by
a “body of Arabs went outsido trie walls, the Arabs performed the Honaen (war dauco) firing
off their guns—no fighting took place that day.
His Royal Highness the Zil-i-Sultan and Hajee Said Ransom returned to. the town and
communicated to tbe chiofe what they had proposed, the most violont discussoins took place, at
last they agreed to send out hostages to the Seraskier’s Camp ; the families of Seid Ibrahim
Chief of the Yeramus and of Mccrza Saulet with some others were, to accompany His Royal
Highness the Zil-i-Sultan on the following day, Meerza Saulet refused to send, his family
at last he agreed to accompany tho Prince himself, ho asked the Prince what security they had
that he was true, tho Prince answered I leavo my family and that of my brother in youc
hands.
[S6WD]

_