Page 378 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

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Tn (ho nflornoon on the 21st or 22nd of December, Ilia Royal Highness tho ZiJ-i-Sulinn
with his brothers Ali Nimkjuo Mcerza and Imaum Wurdo Mcerza, with the families of Scid
Ibrahim and fomn others accompanied by Mcerza Saulut Yernmus, went to the SoMskiorV
camp, (hey woro woll received. Mcerza Snulot was introduced to tlic SeTn skier ns n nio?t
respectable person, son of a former Chief Piiest, after sitting some time, he took his leave, und
invited tho Sornskior to breakfast with him in tho town noxt day.
Soliman Meerza n refugeo Prince cams in from tho Pasha's Camp at Mossaib, and report
says tho Pasha had rofusod to agree to tho terms made by tho Sernskier, to allow tho main
body of the army to rctiro. Tho Piinco was veVy active, abusing tho pooplo of Kerbella and
urging the Seraskier to attack tho placo instantly. Tho Scraskier next morning found out
that Moerza Snulct had escaped through his hands, also that the hostages were not complete,
that some of tho women sent out wero not the wives of tho people represented. An artillery
officer Ibrahim Aga was sent into the town with some message, but chiefly to spy what was
going on—on his approach large bodies of Arabs mid inhabitants came out of the Gardens and
followed him to the gale, they asked the news he answered u Pence ", Hero a great orowd
had assembled, on a sudden some people on t ho walls cried out, wo arobetrayod, that the Seraskier
had diawn up his troops, and was advancing on the town, the alarm soon spread a large body
of the Arabs and inhabitants collected, marched down and attached tho Sciaskier, the soldiers
were driven in from their guns which fell into tho hands of the enemy, the most eovero fight­
ing continued many hours, and several on both sides were killed, tho soldiers rallied and recover­
ed t ho limbers of the guns, about sunset* the inhabitants of Kerbella retired, having overset the
guns they could not carry away into a ditch, in the night they wore recovered by tho soldiers.
Prom what I have learnt the cause of this sudden attack on the Seraskier was ibis he wished to
tako possession of some favourable positions near his camp, and tho people of town teeing the
troops in motion imagined he was going to attack. Tho artillery officer was instantly seized
uud abused, lie was taken to the houso of the Chief Priest who protected him.
Hie Royal Highness the Zil-i-Sultan observing that the army was in movement remonstrated
with tho Scraskic-, and requested to be allowed to convey the hostatages back to tho town, and
to return to hie family, lie was refused and the Seraskier was extremely rude to him. The Princo
and his brothers wee sent to the Pasha s camp at Mossaib and from thence to Bagdad. Tho
hostages wore also sent into Bagdad and well treated.
Every precaution was now taken by the chief peoplo of Kerbella, they began to oppress
the people, employed the Persians in casting shot and placed four guns in the bastions facing
the Seraskier’? camp, and also several wall pieces, which were in charge of Persians commanded
by different Chiefs of Ycramus. Mahmed Ali Khan, Bcloooh, had cliargo of a gate and a
bastion, he had more than one hundred followers mostly Persians, they fought outside tho
walls—Abootaslib a Persian of Insphahan had also charge of a bastion—he had been in Kerbella
three or four years and had forty followers Persians. A Persian artillery man Futtoola, wlio
had deserted from the Pcisinn army and entered the Turkish Borneo from which he deserted,
and became the servant of His Royal Highness Zil-i-Sultan, was one who directed these gun?,
he was taken after the siege and blown away from a mortar, 'lhc gates of the town were in
charge of different Chiefs, all were left open with the exception of tho two nearest tho Serns-
kicr’s Camp. After this the Persian dcclaro tlioy were not allowed to leave the town. The fact
is no carriage was procurable—some Persians I heard attempted to get to Nujif but the Arabs
outside st-iipped them. Fighting took place daily in tho gardens the Turkish artillery fired
without effect, the shots generally passed over the town. The Seraskier it is said had order? to
fire over the town and frighten the peoplo, this appears probablo as during the siege which
lanted 23 days no body was injured and the town scarcely touched from the fire of the Artil­
lery. Ab«ut the l?t January the Persian Consul accompanied by tho Chief Priest Scid Ib­
rahim Kazveenec arrived in Nejib Pasha's Camp at Mossaib from Bagdal. Tho army had
now been clown days before Kerbella, much fighting had taken place, and many on both side9
had been killed. The Consul again urged the Pacha to give time, that the Persians in the
town could not leave, carriage was not procurable, the Ycramus a^o would not allow them to
come 3ut. His Excellency told tho Persian Consul to goto Kerbella and dcsirothc Persians to
leave and not to aid the rebels, that if they could not get carriage he would send camels and
mules to assist them; he said : 1 will pardon the people of Kerbella all they have done, they
have even dared to attack the Seraskier and have killed many of my soldiers, but I will pardon
all if they will give up the town to me, he then wrote and sealed a paper to that effect, adding
that the Ytramus might go out from the opposite side of the town without molestation. Tins
paper lie gave to Scid Ibrahim Kazveeneo Chief Priest who despatched it by Mollah Kheliel to
Kerbella with the promise of the Pasha's pardon. The inhabitants answered we will allow two
hundred men in the town, and some soldiers at one of the gates,but that Kerbella should re­
main in their hands. The Pasha on receiving this answer was very angry seeing they were
determined to resist him, ho told the Consul he should continuo the siege—tho Consul again
informed the Pasha that tho Ycramus would not allow tho Persian to leave, and urged him
to give time. The Pasha would not agree to this. The Consul and Chief Priost returned to
Bagdad; they had been four or five days in tho Pasha's Camp. The Chief Priest in Keibolla
IJajcc Scid Kanscin it is said (lie told me also tho samo thing) wrote to tho Persian Consul nud
Scid Ibrahim Kazve<'iicc begging the former to come to Kerbolla, that this prcscnco was nc-
i cssniy. it was the hour of danger. This letter was received by them after tlioy had quilted
the Pasha's Camp about l*vo hours. Humours in the town are very prevalent that tho Shah o