Page 65 - Gulf Precis (VI)_Neat

Chapter III. 43
116. The following genealogical table of the family is propared on conjec­
tures based on occasional references in our records :—
Manoh.

Mahoraod.

Abdullah ... • M ... Fazal (about 1760),
Sadun.

Thainer.
2
i
1. ITnmid. 2. Husliad. 3. Ajil killed in 1831.
Majid
Raihid.
I Mahomed ... ... Ali.
Nasir. Mauiur. Saloh. Faria. Fabud.
I
Suleinan.
Saleh. Ajil.
117. The Shammar Jerbah is the most powerful of the Arab tribes in
Northern Mesopotamia. They are said to have some blood connection with the
Shammer tribe of Nejd, whence they were led by their Chief Faris Um Umr-
ibn-Abdul Aziz into Northern Mesopotamia. The pedigree of the family of the
Chief is as follows :—So far as can be made out—
Faria.

(
Safluk. Shulaah.

FaXan.
Faria.
118. Captain Felix Jones gives the following description of this tribe in
his memoir of the province of Baghdad (1855), printed in the Bombay Selec­
tions No. XLI1I :—
“ They are the terror of the Turkish authorities and people. They live entirely iu the
desert tracts, or, rather, tracts where they appear to have become deserted, and, as caprice or
fancied neglects on tho part of the authorities seize them, they issue forth, on Ghazas or
plundering oxcursions carrying off everything far and near, even to the gates of the cities.
Unable to drive them away, the Turkish Government has consented to pay their ohiof a
monthly salary to secure his allegiaueo, or, in other terms, to buy the forbearance of the
tribe. This, however, serves only a purpose, aud, as tho chief Parhan says, is not sufficient
to purchase coffee for his hourly recurring guests. A sort of hollow peace is, however, patched
up by the contract, and comparative quiet, broknu only by occasional reports of petty
plunderings, exists for a time. They are useful to Government only under general rebellion
of the minor Arab tribes, whon thoy are called upon to fall on them with firo and sword, and
are prompt enough generally in availing themselves of the permission. They sweep the country
on these occasions. Friends aud foes of authority are indiscriminately visited, and, though
there is not much bloodshed, there is universal wreck. The tribes hasten to get out of their
way ; and so quick arc Bedouin movements, that thoy succeed only iu escaping from them
with their families. Flocks, tents, household furniture, crops and kine are abandoned and fall
into Bedouin hands to bo driven off and sold at the lowest possible price, to any who will pay
them in ready monoy. Plunder being their only object, they care not to pursue the proprietors
or they havo no real sympathy with tho Government in these affairs."
119. As regards the political constitution of these tribes, we shall quote
again Captain Felex Jones, a description
Bo'stitluon No mxLuih*Frovinct******** which bad been true always of the state
of things among them since the Ottoman
dominion was.established in Mesopotamia, and has been true since he wrote :—