Page 392 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

u
60. In explanation of the discretional power thus given, it may bo stated
that in January of this year Ibrahim Klmn of Ham pur had once more
appearod on the sceno, addressing himsolf to Captain lioss in an objectionable
strain, to tho ofTcct that ho had hoard of the projected extension of the Tclo-
graph from Gwndur westward, hut had received no authority from his Govern­
ment to allow tho work to proceed. The Chiefs of Baho had expressed them-
sclvos alarmed at tho threats of a now Persian invasion ; and, however willing
to assist us in guarding our Telegraph, they dared not negotiate, unless under
sanction of Persia. Not long afterwards, Ibrahim Khan intimated that lie
had received a copy of the short Anglo-Pcrsian Convention of 18GS, addressed
Captain Ross in a friendly and courteous manner; and the Baho Chiefs were
at liberty to treat with us, as before intended. But this state of affairs,
howovor, improved in one sense, was not without its difficulties. Tho Governor
of Barnpur had received the orders of his Government to aid us : ho must
como down to tho Coast: he must personally ascertain that we have got all
that wo require, and his coming must be the coming of a largo body of armed
men.
57. The following extract will show how the negotiations with the local
Chiefs were effected under tho circumstances :—
*' Under tho instructions, ami with the discretionary power given, I have boon able to
Chief Director, Indo-European Tcl.'srr.i]>li, to negotiate the whole question of subsidy to local
Government of Bombay, No. SO of 8th March Chiefs as originally intended ; and Ibrahim Khan,
lSGO. of Barnpur, lias not been named, nor has the
Persian Government authority been quoted in any one of the agreements concluded ou
account of protection to the Telegraph from Gwadur to Jask.
“ Fir6t appearances wore against such a conclusion. Letters from Ibrahim Khan and
his deputy came in to Captain Ross before we left Gwadur. An interview was proposed, anil
Baho named as tho place of meeting. The reports of tho Persian advance on Baho caused
such distress and confusion that I wrote twice to the Barnpur Chief, assuring him that hi«
presence was superfluous, so far as we were concerned, and that his coming disturbed the
peace of the inhabitants. It should be explained that ‘ Baho’ is a district, the headquarters
being called Baho Kelat.
"Captain Ross and I proceeded from Charbar by land. Hail Ibrahim Khan come down
to Baho on the date fixed, he might easily have met us, for we p issed through the Baho
country, aud were seven days on the road, although the distance is estimated at only 110
miles. But there was a lull in th* prevailing excitement. Ibrahim Klinn's Agent, who had
been sent in advance to extract money from the Baho Chiefs, had returned to his master at
Sirhaz, several marches to the north ward; and the two Chiefs had taken the opportunity to
come aud meet us, unaccompanied by Peisinn ofllcers. When we arrived at Charbar, however
a Persian Envoy awaited us. He had brought a letter from Ihrahim Khan to Captain Ross
in reply to a communication forwarded by that officer some days before my arrival at Gwadur.
The language wa^ very civil; but the writer said he must como down to Charbar. Captain
Ross replied much ia the sense of my former letters, expbiiniug further to the Envoy how
needless it would be to take the proposed trouble. We left Charbar by 6tcamer for Jask ;
but before leaving I despatched a letter to the Chief of Gch, the large district between
Charbar and Jask territory, stating my intentioQ of returning in a few days with the view
of meeting and conferring with him.
"We were away ten days, during which time I visited the Island of Henjam, and com­
pleted the negotiations at Jask, whore Captain Ross had smoothed the way by intelligent aud
judioious preliminaries. On return to Charbar I f«uud the Chief, for whom I had written,
was awaiting us with his Wuzir; and here again our negotiations were briefly and quite
satisfactorily concluded. Thus was tho whole affair on which I had been deputed brought
to a close. There were a few details to attend to comparatively unimportant."
68. Ibrahim Khan, however, did not rest satisfied here. The letter above
quoted proceeds to state :—
“ But on the occasion of this last visit to Charbar, fresh reports were rife on Ibrahim
Kban'8 movements. He was reported to have left Sirbaz and come down to Baho Kelat.
The Baho Chiefs and inhabitants had fled, it was said, to the hills. The whole country
was again in commotion. Three thousand soldiers and guns seemed an absurd exaggeration,
but it wa9 probible that the story of the downward march had some truth in it.
“ We returned to Gwadur by rea. At Gwadur much the same reporis were about as at
Charbar. After a time rumour assumed a different complexion. Ibrahim Khan was not com­
ing to Charbar immediately, if at all. Nor had he reached Baho Kclut, lie had stopped in
Pushing, and was demanding tribute from Toomp.
"I will endeavour to explain, as clearly as possible, tho position. Accepting the boundary
up-to which tho Persians have hitherto encioacbed with sucoeasful result, or rather within