Page 421 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

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1G3. Colonel Meade landed at Galag on the 18th December and went
the following morning to tho position on the cast bank of tko river, where
Mr. Campboll bad been left.. On his arrival a local bondman, named Mir
Dsn bin Slier Khan, was brought to him by Mr. Gravos’ Artificer, Ilassan Khan,
and lie was told that bo bad gono the previous day with the Persians into the
country of the Kirwnnis, but bad loft thorn, as he thought that the Persiau
commander was about to have him seized.
1G4. Mir Esa was subsequently denounced as a traitor by Captain Sykes,
who declared that ho had purposely misled the march tho previous day, and
had deserted them at the moment when they appioachcd the/Viliams of the
Kirwania. On the other hand, Mr. Campbell and the telegraph officials
doelarcd that ho had given thorn much useful assistance, and that but for hipi
they could not have collected tho necessary baggage camels for transporting
tho party. They assured tho Resident that if ho was not kindly treated their
camolmon would desert, and, in view of this, lie had told Mir Esa that, if ho
did well in future, he would bo trusted, and his services rewarded.
1G5. Mir Esa agreed to go with Hassan Khan and endeavour to bring iu
some of the Kirwanis, who had not. themselves beon encaged in tho murder.
The following day ho returned bringing with him three headmen, viz., Pirdad,
Mullah Meru and Miran. All three were, elderly men, two of them being very
old. They spoke of the murder of Mr. Graves with the greatest abhor cnoo,
and deolarcd their willingness to give up the murderers; hut declared also
that they must be supported by a suitable force to elTeet their arrest, as they
w«*re influential men. They said it wns well known that the murder had been
committed by (1) Malik Ghind bin Shahbeg, who had actually struck the blow
which killed Mr. Graves, (2) Lulla biu Shahbeg, a brother of No. 1; (3)
Shah xMahomed bin Gulbeg ; and (4) Shukrulla bin Sabi. They were asked
how they knew this, and in reply stated that a man named Sherdad, a
camel-herd of Shah Mahommad, No. 3, had openly declared that his master
and the others named were tho murderers and had boasted of having killed a
Eeringhcc.
16G. Tho three headmen wero questioned at considerable length about the
position of affairs in Kirwan, and explained that there wore three sections of
the tribe to one of which tho murderers belonged. Their statements were
written down, but were not recorded on oath, and at the conclusion they were
told that they could leave the camp, as they had come in on tho condition that
they were free to ome and go whenever they liked.
167. Th<s interview with Mir Esa and the three Kirwani headmen took
place on the 21st, and on the previous day a party of 30 blue-jackets from
Her Majesty Service, the Lapwing, under Lieut.-Commander Carr, C. M. G.,
had joined the Resident. Tho acoounta he received from Captain Sykes on the
further, side of the river pointed to a large gathering of Kirwanis, and he
thought it advisable therefore to increase the party with him which, till the
arrival of the sailors from the Lapwing, consisted of only 10 men of tho
Marine Battalion from the Lawrence.
168. After his interview with tho three Kirwanis on the 21st, tho Resident
decided to move his camp across the Bapch, as there were indications of rain,
and had it fallen, it would have been difficult to communicate with tho party
who had crossed over with the Persians. He also sent Mr. R. P. Baker, 0.1. E.,
of the Telegraph Department, to trace the Bapch to the sea along its right
bank, with a view to moving our base from Galag to a point on the western
mouth of the river, which might, he thought, bo connected with a new camp
on the right bank, where the line crossed the river. The results of Mr. Baker’s
examination, however, wero not satisfactory, aud Galag remained the. sea base.
No rain having fallen, tho river had decreased steadily in volume instead of
rising, and there had never beon any difficulty in crossing it.
169. On the 22nd the camp was struck and moved to the right bank*
Before crossing the Resident hold a funeral service over the spot where tho
body of Mr. Graves was interred by his servants. They buried. him on a
email hillock, about 60 yards from tho place, close to the telegraph liue, where
bis camp was pitched at the time of the murder. The position of tho grave was