Page 208 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

2 4, ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL
RESIDENCY
bein" the scene of numerous and unusually bloody skirmishes. As a rosult
no post from the south reached Shiraz from January 17th to February 19th.
On the Isfahan road, tho principal offender was Asghar Khan Arab, who
infested tho Mcrvdasht plain all summer.
Under these circumstances, robberies were naturally numerous, and
commonly went unpunished. The Persian post was looted four times, and
the Residency kasid twice. Tho principal robberies from British subjects
were:—tho robbery of a horso and two rifles with cartridges from
Mr. Grahame’s camp hy Bawi tribesmen ; notes for tomans 2,235, the properly
of the Imperial Bank, stolen hy a Qashgai from the Political Resident’s
caravan; a rifle stolen on tho Kotal-i-Mallou from a sowar of the relieved
Tehran escort; opium to the value of tomans 3,141, the property of Messrs.
Zeigler and Messrs, Dixon, stolen near Shulgistan on the Isfahan road;
silver bars and private effects to the value of tomans 3.000 stolen near Chennr
Rahdar, apparently by Bauri Arabs; piece goods to the value of tomans 1,629,
the property of Messrs. Dixon, stolen near Dawan on the Bushirc road;
merchandise valued at tomans 1,300, the property of British Indian subjects,
stolen near Rahdar; property valued at tomans 5,U00 belonging to three
Afghans, stolen by Arabs on tho road to Yezd.
As an example of the pitch of insolence attained hy tho nomad tribesmen,
the robbery of Captain Hoinicke is worthy of mention. This gentleman was
stopped about a quarter of an hour’s walk from the Kazeroon Gate of tho
town by four meu believed to have been Qashgais, robbed, beaten, and finally
stripped. Taken in conjunction with this incident, the various robberies
detailed above, in which tho property stolon belonged to His Majesty’s
Government, tend to shew that that divinity which did hedge a European, and
especially the property of a European Government, has to a great extent
vanished, and tho impunity enjoyed without exception by all the perpetrators
has not tended to restore it.
Telegraphs. A very large amount of damage was done by the Qashgais between
Dastarjin and Kazeroon, the employds of the Department being also looted
in more than one instance.
Church Mis* The staff was reduced by tho departure of Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm in
sionary Society.
tho autumn. They were not replacod, and the staff at the close of the year
consisted consequently of Mr. and Mrs. Clifton only. Their only troubles
occurred in the spring of 1908, and arose out of the disputed ownership of tho
house rented hy them, which eventually became so acute, that to protect
them from insult, Mr. Grahame was forced to transfer the Clifton family to
the Residency, and occupy their house himself with the Residency sowars.
During the year, 15 letters of manumission were granted. All the slaves
Slaves.
but one were sent away after release to destinations selected by them. A
more difficult problem was presented by ten legitimately owned slaves who
could not receive their freedom, but on the other hand could not be surrendered
from bant and had consequently to be treated as ordinary “ bastis ”. Five
were eventually reconciled to their masters, but the remainder preferred a
life of idleness in the Residency, and at the end of the year their disposal
remained a question of some difficulty.
The only tour undertaken by His Majesty’s Consul during the yea r was
Tours.
the visit to the Mamasenni country, already mentioned in relation to
the tribes.
The year was notable for the number of British officers who visited Ears.
Travellers.
In April Lieutenants Wilson and Cruiokshank of the 32nd Sikh Pioneers
arrived in Shiraz from Bunder Abbas via Lar. The former proceeded to
England, but the latter remained till the end of May, performing in the in­
terval an interesting journey round Lakes Maharlu and Taft. Mr. F.
Bradley Birt, I.C.S., also passed through in April. Lieutenant J.
Crosthwaite, Indian Army, was in Shiraz studying Persian during AI)nl
nart of May, and on the 27th of the latter month Lieutenant Black, I. Am
arrived for the same purpose, remaining till tho end of October. ^apl£ft
Gibbon, Royal Irish Fusiliers, arrived from Kerman on lebruary 16tV
for Bushire on the 22nd. Of foreign travellers the most notable, besides Herr