Page 330 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

30 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY

57. The principal matter calling for note is that there appears at one
time to have been a serious intention of placing the Governorship of Luristan
in the hands of the Wali. The idea seems to have emanated from the Sardar
Mukarram after his troubles in Luristan last spring, and his idea was that
lie himself should stay at Burujird, while the Wali should come to Khurama-
bad and be invested with the Governorship of Luristan proper with entire
freedom of action. It is understood that the Burujird Anjuman endorsed
the Sardar’s proposal, and that in Tehran both the Shah and the Majlis
were favourable to it. Orders of appointment for the Wali were received
and were being despatched, and it is said that the Wali had begun mustering
his forces.
At this point the cony d'etat took place in Tehran, the Sardar Mukarram
received his cong6, and the envoy conveying the orders of appointment to the
Wali turned back. It was felt that under the circumstances fresh con­
firmatory orders from Tehran were necessary and as these were not received
the matter was dropped. This statement of the case rests on good authority
but the Wali in mentioning the question of his projected appointment to
His Majesty’s Consul merely stated that the negotiations had broken down
owing to his being unable to meet the conditions in regard to the Luristan
revenue demanded by the Persian Government.
58. At one time there was a question of hostilities between the Wali’s
eldest son and Nazar Ali Khan, Fath-us-Sultan, but subsequently an under­
standing was arrived at, and in December the relations of the Wali and Nazar
Ali Khan were officially described as friendly.
59. At the end of the year the sections of the Sagwand who have through­
out the year caused trouble in the Dizful district, from uncertain motives,
entered into negotiations for taking up their quarters in eastern Pusht-i-Kuh
and actually crossed the Kerkha.
60. The fact of the Consul’s journey through Pusht-i-Kuh in November
and December has already been noted. The route followed was the most
direct one via Shalakush to Deli Bala and thence to Kunjiancham. Trouble
was experienced by the stealing of a horse by followers of Daud Khan, after­
wards recovered. Considerable difficulty was also found in obtaining
supplies, especially gram and fodder, and at some parts the track was so
difficult as to make accidents to animals probable, though only one slight one
occurred. At Dum Qalamun (on the Ab-i-Kunjianchara and near the dis­
puted Badarai border) the Wali’s camp was reached. Three days were
spent with the Wali and several interviews took place. The only matter
seriously discussed was that of Luristan road and reference to the Wali’s
views thereon has already been made.
61. The Wali’s tone was friendly and frank. Ilis regime is much more
Lurish than that of the Bakhtiaris which in externals shows many signs of
Persian influence.
The difference in essential methods is probably nil, and if his court
appears less civilised this defect is more than compensated for by the fact
that in the case of the Wali the controlling power is invested in a single
individual, whose authority in the present case appears to be very effective.
In neither case does the exercise of authority appear to proceed much beyond
the collection of revenue and the mustering of forces when required for
offence or defence.
The Wali himself is a young man and seems to be well endowed with
intelligence.
62. The acquaintance was made of the Wali’s eldest son Amanullah
Khan, and another Ghulam Shah (his second son). The former was not
unprepossessing and in type took after his father; the latter was a tat
plegmatic youth who looked out of place in a Lur camp. As far as is
known the rest of the Wali’s progeny are mere children.
It is hoped to make Pusht-i-Kuh the subject of a separate report.