Page 341 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

AND THE MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1003. 41

sooner that she was a woman. It is a curious fact that the Luristan tribes
will not rob or molest women, and where two tribes arc about to make peace
women are often sent as Hags of truce to complete the first arrangement, if
there is any doubt of good faith in the matter.
The country was now in an impossible condition, the Tehran road was
rendered unsafe by the Kakawends, while all the tribes surrounding
Kcrmaushah were fighting amongst each other, or rendering the district
roads equally unsafe.
For three weeks no one was responsible for anything in the town, there
was no authority of any kind and it speaks a great deal for the tractability
of the Persian that the city continued without getting into an uproar. Only
two murders were committed and though the murderer, in one case at least,
was known there was.no one with any authority to punish him and he
quietly walked out of the town.
The Kakawends continued on the road and were evidently reinforced by
other tribes for they divided the country into spheres of influence which
they robbed in organised bands. Just like the English-Russian convention,
as the local wags remarked.
At the end of three weeks a large number of pilgrims from Kcrbcla
had collected, and, being unable to proceed to their destinations, they ap­
proached the local mujtahids, who informed Azam-ud-dowlch that, as his
brother Fakhim-es-sultaneh, as Governor of Chamchamal, received an a'low-
ance for the upkeep of sowars, it was his duty to protect wayfarers on the
part of the road which was committed to his charge.
Accordingly, Fakhim-es-sultaneh collected a few sowars and said that he
was ready to escort caravans of pilgrims; in addition some cliarwadars carry­
ing merchandise accompanied the party. The post was also ordered to start
under this escort, but the driver of the waggon very wisely decided to allow
the pilgrims to go well in advance. The Kakawends were awaiting their
arrival and immediately opened with a volley which killed a horse belonging
to one of the escort, whereupon the whole of that discreet body turned tail
and fled leaving the unfortunate pilgrims to the attentions of the robbers,
who stripped them. They were, however, unable to get away with all of the
charwadars’ loads, some of which were, in consequence, safely brought back.
Fakhim-cs-sultaneh, thereupon, demanded 10 per cent, of the value of these
for protection given!!
No posts were arriving from the Tehran side and the departing post
was carried on horseback through the hills.
Kaimmakam had justified prognostications by resigning his appoint­
ment, and it was stated that the newly appointed Governor, Shahzadch
Zafar-cs-sultaneh, was to leave Tehran with troops, and would arrive in
Kermanshah at the beginning of June.
At the end of May Nasir-cd-din Mirza, son of the late Shah, arrived
at Kermanshah from Kcrbela with his mother and left for Tehran escorted
to Sehnch by 100 Kalhor sowars and accompanied by all the pilgrims and
others who had been waiting to be able to proceed.
At the beginning of June, Dowletmand, the chief of one of the sections
of the Balawend tribe and a very successful brigand, was enticed into
a fort with the usual oaths of safety taken on the Koran. He was then
stabbed in the back while eating. His death was a godsend to all the villages
south-east of Kermanshah on which lie was accustomed to levy tribute.
*
On the 6th June a telegram was received from the Shah saying that he
had removed from the government certain intriguers who had been serving
their own ends instead of thinking of the benefit of the country. The same
day news was received that the Shah had arrested Ala-ed-dowlch, Jclal-ed-
dowlch and Sardar-i-mansur and had beaten the first named, further that
the followers of Amir Bahadur were upsetting the capital. There was great
uneasiness on receiving the news. On the 9th a telegram was received
G