Page 49 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

RESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1005-1008. 39
Haidar of tho A1 Katldr at first oluded his grasp, but during his stay at
Pizful tho Salar manoeuvred for a position from which he could effectively
treat him as a rocalcitrant revenuo defaulter. Failing to secure his person,
he proclaimed him a rebel and was able to follow up this declaration ljy
depriving him of his sheikhship, and dividing it betwcon two of his relatione,
Kburaibat and Mizaban. The latter has since incurred his displeasure, and ia
now in confinement.
The aged Karim Klian, Faili Lur, has also been marked out for sovere
treatment.
Attempts to overawe or entrap Khanjan Khan, Sagwand, were lea
successful. A long epistolary contest was maintained. In its outcome the
honours rested with the native wit and diplomacy of Luristan, and the Salar
has outwardly relented.
"When in the spring of 1900 the affairs of the Bakhtiaris fell into confusion
the Salar aspired to play the part of arbitrator, but his overtures met with
a chilling- reception, and he failed to establish his indisponsability aB an
intermediary.
Both on this occasion, and at other times of disturbance, the Salar did
really accomplish something towards securing the safety of the route between
Shushter and Bizful.
12. Beyond the general maintenance of order, the establishment of a school
at Shushter appears to be the only work of public utility which can be ascribed
to tbe Salar.
His relations throughout with Sheikh Khaz’al have been cordial, unless it
be true that just recently the conditions laid down by the Sardar Arf’a for
granting a b an of 4.000 tomans, have irritated the latter into dropping bis
usual guise of suavity.
IS. Towards British interests the Salar has not shown himself at all
partial, but they have beadst-ed on the whole by the general security. During
his terra of office some presence has been maintained of protecting the
Skushan plying on the Gerger, and it is a negative tribute to his adminis­
tration that no repetition oi the attacks of April 1904 and previous years has
taken place.
An embargo which he placed on the export of wheat, on his own
authority and in his own interests, hampered Messrs. Lynch Brothers, and
again at the time of the Bani Turuf expedition lie showed himself very
unaccommodating in tbe matter of releasing transport for the same firm.
Such practical acts of unfriendliness he has of course always tried to obscure
by clouds of hypocritical verbiage.
14. The Bokhtiaris.—The year which just terminated has not been a
happy one for the Bakhtiaris. At its commencement tbe Ilkhaniand llbdgi-
ship had jnst been confirmed on the Samsam-us-Saltana and the Shahab-us-
Saltana. The former was not popular, and be ha3 little that is conciliatory
in his character. Differences soon arose with the party headed by the Sardar
As’ad and the Salar Arf’a. The result was that the security of the Road
was, during the hot-wcather, impaired by raids and robberies. These, whether
committed by Bakhtiari subjects, or by Kuhgalu with or without Bakhtiari
instigation, were equally the fruit of tho dissensions among the Khans. This
state of affairs afforded some grounds for the charge that the Samsam_was
not fit for the paramount leadership of the tribe. There is reason also to
believe that Sheikh Khaz’al seeing an opportunity of avenging old erudsw
and securing bis object in the affair of Righaiwa {vide paragraph e) employed
his influence to assist in the downfall of the Samsam.
This event finally took place in December, and the 8ardar As'ad and the
Salar Arff a succeeded to the vacant posts. The 8amsam and the Shabab
hurried off to press their case at Tehran. Hostilities supervened between
the representatives of the two factions at ‘Aqili Ab Bid, Ramus, Jaizum anj
the hills.
In February the Salar and tho AFuIn Humayun (the Shahab’s brother)
were found confronting each other at Ramuz. A spark was only required to
produce a general conflagration. Negotiations however were entered into.