Page 520 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

24 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF TUB PERSIAN GULF

defend, .and advanced to Bulaskar (17 miles north-west of Charak). In the
meantime Sheikh Mazkoor of Gaobandi had brought a strong force by sea
from Bandar Shiu and landed at Cheroo, the Shaikh of which place did every­
thing in his power to assist the attacking force.
On the same day (27th October) the Deputy Governor of Lingah, realiz­
ing (lie hopelessness of defending the town with the scant number of tofang-
chis at his disposal, proceeded on board H. M. S. “ Fox ” and requested
Captain Hunt to assist him. One hundred and seventy-four officers and men
were landed from H. M. S. “ Fox ” and “ Odin,” and an effective scheme of
defence was drawn up by Captain Hunt in co-operation with the Deputy
Governor.
H. M. S. “ Odin ” was detailed to patrol the Shib Kuh Coast, and, on
the 31st October, she encountered three dhows at Jazza, -belonging to Shaikh
Mazkoor, containing loot taken by him from the seaports of Mugam district.
While overhauling the dhows, the ship was fired on by a party of Shaikh
Mazkoor’s men on shore. The dhows were captured and brought to Lingah;
two of which were proved /to belong to Shaikh Mazkoor were burnt, and the
third dhow subsequently found to belong to a subject of Mugam, was returned
to the Shaikh, with all the loot contained in the three dhows, valued at about
Rs. 8,000.
His Excellency the Darya Bcgi arrived at Lingah from Bandar Abbas
on the 1st November, and concurred with .the action taken by Captain Hunt
in co-operation with the Deputy Governor for the defence of Lingah. He
proceeded to Charak and remained there till the 7th November, his time being
occupied in collecting fighting material from the Shaikhs of Charak and
Moghu, and in writing polite letters to the Yv arawis requesting their with­
drawal. In a letter to the Warawis His Excellency is said to have congra­
tulated them for punishing the people of Mugara! His Excellency moved on
to Rustami (15 miles north-east of Charak) on the 8th November where he
joined Muhammed Roza Khan, son of the Chief of Bastak, bringing bis fight­
ing strength up to about one thousand, but it is regretted he had no intention
of fightine and punishing the intruders, although he was pressed to do so by
the Shaikhs accompanying him. The expedition resolved itself merely into a
tour through the country from Charak to Mugam, and this was onlv under­
taken after ascertaining that the Warawis intended to withdrawn Moreover,
it is regrettable that His Excellency failed to inflict any punishment on Shaikh
Mazkoor for his impudent act of piracy. The latter did not withdraw with
the Warawi force but remained at Armaki. only a few miles south of His
Excellency’s route. Tbe property plundered by the Warawis and Shaikh
Mazkoor was estimated by the Shaikh of Mugam at five lakhs of rupees, but
this is undoubtedly an exaggeration.
Bastal:.—In April the Khan of Bastak, Muhammed Takhi Khan, Sowlet-
ul-Mulk, held up a caravan travelling from Lar to Lingah and also a caravan
proceeding in the opposite direction. On representations being made by tbe
merchants of Lingah, loth the caravans were released. Looting of cattle by
the hill robbers has been frequent throughout the year, and the road to Bastak,
short as i.t is, has not been safe for caravans.
Lar District.—The district has been in a state of chaos throughout the
year. In February tie Governor of Lar, SaifuUa Khan, made an attempt to
collect outstanding revenues and restore order, but he was attacked and de­
feated bv Bahlvi Robbers. He fled to Shiraz, and since then the appointment-
has not been filled by a representative of the Fars Government.
After this incident Mohammad Hussein Khan, Rasulkhani, constituted
himself Governor of Lar and carried on a rule of tyranny and extortion till
the end of August, when he was turned out by Seyyid Baba of Bairam wb<>
became Governor of the district by special request of the merchants of Lar.
who guaranteed to pay him 1,200 tomans per mensem to defend the tovrn-
This arrangement continued up to the close of the year.
In August, news was received that Jalal-e-din Mirza had left Shira*
with a strong force to take up the Governorship of Lar and restore ordeT-