Page 644 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

14
Kumar ij.
The principal portion of the Kumarij district consists of a level plain
stretching from a little beyond the top of the Kotal-i-Kumarij to the southern
end of the Tang-i-Tutkan, and measuring some four miles by three miles. But
the actual boundaries at present are on the—
North : the southern end of the Tang-i-Turkan.
South; the village of Cheroom on the banks of the Shahpur river, beyond
the foot of the Kumarij Kotal
East: the mountains Kuh-i-Mast and Kuh-i-Gunjishk, which separate
the district from the Kazerun plain.
West: the river Shahpur at Rudak, which belongs to Kumarij.
Only five villages are in the district:—
Kumarij (about 150 houses inhabited).
Rudak.
Bapaft
Cheroom.
Caravanserai (Deh Kuhne).
It formerly was part of the sub-government of Khisht, but is now owned by
I.Iushar-ud-DcuIeh, to whom the revenue amounting to tomans is paid.
Oashgai clans are neighbours to the district on three sides : the Kashkuli
and Chahar Bunicheh tribes outside the further extremity of the Tang-i-Turkan
and near Bushakun: the harsimedan about tour miles the further side of the
Kuh-i-Mast: the Kashkuli again about seven miles to the west of Rudak.
There are two alternative routes between Kazerun, Kumarij and Konar
Tahhteh. Or.e, the Rah-i-Bardun, over the Kuh-i-Mast, is c'ken used by
Khurchid Khan for caravans to Kazerun, when he is at strife with the Kashkulis.
The other route from Kazerun leaves the main track at the caravanserai and
passes by the Kuh-i-Surkh read to the north of Kumarij till it descends on to
the Konar Tahhteh plain, thus avoiding the Tang-i-Turkan, Kamarij and the
Kotal-i Kumarij altogether.
About 1905, in the time of Haidar Khan, its late chief, the district of
Kumarij was more important than today: Haidar Khan, by force of arms,
obtained unlimited control from the top of the Kotal-i-Malu to Kazerun,
where he established himself as Deputy Governor, turned out and defeated
Khwajeh Ibrahim, Kalantar of Kazerun. Haidar Khan died of wounds inflicted
by a slave at Kazerun in September 1909, leaving an infant son, Farajullah Khan,
in the guardianship of a black confidant, Khurshid.
The latter possesses considerable talents, and great bravery : he has had to
repel attacks by a brother of the late Haidar Khan, 2nd constant aggression
from men whom he has outlawed from Kumarij, including the well-known
Ali Mohammed. The Kashkulis are bitter enemies of his, and covet the district.
In the spring of 1911 Nizam-us*Sultaneh determined to attack Kumarij, urged
on by Soulet-ud-Douleh: several hundred Qashgais with other partisans of
Nizam bombarded the village, and Khurshid, after shutting himself up in the
Khan’s fort on which many of his own villagers fired, escaped to the Kuh-i-Mast.
He was gradually joined by his adherents, and returned in June 19*1 to Kumarij,
when he destroyed most of the houses in the village to prevent the inhabitants
opposing him again. He makes a great show of ruling not in his own right but
on behalf of harajullah Khan. He is on friendly terms with the Kalantar of
Kazerun, Khwajeh Abdullah, Nasir-ud-Diwan, but not very well disposed towards
Hussein Beg of Daliki. He pays his own tufangcliis (who probably do not
number more than 150) well. The outstanding feature of Khurshid’s politics is
enmity with the Kashgais. The Tang-i-Turkan is a no-raan*s land, neither
Qashgais nor Kumarijis venturing beyond their respective ends.