Page 649 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

-17 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF

In November, an agreement was concluded by the Customs Administra­
tion for a renewal of the lease of the present Customs premises, belonging 10
Khan Bahadur Aglia Beder, for a term of three years, commencing from the
23rd Juno 1912. Certain renewals and alterations are to be undertaken,
which should greatly facilitate the landing and storing of cargo.
Smuggling of rifles, coffee, tea, and aniline dyes has continued unchecked,
and the Customs launch permanently stationed here for patrol duty has
only effected one capture during the year. Two dhows were capture l in
December at Charak in the act of smuggling a few bags of tea and coffee.
They were brought to Lingah, but were subsequently returned to the owners,
and the Customs Administration merely demanded the actual duty on the
tea and coffee carried by the dhows.
Shib Kuh.—Nothing of importance has occurred during the year in the
Shib Kuh districts, except some petty
Condition ol Country.
bickering between the Abaidli and
Hamadi clans, who have been at enmity for years past. The latter Shaikh
was anxious to take his revenge out of the Abaidlis for the treacherous part
they played on the occasion of the Varavi invasion into Shib Kuh, in Octohcr
1910, but, through the influence of His Majesty’s Vice-Consulate, both were
prevailed upon to desist.
The disposition of the Shaikhs of districts remains the same.
Laristan.—The Sowlct-ed-Dowleh was travelling in Laristan, with
Khunj as his headquarters, from February to April. He had an engagement
with, and defeated, the Galchdari and Varavi Chiefs, after which the former
Chiof was invited to accept the Governorship of Laristan.
Lar.—Saiyid Abdul Husain, a mad Mulla of Lar, arrived there from
Shiraz early in the year. Ho is a dangerous person who organized the nation­
alist rising in Laristan early in 1909. Ho ha-9 become more eccentric lately
and his power has somewhat diminished in consequence.
There is much bitter enmity between the people of Lar and Girash, and
in November some considerable looting and counter-looting occurred.
During the months of June, July, September and October the town and
district of Lar was visited by a succession of severe earthquakes. The terror-
stricken inhabitants lived outside the town for months; many people were
killed and bazaars, houses and water reservoirs were destroyed. Some 400
residents, who deserted the place on account of the earthquake and other
oppression, settled permanently at Lingah and Debai, while others are said to
havo also migrated to districts in the interior.
The road to Lar has been very unsafe throughout the year, and news was
received of no less than seven caravans
Bc^cf1'00 °f RoftdB' Tolo8roph8 ond Poato1 which were plundered by Bahlui and
Nafar robbers on the road between
Bastak and Lar.
The most serious caso of looting and murder occurred in June, when a
caravan of 150 donkeys and 30 mules travelling from Lingah to Jahrum wa9
attacked by Nafar robbers north of Bastak, who killed 20 people accompany­
ing the caravan and wounded 30.
Early in the year 9 caravans from Lar and Jahrum with an approximate
total of 1,350 loads got safely through to Lingah. No caravans at all arrived
from the 24tli May to tho 8th September and, during the latter part of the
year, 9 caravans with approximately 1,300 loads reached Lingah from Lar
and Jahrum.
Many of these caravans returned empty.
A weekly 'post arrives from Lar by runners, but only very few letters are
carried, and no instances of the post having been robbed have b
een reported.
The activo measures takon by His Majesty’s ships in suppressing the
Arms Traffic on the Mekran Coast has in-
Anna Trnffio.
creased the popularity of the Shib Knhi
Coast ns an outlet. Arms arc now apparently taken by sea, and bv land from
Maskat to Sohar and Khasab, from where they are transported
across the

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