Page 241 - PERSIAN 2C 1890_1899_Neat

RESIDENCY AND MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR TIIE TEAR 1804-03. 11
In October tbo Legation courior was robbed near Abadeh, between Iapa«
han and Shira*> and tho Persian mail was also plundered on the outskirts of
the province.
Scarcity and high prices generally prevailed, and distress was due not only
to the cost of food, but was at times acutely felt owing to the great difficulty
in procuring fuel, an evil which was increased by the high-handed interference
of tho soldiery, in securing tho supplies entering the town, in the interests of
certain dealers.
Locusts appeared in April, committing great ravages and caused a further
riso in the price of grain, though the injury done by them finally proved
somewhat less serious than had at first been feared. At tho close of the year,
the reported discovery in several of the districts of large quantities of the eggs
of these raYagers again raised the price of food-gmina.
In the beginning of tho winter, there was heavy rain, which did much
harm to crops in the milder parts of the province. Abadeh, which last year
was reported to have suffered so severely, and which had been rebuilt, was so
unfortunate as to be again much damaged by heavy rain. A heavy snowfall
in January is said to have destroyed many houses in Shiraz, and to have
added much to the distress by raising the prices of food and fuel.
A severe epidemic disease broke out in the summer among the cattle, horses,
and mules in the districts about Shiraz, and caused serious mortality. This
combined with the scarcity of fodder, high price of barley, and probably
other causes led to an unprecedented rise in the rate for transport between
Shiraz and the coast. This of course added to the already effectual obstacles
preventing aoy appreciable relief of scarcity inland by importing supplies from
the coast districts.
Observations for the telegraphic determination of longitudes, with the
help of the cables and land lines of the Indo-European Telegraph, were con­
ducted at Bushire and Jask in connection with Karachi.
10.—PERSIAN BALUCHISTAN AND MEKRAN.
Sirtcep Zain-el-Abadin was again Governor of the province.
On the death of Sardar Lin Muhammad Khan, his eldest son, Abdi Khan
succeeded to the Chiefsliip of DasbtiyarL
An expedition, under Duran Khan, marched against Ali Reza Khan, one
of the Bashakird Chiefs, who had refused to pay the revenue demanded of
him. He fled, but the claim was enforced against another of the Chiefs.
In December Din Khan, Chief of Sirbaz, and Iris son, were killed by two
of the customs farmers of that place, who then fled for refuge over the border
"to Mand. The Governor of Jkimpur thereupon wrote demanding their surren­
der, or liberty to effect their arrest by force. He was, however, induced to
resume the matter to be dealt with at the forthcoming visit of the Political
Agent of Southern Baluchistan. On this occasion, a very satisfactory adjust­
ment of the outstanding feuds, which had been carried on for many years
by the Baluch tribes on both sides of the frontier, was arrived at.
The sudden and mysterious disappearance of a Hindu trader from Gwettar
was reported in December. Foul play was suspected, but though the local
authorities professed to have instituted a thorough search, no trace of the miss­
ing man was found.
The country round Jask was much disturbed by a quarrel, with serious
results, between two of the neighbouring Sardars. In a fracas arising out of an
attempt to settle a dispute by the seizure of certain camels, the son of Mir Ali
Was 6hot dead by the party of Mir Abdun Nabi, whose arrest was ordered by the
authorities. Both parties referred to the officers of the Telegraph, Mir Ali
b %