Page 487 - PERSIAN 2C 1890_1899_Neat

RESIDENCY AND MASKAT POLITICAL AGENCY FOR THE YEAR 1807-08. 9

The failure of the winter rains pointed to a famine, and at one time Bushire
was crowded with starving people from tho interior. The timely fall of rain
in March renewed the hopes of the people, and the harvest has been a good
one, though, ns less land than usual has been brought under cultivation, the
output will bo below tho average.
Had tho rain not fallen, an attempt to again destroy the longitudinal
Boncli marks at tho Tolegraph Station would probably have been made. The
superstitious idea that these marks in somo way control the rainfall still holds
good, and it is not improbable that fresh attacks will bo made on them when­
ever tho rain holds off.
There was a great deal of crime at Bushiro and its neighbourhood during
tho past year. Tho high prices prevailing and consequent distress were the chief
causes of the disorders that prevailed; but they were also fomented by local rival
aspirants for power, who wished to discredit oach other. Another source of
danger to Bushiro is tho neighbourhood of tho Tangistanis, a tribe inhabiting
the hilly broken country which lies between the lofty tableland of Iran, and
the flat strip of sandy shore between the foot of the hills and tho sea. Tan-
gistan, as its name implies, consists of a succession of “ Tangs ** or defiles, and
is an almost impossible country for regular troops to enter. Sir James Outram
forbore to pursue the defeated enemy when they had retreated into this region,
after the victory of Khushab, and the thorough conquest of the tribes who
occupy it would be a difficult undertaking, especially now that they are gene­
rally armed with brecch-lCading rides. The Tangistanis played an important
part in the defence of IteshireFort in the campaign of 1856-57, and they have
for many years been employed as irregular troops by the Persian authorities.
The Ualik-ut-Tujar bad several in his pay. Towards the close of 18lJ7, Hyder
Khan, a Tangistani leader, was deputed to punish All Khan, another who bad
not paid bis revenue. Hyder Kbau being successful, bis opponent came to
Bushire and took “ Bust” or sanctuary at the Imamzada, a shrine near Keshire.
He had a large number of followers with him, and it is said that they committed
many of the numerous violent crimes that took place in the early part of 1898.
As there were reasons to apprehend that an attack would be made on the
Telegraph Station, and on Europeans generally, a small party of Blue-jackets
was landed in March, and were retained till an addition to the Resident’s escort
of 25 sepoys arrived from Bombay. The position of affairs at Bushiro at that
time gave rise to some anxiety, as the small garrison had been reduced by tho
despatch of some 150 regulars to the Makran Coast, and tho Governor-General
was directed by the Persian Government to send a force from Shiraz to coerce
the Tangistanis. After considerable delay some 800 men were sent under the
commaud of the Saeed-us-Sultan, an officer on the staff of the Firman Firma.
As this expedition was carried out after the end of tho year I propose reserv­
ing an account of it till later, but it is not out of place to mention here that the
greater part of the troops employed, as well as their commander, have returned
to Shiraz, and that little appears to have been effected as far as the punishment
of the Tangistanis is concerned.
It is satisfactory to be able to report that the Persian Government, after
much discussion, made good, during the past year, the losses incurred by British
Firms whose property was robbed when in transit to the interior during the
troubles which ensued ou the assassination of His Majesty the late Shah in
1S9G. This result is, I believe, chiefly due to the efforts of the British Legation
at Tell ran, which was then in charge of the Hon’ble Charles Hardinge, during
the absence of Sir H. M. Durand.
One claim, that of Messrs. Livingstone Muir for £1,000, was not pressed
along with the others, and when Mr. Muir brought it to my notice, I was
afraid it was too late. The Legation, however, took it up, and the Persian
Government discharged it in full.
0.—PERSIAN BALUCHISTAN.
The state of affairs on this Coast has been unsatisfactory for some time,
and has been referred to in previous reports. Nominally forming part of
Persia, the littoral, from tbe eutrauce to the Gulf to the border of British