Page 197 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

FOR THE YEAR 1913. C5
. --^rested onlooker. Bakhtiaris carry tho i)raclice of extortion beyond tbe
^ As of wliat is regarded as reasonable even in Porsia, and the Amir-i-
tfakbam and his crew, in spito of his pious assertions to tho contrary, were
*' traitors to their blood and traditions. As a result Kerman cannot at the
0°oiiicnt conveniently till any more Lor stomachs and pockets. It is also
Dl,csti°nak*c how Mr. Lecolfrc’s nerves and the Swedes’ tempers would stand
the presence of their common betes wires the Bakhtiari. In tho experience of
Jj5 Majesty’s Consril, the Amir-i-Mufakbam, taken all round, was a very
pourable specimen of the Bakhtiari cousinhood and tho Sirdar Muhtashain,
unless he is now a reformed character, is not at all likely to be an improvement
him. In review of the general course of tho administration of the
province during the year, the more important matters of internal political
interest have been touched on, hut some further details regarding district polities
sfld local iustitutions may now he given under separate headings.
Despite the intermittent appointment of Governor’s agents in Budbar
and the delegation in autumn of a small
Rudbar.
force of Bakktiari sowars nominally for
the protection of the roads, all real power and authority has continued to rest
in the hands of the Zargham-i-Nizam of Kahnu. Tho Bakktiaris* activities
irere principally devoted to extracting Itahclari (illegal road tax) from
caiavans. The Zarghain is a man with a natural bent towards submission to
authority; but if the way of transgressors is hard, that of those who try to
abide by the law in Persia is harder, and the wisdom aud wills of the serpent
are necessary to the virtuous.
At the beginning of the year, the Zargliam sent in 2,000 tomans to the
Amir-i-Mufakham as an earnest of the payment of his arrears of revenue.
Later, during the Amir’s expedition, he came to terms with him, made
considerable payments, and was made officially responsible for the safety
of the district, and there has been no reason to complain of the manner
in A\hicli ho has carried out his duties. When the Baluch invaded Jiruft and
Rudbar in December, he mustered what force he could and went in pursuit
In spite of two disastrous actions, he persisted in his course to beyond Bigan
From there he returned, but he is said to be hatching plans for a retaliatory
expedition into Sarhad. He is a relation by marriage of Sirdar-i-Xizamof Geh,
but by taste ho is a firm friend of the Nawab of Narmaskir with whom Sirdar-
i-Xizam is at prepetual feud. This produces complications in tho relations of
the Zargham who however appears in general to follow the dictates of friend­
ship rather than those of affinity.
The district is tho haunt of Afshar Turks who are principally Nomads by
, ... habit aud all robbers by profession. The
q a a ar* chief figures are Gliunj Ali Khan, who
himself " Ilkhani ” and his nephew the Sowlet-ul-Mulk. Gbunj Ali Khan
bad been arrested in connection with the rebellion of 1912, but had been
leased again. The early part of the year was occupied with quarrels between
tbe two leaders which ended in the Sowlet being driven out of the Afshar coun­
ty- Ghunj Ali Khan professed himself willing to pay in the revenue due from
bimself. When the Amir-i-Mufakham approached the Afshar country on his
lour he was joined by the Sowlet-ul-Mulk who had just before been implicated
Jf was stated to have been implicated, in a caravan robbery at Isfandaqah.
The Amir to win him over to his side received him well and sent him off in
peace. The Afshar put up no fight, and the question of the payment of the
^enue was made a subject of negotiation. As stated above the Amir was
J?Qscious that ho was not cutting a very heroic figure, hut he declined to allow
^sclf to be encouraged into attempting to treat tho Afsliar as tho confirmed
demies of the State that they had shown themselves to he. A peaceful settle-
was, after somo wcoks, arrived at on the lines recorded above. Two of
*“unj Ali Khan’s brothers, who had been brought to Korman as hostages, were
f *°wed to escape, or at any rate escaped on August 31st. The Afshars have
/jwever boon on their good bohaviour throughout the year. Thoy appear to
iVe abstained from robbery, and Ghunj Ali Khan has made various attempts
t
J 8recious. words to got himself into the good books of the Financial Agen