Page 382 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

28 PERSIAN GULP ADMINISTRATION RETORT

who romaincd at Gwadur were sent under escort to tlio Mekran political
authorities for trial.
Gwadur was visited by H. M. S. “ Pyramus ” during the year. Colonel
N Bonn camo to Gwadur iu 11.1. M.8.
“ Dalhousio ” on tho 21st September.
During his stay he interviewed the leading men of tho place. Do loft for
Maskat on the 20th.

Karacm; E. GUNTER,
Director, Persian Gulf Telegraphs,
6th March 1916. in Political Charge, Mekran Coast.

Mr. PINSENT’S REPORT ON THE CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY
BETVTEEN JASK AND BAKU DISTRICTS.
This district, which extends from Malakani Chedag to Koh Mnbarak,
juic Diirjict approximately 1,300 square miles, is
under the joint control of Mirs Mustafa
Khan and Hoti, the latter playing a very small part in the administration of
the district, and the former, who is the senior chief, depends a great deal for
assistance on his younger brother, Mir Barkat of Biaban, in times of trouble.
Both Mustafa Kuan and Hoti are kindly and well disposed men, but these
qualities in Persian Baluchistan do not work well. AVliat is required is a
strong man capable of anything to be a success in this part of the world.
The year under review has been rather an unsettled one. The well
known Khalifa Khair Muhammad played a prominent part iu the disturbance
round about Jask Station, in April last, in which our outposts outside the
telegraph limits were attacked in the early hours of the 7th of that month by
the following collected by him, resulting in the retirement of tho Xlmlifah
and his men on to Charbar wrecking the telegraph lines between Jask and
that station in their journey east.
Grave doubts at that time were entertained of the loyalty of Mirs. Mustafa
Khan and HotL Rumour had it that the£Lhalifah was encouraged by them
and that they were fully aware of the gravity of the situation, but, in my
opinion, they were powerless to interfere, the Khalifah being tco influential
and, taking advantage of being considered a holy man, carried the country
with him.
In the Ja8k district the people of Gabreg rendered the KbalLfiih most
assistance in the destruction of the telegraph wires, and it is said that 5 out of
the 12 killed on the enemy side during the attack on Charbar Station, in May
last, were inhabitants of this sab-district. Telegraphic communication in the
Jask district was only restored after Mir Barkat of Biaban came to the
assistance of his elder brother Mustafa. It is doubtful whether the latter
would have been strong enough to assist our working parties without outside
help.
Mir Chiragh Din, the eldest son of Mustafa Khan, has, on the whole,
been behaving well. Up to very recently he was considered to be one^ likely
to give trouble but seems to have settled down of late His only grievance
at present being that he considers he ought to have received some recognition
for past services, and his occlusion from the list of chiefs recently rewarded
by the Intelligence Officer is a 6ore point. In October 1912, Chiragh Din,
under the instructions of the then Intelligence Officer, intercepted the
passage of arras through his district (Yckdar) by some Karwani gun-runners,
resulting in the capture of the arms, which were handed over to the authori­
ties at Jask, and the death of one of the Karwanis. A blood feud followed in
consequence of the above action and several attempts were subsequently made
on Chiragh *s life by the relations of the deceased man, which only ceased after
the payment of a fairly large sum as blood money. For this, I am given to
understand, Chirogh Din received a couple of rifles as a reward and, in my