Page 383 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

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FOR T1IE YEAR 1916.

opinion, should Lave been included amongst the recent recipients of our
Government's generosity. If it is not too late, I recommend a payment of
Ka. 200 to Chiragh Din, which will go a long way towards removing any
grievance he may have.
Mir Barkat is the head of this important district and has, with the
recognition of the Persian authorities at
riftban District.
Bandar Abbas, firmly established himself,
ruling the people in a manner that commands respect and. the only one that I
works satisfactorily in Persian Baluchistan.
The anticipated trouble, in consequence of the killing of Mir Haji,.thc former
Governor of Biaban, in a fight with Barkat’s following has not materialised.
Barkat, with the assistance of Mirza Khan of ltudbar, has settled the matter
quietly by recognising the eldest son of the late Mir Haji as the headman of
one of the sub-districts of Biaban and compensating tho other members of the
family.
At the time of writing the relations between. Barkat and the Persian
authorities at Bandar Abbas and Alinab are strained owing to the chief declin­
ing to pay the annual subsidy due to the Persian Government. His contention
is that lie docs not see why he alone should bo made to pay when no one else in
Persian Baluchistan docs and has not paid for years past. This, so far as chiefs
like Sirdar Saiyid Khan of Gaih, Islam Khan of Bint and other prominent men
are concerned, is correct. They have not paid revenue to the Persian Govern­
ment for a considerable number of years. Barkat says he does not recognise
the present Deputy Governor of Bandar Abbas or any one at Minab. He is
responsible to the Persian Governor of the Gulf Ports aud will settle with him
when he orders payment to he made.
The Taharzai tribe of the Biaban district, in revenge for two of their people
being killed at Minab. recently murdered the Baluchi Mudir of Customs at
Kuhistak. The Deputy Governor of Bandar Abbas despatched a small follow­
ing with the intention of punishing the offenders, hut for some reasons the
party returned to headquarters after reaching the Pe:so-Baluchistan frontier.
The advent of the Khalifau of Debai in this district is one of interest and
one that will probably lead to serious consequences if be is ill-disposed towards
us; but, at the time of writing, reports received from Namurdi, where the
Khalifah is in resi deuce, it would appear that immediate trouble need not be
anticipated. At present the man is engaged in advertising himself by granting
interviews to any one who wants to see him and is endeavouring to create a
good impression. He is credited with being able to walk on live coala without
being burned, sticking skewers into different parts of his body and st^bing
himself with a dagger without injury to himself. One trick of his and one
which up to date has not been tried by any one, is that he guarantees 3 rifle to
be harmless even if loaded with modern ammunition. His object is to get some
one to fire at close range at another and he guarantees no harm will result.
So far I believe no one has been confident enough to take him up, but once it is
tried and success follows, I am afaid the Khalifah will be in' a position to do
anything he wants—bad or good—with all classes of Baluchis.
In a conversation with Barkat/s "Wazir, I asked him if it was not possible
for hi9 Sirdar to remove the Khalifah from the Biaban district and bis reply
was that it is impossible for anyoue in Baluchistan to do so as he is a Saiyid
and is considered a holy man. Hence I conclude that offering a reward of even
six figures would not produce satisfactory results.
In my opinion it is not possible to predict what the ultimate results of the
Khalifah’s visit to these parts will he, but it is quite safe to assume that bis
powers are practically unlimited and that, if his intentions are evil, Ue future
will bo one of trouble.
The *mPortant district of Bashakard is now under the control of Mir
Muhammad Khan, who with the assistance of Mirza Khan of Kudbar and
Barkat Khan of Biaban, is carrying on quietly. Nothing of interest concern-
ing this district has come to light