Page 445 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

you. TJIE YEAH 1010. 21
Ills 300 or 100 Bakhtiari sowars. It appears that he also received advice from,
relations in Ispahan to abandon the British and Russians and ally himself with,
tbo Germans, for whom largo rein Cor cements wero said to be coming from
Yezd and Shiraz.
In the latter part of January Zugraeycc and a familiar and choice spirit,
fbc Itizad-ul-Hazarat, left for Bam, whence they proceeded on a tour into
J3aluchistan the results of which however appear to have been nugatenr.
Seiler remained in charge in Kerman, and Bruggmann, the Swiss Agent of tno
pesische Teppich Gcsellsohaft, (German) Persian Carpet Company, was appoint­
ed German Imperial Vice-Consul, though the appointment was never confirmed
from Tehrau.
Rumours of Russian successes in the ICcrmanshah region now began to
gain ground and the Democrat cause to decline somewhat in popularity. The
Democrats accordingly set themselves to try and beat up recruits and started
a scheme for raising a force of “Mujahidin0 (Volunteers). A body of riff raff
was drilled in the town with the assistance for a time of a German, Paschen
(?), and agents were despatched iuto the districts to bring in recruits ; but these
efforts do not appear to have met with much success, and the Germans had
little better luck in Shiraz and Sirjan.
More precise reports of the advance of the Russians towards Ispahan and
rumours of a British forco having arrived at Bandar Abbas were now received
and the Democrats became mote and more uneasy. A distraction however
was provided by tho arrival of the Turkish " Ambassador ”, Muhammad
Obeidullah, who was received and feted with much enthusiasm. Ho spoke re­
peatedly in public places, and his text was of course the <4 Unity of Islam ” in
which these degenerate sous of Shias, the ICcrrnauis, saw' no irony. It is
clear that this man obtained, and still holds, the respect of the general public,
and not merely of the Democrat faction.
About this time, with the connivance of the Sardar Zafar, tho charge of
I3is Majesty’s Consulate was transferred from a mixed guard of Sarbaz (under
the control of the Sardar Nusrat) and Gendarmes, to one composed solely of
Gendarmes. This enabled the ICarguzar, Muham-ul-Mulk, to indulge his
curiosity as to the nature of the Consulate records. lie must have been dis­
appointed as the work of destruction before the Consulate was evacuated
appears to have been more than thorough. Bor two months the Consulate
remained in the charge of Sullan Muhammad Khan of the Gendarmerie.
The Sardar N us rat had all along been an object of dislike to the Democrats.
He had not joined them in any of their enterprises and ho had constantly
urged the Governor-General to assert himself and put a check on their power.
At one time the Democrats endeavoured to have the Sardar sent out with a
force to oppose a rumoured advance of the Russians from the direction of
Meshed hut in this they failed.
They now decided on more jj(rastic measuros for getting rid of him. For
some time they appear to have attempted to ambush him by parties of cut­
throats but without success, and they wore obliged at length to nave recourse
to more elaborate methods. The scheme was. worked out one night by the
Rais-i-Muaris, 8aiyid Mustafa, some Austrian^ and the Rais-i-Tahdid, Mirzn
Hussain Khan, in the house occupied by the latter. This house appears to
have been situated on the road between the Sardar’s house in the Bagh-i-Nishat
and tho town. The following morning (March 11th, 1916) all passers-by were
haled into the enclosure so that no rumour of the mischief brewing might reach
the Sardar. Bombs were laid in the road and the wall was loopholed and
manned. Operations were controlled by the Rais-i-Muarif from the roof of
the house. In due course the Sardar came along and entered the lane, but he
Wes accompanied by sowars. The leading sowars oxploded the bombs and were
blown up. The Sardar was behind ; buthia horse was hit and he himself wat
wounded in the leg. The explosion however bad filled tho air with dust, under
the cover of which his followers were able to carry him back to the Bagh-i-
Nishat. On learning of his escape the Democrats sallied out in pursuit, but
on nearing the Bagh they were fired on, and later a body of Bakhtiarig' sent
out by the Governor-General and some Buchaqchis appearing on the scenes
tho Democrats had to beat a retreat.