Page 450 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

26 PERSIAN GtJXiF ADMINISTRATION REPORT

Sardar Nusrat. As the result of this conference it was decided to send out
Captain Merrill at once to Saidabad to take over command of tho prisoner?
ana seo that the/ set out at once for the coiust. Ho was provided with an
escort b/ the Sardar Nusrat, hut otherwise had only somo half dozen men of
tho old Gendarmerie with him. He rode through by double stages to Saidabad
whore he arrived on the oveuing of the 22nd August and was welcomed by the
Adl-us-Sullan, Sardar Nusrat’s brother, and other local officials.
Tho same night a party of Hussain Khan Buchaqchi’s men, obviously in
pursuance of a prearranged plan, entered tho prisoners’ quarters, liberated them
and carried them off. Ho resistance was made by tho various guards, and
Shahzada Hussain accompanied his charges. There arc considerable grounds
for suspecting the Adl-us-Sultan of complicity. Ho professes to havo known
that 6ome such scheme was in tho air, but he did not warn Captain Merrill and
he failed to inform him of the prisoners’ escape until they had been gone for
some time. Every difficulty was then raised to attempting an immediate pur­
suit. The Adi is a clover man and has, of course, got a plausible answer to all
charges. Captain Merrill is further convinced that the Sardar Nusrat fore­
stalled his arrival, which was intended to be a surprise, by a special messenger
who got off a few hours before Captain Merrill on the road, was overtaken by
him but again disappeared. Other suspects are the Revenue Agent, Mirza
Salih Khan and Agfia Murad Khan, the “ friendly ’* chief of tho Huchaqcbis
and cousin aud habitual ‘‘enemy" of Hussain Khan. The disloyalty of a
large section of the Saidabad population was proved by later events beyond
dispute.
The prisoners were taken to Qala Sang and thence to Balward, about 23
miles east of Saidabad, and Merrill was left in rather an awkward predicament
in the town, surrounded by professed friends of whose bad faith he was con­
vinced and whom he more than suspected of designing to murder him or take
him prisoner and bring back the escaped prisoners in triumph.
^ From Kerman he was separated by 100 miles partly of mountain track,
which was later watched by Hussain Khan’s men, and ietters, when not robbed,
took at least five days to pass by a detour via Pariz.
His first letter bringing news of these events reached Kerman
on 27th August and steps were at once taken by Major Farran to
send out all the men in any degree trained and reliable whom he had
at his disposal. These were, practically limited to a small body of the old
Gendarnmrie. Hi3 Majesty’s Consul took steps to publish offers of rewards for
the delivery up of the prisoners and their rescuers. Major Farran suggested to
General Sykes that his column should remain in Yezd till the situation cleared,
but it had already been decided that this column should go on to Ispahan and
in pursuance of this it marched out of Yezd on the i8th August. ■ Urgent
instructions were however immediately sent out to Lieutenant Fraser and
Captain "Wagstaff, who were believed to be bringing up forces of 200 men and
2 guns and 120 Infantry respectively (in fact about 140 men, and
2 guns, and 93 Infantry) from Bandar Abbas, to deflect their march from
Baft to Saidabad, if local information did not show the risk of encountering
superior forces to be too great; and to take all possible steps to recapture
the prisoners and secure Sirjan from falling into the hands of any hostile
combination. It was recommended that the 2,000 rifles and 1,000,000 rounds
of ammunition which it was believed Lieutenant Fraser was bringing up
should be left under a guard of 100 rifles in a strong place in Baft. Even­
tually Lieutenant Fraser decided to bring up his valuable convoy direct to
Kerman, deposit it tbere, and then march back to Saidabad. In view of the
smallness of his force and its enfeebled condition after a very tning march
In the low country this was probably a correct decision. Fortunately
attempt was made by the enemy to attack him when crossing the Kafanu-
Zarchu range and he brought his force and caravan safely into Kerman ofl
2nd September. Leaving 6iok men and horses behind, he started again f®r
Saidabad on the 6th September.
Arrangements were made by His Majesty’s Consul through the Sardor
Kusrat to have the Bid Khair pass picquettcd by tribes who were suppose