Page 452 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

28 PERSIAN GULP ADMINISTRATION REPORT.

way in tlio Chahargumbaz mountains. It was impossible to take them bv
surprise, as they were kept well informed of our movements by friends ij
the town, probably including Agha Murad. On one expedition an Austrian
byname “ Chope,” who had got separated from bis companions, was found*
and recaptured at Bnlward. Hussain Khan and bis guests remained in the
Chahargurabaz country until driven out after a few weeks by the cold,
when they movod across to Kuhistan. Later Bruggruann and some others
appear to have gone to Darab. In the attack it was stated that Hussain
Khan was accompanied by a contingent of Khistanis, men of Shaikh Abut
Hassan’s. That the ox-prisoners are on some sort of icrms both with the
Khistanis and Baharlu is evident, but it is cot clear that they have received
any armed assistance from them, and it is said that Shaiizada Hussain
was later robbed and reduced to destitution in Kuhistan, but this ia
uncertain. Ono thing which has been abundantly proved however is that
the sympathies of the tribes, whether active or passive, are substantially
with the Germans and Turks. Our Buchaqohi “ Allies ** have played a very
ambiguous part, aud it has not been a helpful one. The activo elements
in the town have been no better, and the Afsbars, while professing good
will, entirely failed to make any movo towards capturing the prisoners
which they could probably have easily done. Offers of rewards lmvo proved
absolutely uselesr. His Majesty’s Consul at once offered 500 tomans apiece for
Hussain Khan, Ali Khan, Shahzada Hussain and the Turk, any European, and
the offer for the Turk was later raised to 2,000 tomans A soecial offer was
also made by His Majesty's Consulto Gun j Ali Khan, Afshar, of a lump suui of
5,000 tomans for the delivery of the principal personages, with an immediate
cash advance of 500 tomans for mobilisation expenses, if he would undertake the
job. He did not however go the length of even applying for the 500 tomans.
Why local feeling should be so strongly on the enemy side is not easy to
determine with certainty. There is little doubt however that, in August, the
populace of Sirjan believed that the Turkish advance was progressingunchecked.
It was current that they were already in Yezd. The ltussians are undoubtedly
an object of tear and consequently of bate throughout Persia and we have
associated ourselves with them. The Democrat type of Persian appears
to picture a Persia emptied of Russians and British offering a happy
hunting ground for bis own depredations. He does not reckon with the Germans
and Turks as a permanent factor, and so far as he has seen them their policy
admirably suits his own most vicious ambitions. After the hope of satis­
fying his own immediate self-interest by looting, stealing and thieving ad lib,
the Persian is undoubtedly influenced by the idea of the solidarity of Islam,
and when in this frame of mind he does not think of the Turk as a Suni
Heretic, nor as the historical eceray of Persia and transgressor of its frontiers,
but only as a brother Muslim. Even here and in the presence of His Majesty’s
Consul the “Ambassador” Obeiiullah is always spoken of with a latent feeling
of respect. To judge from his letters he is an accomplished Persian scholar,
and he evidently knows how to appeal to such slight vein of religious fanaticism
as there is in the Persian and to the much deeper aad more general hostility to the
European that lies at the bottom of every Persian’s heart. Turk and German
are a strong combination, each making good the defects of the other.
The part played by the people of the town was beyond all doubt, though
it was impossible to prove guilt against individuals, and it was necessary to take
notice of it. This Captain Wagstaff decided to do by imposing a general fine on
all the inhabitants of 16,000 tomans. The apportioning and collecting of thi®
fine was left to the local Persian authorities. 5,000 tomans was eventually
remitted, but the remaining 10,000 tomans was duly collected. His Majesty’s
Consul at once notified his approval of the measure to nis Majesty’s Minister,
and it is a most curious fact tnat up to row, nearly five months after tbe
imposition of the fine, no attempt appears to havo been made by the Persian
Government to raise questions or interfere. Various individual protosts have
been received by His Majesty’s Consul, and in a few cases a readjustment of
the apportionment has been effected, but in general the fine lias been
acquiesced in as the unquestionably appropriate sequel to the episode ; flwj*
its effect has been wholly excellent. A protest was lodged with Iiis Mo jest) s

H