Page 81 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920

FOR THE TEAK 1912. 71
, Shaikh had from the first leased from its owners (the Mushir-ed-Dowleh
d tho NizaEi-es-Sultanoh) the|Bakhtiaris had now succeeded in getting a footing
fn and had purchased from tho Mushir-ed-Dowleh the half interest which he
o^nad* ^
The Jarrahi lands lie in the heart of the Shaikh’s country and their posses­
ion hy a hostile tribe would place him in such a vulnerable position that he
•minediatoly refused to acknowledge the sale claiming on behalf of his tribes
the right Of pre-emption.
He stated to His Majesty’s Consul that, sooner than allow the Bakhtiari t<>
occupy a position 60 vital to his well-being, ho would fight the question out with
them once and for all.
In July the Sardar Jang was appointed Ilkhani of the Bakhtiaris with full
powers, ana was instructed to settle outstanding questions with the Shaikh. He
Informed the Minister that he would sell the Jarrahi lands to the Shaikh and
asked that a confidential message to that effect might be sent to the Shaikh
through the Consul at Mohammerah.
The Shaikh was still very nervous about the Bakhtiari movement for he stated
that from previous experience he had no great cause to believe in the good faith
of that tribe. Finally he accepted the position on the recommendation of His
Majesty’s Minister who telegraphed that he was convinced of the good intention
of the Bakhtiari and said that he was certain that if the Shaikh would be less
suspicious all would go well : he added that since Sardar Jang had asked him to
inform the Shaikh that he need fear no aggressive movement on the part of the
Ikklitiaris, the fact that these assurances had been given through the Legation
should be sufficient to re-assure the Shaikh completely.
In October, one Rahim Khan, Avshad-ed-Dowleh, a maternal uncle of
the Sardar Jang, arrived, bearing letters, from the latter to the Shaikh
and to Haji Rais, in which it was stated that he was a person thoroughly
to be trusted: the letters further stated that he had received full instructions and
was the Sardar Jang’s agent for the purpose of making an agreement with the
Shaikh, with a view to putting an cud to the present differences.
The Shaikh received the Arshad-cd-Dowlch as a duly accredited ageut of
the Sardar Jang and made various agreements with him which only awaited
the ratification and signature of his principal. Later the Sardar Jang complete­
ly disowned his agent, stating that he was quite unauthorised, notwithstanding
the fact that the letters introducing him were actually in the Sardar Jang’s
own handwriting.
The matter now assumed a new phase. The Sardar Jang, who had arrived on
the borders of Arabistan, at one moment demanded large sums for the Jarrahi
lands, at another stated openly that he had no intention of selling them and
that they were required for the Bakhtiaris who would if necessary occupy them
by force. He also demanded large sums as compensation for the Aqili raid, to
which I have previously referred.
On this in December the Shaikh proceeded to Nasiri and having collected
bis headmen around him, in case it was necessary for him to call upon his
tribes to defend the Jarrahi lands, began to make all necessary preparations for
defence.
So the position remained at the end of the year.
The precise frontier of Arabistan and in the Shatt-el-Arab was under lively
investigation during the year in the course
Turko-Peraian frontier.
of negotiations with Turkey, and expedi­
tions to the Hawizeh district were made in April and again in June first by the
Resident and then by Captain Wilson accompanied by Lieutenant Digby Beste,
h-1. M. The details of their proceedings|are reported elsewhere in this report
The Shaikh’s rule is, for that of an Oriental ruler, benevolent, but it
_ , . u stands to reason that an autooratic, though
nt A m,tr n’ patriarchal, Government, over various sec-
hons of Arab tribes must be firm, , if not at times severe.
s Majesty’s Consul ha9 heard of oases during the past year in which
■ikh has had to use strong measures. With such a state of affairs as that