Page 90 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920

80 PERSIAN GULP ADMINISTRATION REPORT

quarters at Shushtar. Such a Governor had been nominated in the person
Ijlal-es-Sultanch and his assistant Vakar-ul-Mulk was at the time on his wav "
Shushtar. * 0
The Bakhtiari Khans several times repeated their demand to the 8'iaiU
that ho should withdraw from Shushtar threatening to turn his representative
out by force if ho did not comply.
The Shaikh paid no attention to these orders and, in April, the acting
chiefs with a considerable following entered Shushtar. 3
The Shaikh’s representative and his small Arab following fled.
In May the Khans in Tehran, under pressure from His ^tajesty’s Legation
ordered the acting chiefs to withdraw from Shushtar. This was done, a small'
force of Bakhtiari 60wars under a certain Ali Nakki Khan being left to 6upjxj^
Vakar-ul-Mulk who had by that time arrived in Shushtar. The Shaikh shortly
afterward^ despatched a large Arab army to Shushtar and Ali Nakki Khan and
his following evacuated the town. The acting chiefs shortly afterwards left for
the high country and in their absence the Shaikh’s Arabs raided Bakhtiari
property in Aqili and the Dizful district causing damage variously estimated at
from Tomans 3,000 to 100,000. Shortly afterwards Ijlal-es-Sultaneh reached
Shushtar and took over the Governor Generalship of Arabistan.
During the summer the Bakhtiari Ilkhani and Haji Ilkhani families
jointly purchased half of the Jarrahi lands from Mushir-ed-Dowleh for Tomans
15,000. This was done with the avowed object of re-selling to the Shaikh and
mailing a profit on the transaction ; the Khans realizing that the possession or
control of the lands was vital to the Shaikh.
Sardar-i-Jang reached the low country in December and, up to the close of
the year, no arrangement had been come to as to the sum for which the Jarrahi
lands would be sold to the Shaikh or the amount of compensation to be paid by
the latter for the Aqili raid.
The Shaikh-Haji Ilkhani friendship received a severe blow in the spring
from the events in Shushtar which were engineered by Sardar Ashja’ and tbe
subsequent Arab raid on the Sardar-i-Mulitesham’s property at Aqili.
The Shaikh established friendly relations with Amir Mujahid during the
year and hoped through him to get*the Ilkhani faction on his side. The other
Ilkhani Khans however shewed no desire for such a rapprochement.
Kahgeln —The Kubgelu tribes have, like most of the nomadic tribes of
Persia, ceased to regard themselves as subject to any control on the part of
the Central Government. They have ceased also to have any respect for
their western neighbours, the Bakhtiaris.
Formerly it was sufficient for a Bakhtiari ruling chief to establish himself
near the Kuhgelu frontier with a small following, summon the headmen of the
Kuhgelu tribes, take hostages from them for the good behaviour of their tribes­
men and thus ensure the safety of the Bakhtiari road and Bakhtiari villages
adjoining Kuhgeiu territory.
This simple and inexpensive mode of procedure has now ceased to be
efficacious, and the Bakhtiari Khans are faced with the alternative of either
subduing the Kahgelus by force of arms or leafing matters as they are and
seeing their territory in the low country and the Bakhtin ri road at tnc mercy
of the Kuhgelu throughout the summer when their own tribesmen are in the
north-
poring the year under report the Bakhfciari Khans, though protessing their
intention of subduing the Kuhgelus by force, did not attempt to do so, ami their
nominee to the Behbehan Governorship succeeded only with some difficulty h*
entering and maintaining himself in his capitaL
The Kuhgelu tribes. were not slow, to take full advantage of the chaotic
state of affairs in (South-Western Persia and with .impunity raided Bakhtian
and the Ispahan and Pais districts as opportunity offered.
The-Bakhtiari; Road wasopen at the commencement oi the. year thanks
jtofhe presence of the Balfhti^ri Kh^J
Condition of Rcm&m.
and tribesmen in the low country
the closurq of the. Kuhgelu passes by . enow.
S4 rb