Page 192 - PERSIAN 2 1879_1883_Neat

24 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF T1IB PERSIAN OULP POLITICAL

Of the Kashgao Chiefs I have already given some account in my
narrative of travel.

* * * * *
Nasirnllah Khan.—Of Nasirullah Khan, last year’s Chief of the
Kashgacs, 1 gave some account before. He is decidedly one of the best
Persians I have come across. Though he has never had the chance of
leaving Persia, aud has therefore had only the ordinary Persian educa­
tion, he has evidently thought deeply on many subjects, and holds views
on rclio-iou and politics which would make the moollahs and governors
of Persia open their eyes. He also is related to Ali Kuli Khan by
marriage.
I
Dardb Khan.—Darab Khan, the preseut Chief, is a handsome man
of rather au Afghan cast of countenance; was formerly, it is said, one
of the boldest robbers in Persia, a “bon vivant,” and troubled with no
religious scruplps. The murder of his brother, aud his own narrow
escape from a brutal death, sobered whilst it hardened him. lie is now,
or pretends to be, a rigidly orthodox Mussulman, a stern task-master,
and more feared than liked by everybody who comes across him. He
holds the E-l-Begiship of the Kashgae this year, having obtained the
title by promise of paying G,000 tomans above the last year's tribal
assessment, a promise that nothiug but a most iniquitous pressure ou the
tribe will enable him to ret up to. His summer quarters, when with
the trihe, march with those of Hussein Kuli Khan, Chief of the Bakh-
tiaris, by all accounts the most powerful tribe in Persia.

Hussein Kuli Khan, Bakhliari.—This Chief is said to be very well
disused, a friend to all Europeans, and to all progress generally. He is
known to be greatly in favor of throwing open the Karun river to
trade, having a keener eye to his ow*n interests than is apparently pos­
sessed by any one at Teheran. I met his son the other day at Bussorali,
a pleasant manly boy enough, and received an invitation to visit the
tribe. He was then on bis way to Mecca, where he arrived safely some I
time since. Hussein Kuli Khan owes immediate allegiauce to the Gov­
ernor in Arabistan for that part of the tribe which grazes iii Ispahan
territory.
Note on punishments in Persia.—In Persia there are no Courts
organized to^ deal with criminal offences, and no provision for the
systematic trial and punishment of crime. Governors of the great
provinces have power of life and death, and, in absence of any
Code of Laws, mete out punishments in accordance with their in­
dividual whims and fancies. Death is usually inflicted by the cord-
when the offender is a. person of good social standing, by the knife,
m the primitive fashion of the shambles, in the case of common
malefactors.. Hie latter are, however, liable to variations in the mode
of their exit according to idiosyucrasy of the sentencing authority,
his passing faucy, or possession of a fine sense of humour. In the early
years of the rule of the lute Governor-General of Fare a very common

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