"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٣‎٦‎٣] (١٧٨٢/١٥١٨)

1363
began to eye one another with mutual suspicion, both fearing violence. To
complaints made by Persians of insults offered to their religion at Karbala
Najib Pasha actually replied that he had no control over the army and
that the Persians must look to their own defence. This mischievous
speech, made by the Pasha during the height of his controversy with
the ( ommandant, was undoubtedly intended by him to embarrass his
opponent ; and he followed it up by recalling the civil governor of Karbala
to Baghdad,—an extreme measure which he justified by saying that he
could not be responsible for the administration of places where he had no
longer the means, in the shape of an obedient army, of enforcing his
01 deis. J tie British Political Agent at Baghdad, concerned because of the
disastrous effect which another Karbala incident might have on Turko-
Persian relations, caused the recklessness and impropriety of his conduct
to be pointed out to Najib Pasha; but the Pasha, determined as it
appeared to ruin either the Commandant or himself, could not be brought
to reconsider his orders. 'Abdi Pasha, however, sent a trustworthy officer
of his own to Karbala to supply the place of governor, and the public
peace there was not disturbed.
The unrest in Hindiyah subsided after 'Abdi Pasha's settlement; but Continued
the indirect effects of the rebellion continued to show themselves for a ^^havi-
time in other parts of the country. The 'Afaj soon afterwards attacked a 'Afajf Bani
fort held in the name of Shaikh Wadi of the Zubaid and put the whole Sh^,mar
garrison to the sword ; Shaikh Madhkur of the Bani Lam closed the Tigris Toqah, July
stopping all communication between Baghdad and Basrah; and the 'Obaid 1849 '
to the north, and the Shammar Toqah to the south of Baghdad harried
the districts within their reach.
The character of Najib Pasha, which has already appeared to some extent Character of
from his actions as recorded above, was thus summed up in 1848 by the j N 8 ;1 ^ b ^ asha '
British Political Agent at Baghdad ;
He possesses, or at any rate has possessed, a very remarkable natural energy, and
his inflexible sp^ft, although too often degenerating into obstinacy, has on more
occaeions than one dissipated dangers that would have been fatal, if encountered with
a less de?-'^ of fiimness and serenity. That thorough knowledge also must be con
ceded t* him, of the craft of Eastern Government, which can be alone acquired bv
fifty years experience of public life. Herein however are, I think, comprised his full
catalogue of virtues, and unfortunately there is a terrible amount of evil in the frail-
res, piejn ices and passions which make up the residuum of his personal character,
roud, superstitious and corrupt, he is alone accessible to the influence of flattery, of
a :'" UV ' I ' J - ' 01 bribes. His bigotry increases with his years and his rapacitv
with his wealth. Hating equally Christians and Sheeahs, whom" he classes together
as inn dels and strangers, his conduct to the two communities at Baghdad is merely in
so tar distinguished as the relative weight of the Persian and European Governmenfc >