'Precis Containing Information in regard to the First Connection of the Hon'ble East India Company with Turkish Arabia, as far as the Same Can Be Traced from the Records of the Bombay Government, together with the Names of the Several British Residents and Political Agents Who Have Been Stationed at Bagdad [Baghdad] and Bussorah [Basra] between A.D. 1646 and 1846, accompanied by Other Information' [‎102r] (207/226)

XXXV
their retreat; it certainly proceeded from no active measures on the part
of the Pacha, and is probably attributable only to that restless spirit
which pervades all irregular and uncombined armies of Arabs in parti
cular and renders it impossible fri keep them long together. Pasturage
was probably falling short, plunder was exhausted, they were weaiy and
disgusted, and away they went, and Bagdad was once more free. Suft'ook
retired to his old haunts in the upper Pachalic to plunder and infest the
roads again and threaten another descent this year. Shulash on hearing
this threat declared to the Pacha his inability to face his rival without
assistance, and the Pacha terrified at the possibility of a repetition of the
last yearns scene, sent to demand assistance from the Anezah, a very large
and powerful tribe of Arabs that occupy the western bank of the Eu
phrates, from to Hillcik, promising them ample compensation and
the lands of the tribe they were invited to turn out.
Allured by these promises the Anezah obeyed the summons and
brought, it is said, upwards of 30,000 fighting men to the vicinity of
Bagdad. In the meantime, however, SufPook, either mistrustful of his
tribe, or from some other unknown cause, gave up his threatened visit and
retreated further into the upper districts, where he now continues, and
the Pacha freed from this cause of alarm sent to inform the Anezah
that their services were no longer required, and that they refused to do,
and called upon the Pacha to perform his portion of the agreement as
they had or were willing to do theirs. They demanded too the pro
mised lands, and at the same time made a proposal to take charge
of the whole Shamieh or lands west of the Euphrates, and maintain them
in a state of tranquillity upon a lease, the terms of which were most
unfavourable to Government.
These demands and proposals were alike rejected by the Pacha, who
now called upon Salas/i to bring his Jerbas to aid the troops of the
Pachalic in turning out the Anezah by force. The result was an engage
ment which took place about a month ago, in which the Jerbas were
totally defeated and dispersed, and the Pacha's troops were only saved
from a like fate by the forbearance of the Anezah, who from a lingering
degree of respect spared the troops of Government and turned all their
vengeance on the Arab allies; since then the Anezah have virtually held
the City of Bagdad in blockade, at least upon its western side, and all the
roads have been covered by marauding parties either of them or of their
banditti, who in their name plunder all caravans and rob and strip all
passengers they can lay hold of.
In this system of pillage it appears that another tribe of Arabs were
found to be deeply and treacherously involved. It would be tedious to
explain by what means a branch of the Agail, a great tribe inhabiting
the Nejcl, became the sole guardians and carriers of all caravans from
Damascus and Aleppo to Bagdad; it is sufficient to say that this mono
poly originated in a transaction closely resembling those we are describ
ing and has continued for several years. It has been the custom of this
tribe to send every now and then a party of some thousands to reside at
Bagdad in order to supply the demand for guides and to watch over
their own interests, but until two years ago they were never permitted to
reside within the city; taking advantage of the Pacha's weakness, and
their having in their power a large caravan, of which they were the