'Volume I. MEMORANDA REGARDING PERSIA AND NORTH-WEST TRANS-FRONTIER. 1905.' [‎91r] (186/310)

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Smatzai. The Sarhang of Dakka sent mes
sengers to Smatzai to demand the timbers, but
the people of Smatzai refused to give them up,
saying that, according to custom, any drift
wood coming ashore whithin their limits
became their property. They told the Sarhang,
however, that, if he would ask the Political
Agent in the Khyber for the wood, they would
surrender it on his orders, but that they would
not take orders from the Sarhang. The
latter then told the men of Smatzai that
he would make them suffer for their obstinacy,
and told oif 20 khassadars to go to Smatzai
and recover the wood. The khassadars re
presented that the opposition w r ould be too
strong for them to have any chance of success,
whereupon the Sarhang detailed a party of
about 120. On the 8 th May, these men crossed
the Kabul River at Dakka on mussack rafts
and went down the left bank of the river to
Mezo Baba Ziarat, opposite Smatzai, being
joined at Perchao by about 180 khassadars
from Lalpura. Half crossed over to Smatzai
on rafts, and half remained on the left
bank to cover the crossing. On landing,
the party which had crossed moved down
the river to a position north of Smatzai.
While this was going on, the village was
suddenly attacked at close range by a third
party of Afghan khassadars from Kam Dakka,
consisting of about 18 men under Ismail,
Dehbashi, who had crept up unnoticed and
taken up a position in a nulla south of the
village; and while the villagers turned their
attention to this party, the Dakka khassadars
floated off the timber and crossed the river
with it. Ismail’s party then retired under
cover of the fire from the opposite bank of the
river. The Shilman lashkar went to the
assistance of Smatzai and arrived that night,
and arrangements were also made to occupy
the place with a party of the Khyber Rifles,
but the Afghan khassadars did not return.
The matter has been brought to the
notice of the Amir, and he has been given an
opportunity of explaining this serious violation
of the border: His Highness has also been
asked to remove the Sarhang of Dakka, who is
known to be hostile to the British Government.
Mullas Saiyid Akbar, Mir Ahmad,
Akhundzada, Aka Khel, and other fanatical
Mullas of Tirah, who are moving about the
Bara valley with a large following, have sent a
letter to the Amir, through the Sarhang of
Dakka, to the effect that they are trying their
best to keep the Afridis loyal to the King of
Islam. The Sarhang is said to have sent on
their letter, praising the movement, and request
ing His Highness to give them some pecuniary
assistance. The Mullas are awaiting the return
of the last of the kaddas to Tirah, and on their
arrival, propose to hold a jirga to discuss the
question of going to Kabul, and of punishing