Kalat Affairs [‎354v] (116/172)

dies should be used, when the cir
cumstances are totally different, is
most inexplicable. I certainly also
fail to see what ambitious and sinis
ter designs the Khelat Government
have now, unless it be the desire of
the Khan really to govern his coun
try, and to insist on order and peace
being maintained ; most people would
consider this a very creditable ambi
tion in a Sovereign.
36. When the Shahgassee pro
poses to poison Captain Harrison, and
becomes a diabolical scoundrel like
Gool Mahomed, it will be time to
consider about withdrawing the Poli
tical Agent from Khelat. It should
also have been mentioned that, when
General Jacob wrote in September
3 858, Gool Mahomed and Gungaram
had been dismissed by the Khan from
their offices, and had no longer any
thing to do with the Government,
therefore the General’s remarks ap
plied only to those as evil individuals,
not to the Khan.
extract from General/ Jacob s letter of
the 17th September 1858 to Major
Henry Green bear testimony to it:
36. “ Latterly, I have, to tell you
the truth, thought that those diabolical
scoundrels, Gool Mahomed & Co., would
be trying to get rid of you by poison or
assassination in some way, and I felt
that I h&d no right to subject you to the
risk of/ such a fate. I would far rather
lose ffiy own life than do so. These
villa/ns, Gool Mahomed, Gungaram &
Co./are extensively connected with the
intrigues now ramified all over these
ccountries. Their creatures are all about
“ I knew that they must feel that
you were their most formidable enemy.
Other means failing, it was likely that
this would be attempted. I had good
reasons for knowing this not to be im
probable. Pirst, from the proposal of
the Murree to murder you at Gundava,
and next, as you will see by the enclosed,
which please return to me and show to
no one.
* *
(Sd.) JOHN JACOB.”
37. I do not see that the circum
stances above alluded to are any justi
fication for the Sirdars’ proceedings
and attitude, when they advanced
from Beyla. It has just been shown
that the Khan and his Government,
in September 1858, had nothing to
do with the plot spoken of by General
Jacob, and certainly the Sirdars Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. had
no fair reason for stating the attack
of the assassin in 1869 was in any
countenanced by, or proceeded from,
the Khan. The culprit was proved
to be a madman, and/Colonel Phayre
should have been careful how 'he
entertained any idea that the Khan
was implicated in /his acts. There
has been no reasdn shown for the
necessity of putting a check on the
so-termed “ growth of the Khan’s
unbridled powert” and the expression
is, I consider, most improper. A
correct knowledge of human'nature,
106
37. One may now appreciate and
sympathise with the feelings of the
Sirdars Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. when attacked by the assassin,
and give them credit for their ulterior
proceedings being not entirely dis
connected with the safety of their lives
as asserted by them, because a power
that would thus unblushingly plot to
murder the British representative, be
cause he was simply doing his duty,
and had solely their good and that of
the country at heart, would scruple
at nothing; and having been long ago
convinced of these truths from a close
observance of passing events, I spoke
advisedly, and with good reason, when
I used the expression “wholesome
check on the growth of the Khan’s un
bridled power, which, in the 14th para
graph of your letter No. 519, you de
signate as the very dangerous extent to
which I carry my mistaken views.”
The fact is that, having a good know-