'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎280] (389/496)

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the bow, indeed, is still retained, but, instead of the warlike weapon of
the name, it is that now termed “par excellence’" the “long-bow.’" The
strict regard to truth is, in fact, as foreign to them, and to the whole
Persian nation, at the present time, as is the use of the primitive weapon
of our forefathers. Dr. Eoss, who visited the Guran camp in 1835, fur
nishes me with a characteristic anecdote of these people, but it will
equally apply to the whole Persian nation, who individually and collec
tively, from the Khan to the fellah Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. , are unworthy of belief. I copy it
from his journal in his own words :—“ To-day had a good specimen of
“ Kurdish oaths. The Prince of Kirmanshah had sent an official to en-
“ quire A booklet formed of a single gathering of nested bifolia. into an accusation laid by some travellers against certain people
“ in Zohab (naming every individual), of having beaten and robbed them
“ while lodging in their houses. The officer was very fierce on his ar-
“ rival, and nothing but the restoration of the property, and severe pun-
“ ishment of the delinquents, would satisfy him. Sulliman Khan, the
“ blind Chief of the Guran Kurds, who rents the Zohab districts for
10,000 tomauns, ordered the accused before him. To-day they arrived
“ in custody of the Prince’s official, who, how r ever, seemed wonderfully
changed, and said he should be satisfied of the innocence of the sus-
“ pected parties if they gave their oaths : the fact is, in the mean time he
“ had been bribed. The Kazi was called, and they, being Sunis, # were
“ to be sworn on the Koran by the three divorces of their wives and by
the Khan s head. The former was readily agreed to : to the latter they
“ demurred a little, but upon the Khan saying, c if you are not guilty,
“ swear,’ the spokesman said, ‘ Oh yes ; whatever the Khan says we will
swear to. After the usual ablutions, no Koran could be had among
“ nearly 2000 of the faithful. At last Major Rawlinson produced one,
“ and the ceremony was completed, a small stone being thrown down lor
each row of divorce.” The doctor concludes with “ I never saw a
more barefaced prostitution of any law or religion.”
s
August 30tA.—A cool morning succeeded to a rather warm and rest
less night. The situation of the Chief’s residence debarred our enjoying
the light airs that blew' from the eastward, and the myriads of tormenting
sand-flies that shared our otherwise comfortable apartment admitted but *
* It must be remembered that tbe Gurans, as I have before remarked, confo^
to the usages of the Mahomedans when in the towns, or in the presence of -g a 10 ^
me dan functionaries, and are judged, I believe, in all respects with the same oll }‘
as tne real followers of the Prophet in the Law Courts; or, which is oftener
case, condemned unheard,—unless, indeed, the rigour of the edict be softened .
the administration of a timely bribe.