"تقرير الإدارة عن المقيمية السياسية في الخليج الفارسي للأعوام ١٩١٥-١٩١٩" [و‎‎٥‎٠] (٣٩٦/١٠٦)

■*1
FOR THE YEAK 1916, 21
B
his 300 or 400 Bakhtiari sowars. It appears that he also received advice from
relations in Ispahan to abandon the British and Russians and ally himself with
the Germans, for whom large reinforcements were said to be coming from
Yezd and Shiraz.
In the latter part of January Zugmeyer and a familiar and choice spirit,
the Itizad -ul-Hazarat, left for Bam, whence they proceeded on a tour into
Baluchistan the results of which however appear to have been nugatory.
Seiler remained in charge in Kerman, and Bruggmann, the Swiss Agent of the
Pesische Teppich Gesellschaft, (German) Persian Garnet Company, was appoint
ed German Imperial Vice-Consal, though the appointment was never confirmed
from Tehrau.
Humours of Russian successes in the Kermanshah region now began to
gain ground and the Democrat cause to decline somewhat in popularity. The
Democrats accordingly set themselves to try and beat up recruits and started
a scheme for raising a force of "Mujahidin" (Volunteers). A body of riff raff
was drilled in the town with the assistance for a time of a German, Paschen
(?), and agents were despatched into the districts to bring in recruits ; but these
efforts do "not appear to have met with much success, and the Germans had
little better luck in Shiraz and Sirjan.
More precise reports of the advance of the Russians towards Ispahan and
rumours of a British force having arrived at Bandar Abbas were now received
and the Democrats became more and more uneasy. A distraction however
was provided by the arrival of the Turkish " Ambassador Muhammad
Obeidullah, who was received and feted with much enthusiasm. He spoke re
peatedly in public places, and his text was of course the " Unity of Islam ' in
which these degenerate sons of Shias, the Kermanis, saw no irony. It is
clear that this man obtained, and still holds, the respect of the general public,
and not merely of the Democrat faction.
About this time, with tbe connivance of the Sardar Zafar, the charge of
His Majesty's Consulate was transferred from a mixed guard of Sarbaz (under
the control of the Sardar Nusrat) and Gendarmes, to one composed solely of
Gendarmes. This enabled the Karguzar, Muham-ul-Mulk, to indulge his
curiosity as to the nature of the Consulate records. He must have been dis-
appointed as the work of destruction before the Consulate was evacuated
appears to have been more than thorough. Por two months the Consulate
remained in the charge of Sultan Muhammad ILhan of the Gendarmerie.
The Sardar Nusrat had all along been an object of dislike to the Democrats.
He had not joined them in any of their enterprises and he had constantly
urged the Governor-General to assert himself and put a check on their power.
At one time the Democrats endeavoured to have the Sardar sent out with a
force to oppose a rumoured advance of the Russians from the direction of
Meshed but in this they failed.
They now decided on more drastic measures for getting rid of him. Por
some time they appear to have attempted to ambush him by parties of cut
throats but without success, and they were obliged at length to have recourse
to more elaborate methods. The scheme was worked out one night by the
Rais-i-Muaris, Saiyid Mustafa, some Austrians, and the Rais-i-Tahdid, Mirza
Hussain Khan, in the house occupied by the latter. This house appears to
have been situated on the road between the Sardar's house in the Bagh-i-Nishat
and the town. The following morning (March Mth, 1916) all passers-by were
haled into the enclosure so that no rumour of the mischief brewing might reach
the Sardar Bombs were laid in the road and the wall was loopholed and
manned. Operations were controlled by the Rais-i-Muarif from the roof of
the house. In due course the Sardar came along and entered the lane, but he
was accompanied by sowars. The leading sowars exploded the bombs and were
blown up. The Sardar was behind ; but his horse was hit and he himself was
wounded in the leg. The explosion however had filled the air with dust, under
thecover of which his followers were able to carry him back to the Bagh-i-
Nishat. On learning of his escape the Democrats sallied out in pursuit, but
on nearin 01 the Bagh they were fired on, and later a body of Bakhtiaris' sent
out by the Governor -General and some Buchaqchis appearing on the scene,
the Democrats had to beat a retreat.