"تقارير إدارية ١٩٠٥-١٩١٠" [ظ‎‎١‎١‎٤] (٦١٦/٢٣٣)

3g ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL RESIDENCY
They were informed that they could only hope to obtain our assistance in
the matter by first meeting the claims which had prevented them. Subse
quently it was decided to take punitive measures against the Kuhgalu"
Eumour stated that the Persian Government had given its consent, but b tlug
was denied by the Kbans.
Whether with or without permission the Samsam and Sarum entered the
Kuhsralu territory with a force in February. Officially this force Bumbered
12,^00 fighting men, but there is good renson to believe that it did not exceed
2,000 men all told, including a large number of non-combatants.
Some operations were undertaken against a jetty Chief of the Bushman-
ziari, and accounts of grtat successes were industriously disseminated.
The Chiefs returned to Bamuz in March, and beyond some pacific neen-
tiations and securing of a hostage of some importance, who was subsequeiitlv
released, it would not seem that they had accomplished anything.
41. Mention has already been made of the appointment of Pakhtiaris to
the Deputy Governorships of Shushter and Dizful under the control of Sheikh
Khaza'l, and again of the actun taken by the Shahab and Salar in regard to
Dizful and the Sagwand.
The latter did not meet with the approval of the Sheikh Khaza'l, who was
rendered further anxious by a quarrel which arose recently between the Khans
and his troublesome protege Sheikh Farhan Asad of the Bait Sa'ad.
42. In autumn when at Ispahan, the Yice-Consul was apprised of a design
on the part of the religious chiefs and extempore rulers of Ispahan to get
the Khans into trouble with the ultimate object of having the section of the
Ohaharmahal administered by them removed from their control and added to
the Ispahan Governorship.
In present day Persia it would be impossible for anyone who did not
directly control the Bakhtiari tribes to establish the slightest degree of security
in these districts. With the exception of one man of considerable influence
who owns the village of Chalshutur and is stated to be disaffected to the Khans,
it is questionable whether the population: affected would welcome any
possible alternative to the present regime. The Ispahan Mullahs are, however,
encouraging the institution of local " Anjumans" in the neighbouring districts
and the insidious and illusory notions of popular government may seize on
the imagination of the Khans' subjects. There is little to commend in the
Khans' administration, but it is at least preferable to the anarchy qualified by
unauthorised tyranny which appears to be the only likely substitute for it.
43. It is practically certa'n that Bskhtiaris irdirectly controlled by the
Samsam were responsible for the parlous state of brigandage which existed
from June to -August on the Ispahan-Tehran road and in the Ispahan
district. According to Persian wont this led to a proposal from head-quarters
that the Samsam should be given charge of the road.
The necessary negotiations had almost been completed when they were
upset by the assassination of the Atabeg Azam. Subsequently, however, th^
protection of the road was, according to report, made over to the Muntazzim-
ud-Daulah, the Samsam's nephew, with results which are unknown.
44. The relations of the Khans with the Central Government, as usual in
recent years, were perplexed by their domestic feuds and quarrels, with which
they are inextricably involved.
q ^ ! tru ^ le ^ e tween the Samsam and Sahab the influence of the Shuja-
ul-oultan with the Shah was much brought into play, and a prolonged attempt
was made to establish the domination of his own family and secure the
exclusion of the other.
g T era l ly be ^ eved5 1 ' 10wever> tliat tlie Atabeg's sympathies lay wish
the feardar Asad s family, and that the Samsam, as the only representative of
that ramily then in the Bakhtiari country, enioved his secret support aiid
encouragement. ^ .w ir
Since their reconcilement and the death of the Atabeg fc and probably
resulting m soixje degree from both of these eauses^ the minds of the