"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٥‎٠‎٧] (١٧٨٢/١٦٦٢)

1607
i ife
51-,'% to
300 infantry^ 300 cavalry, and 250 artillery. On the 10th of June a
body of i.OOO Arabs endeavoured to cut an embankment about three
miles north of Nasiriyah with the design of flooding- the town, but they
were repulsed with loss after a two hours' engagement. The next day
the rebels attacked Nasiriyah itself, but were beaten off, a large number
of them being killed and wounded.
It seemed doubtful whether the best policy of the Turkish Govern
ment in this emergency might not be to appoint one of the tribal Shaikhs
of the Muntafik to he Mutasarrif of Nasiriyah. Two seem to have
been available ; Mansur Pasha, who for some reason had taken flight,
and Falah Pasha, a son of the absent chief of the tribe. It was believed
that such an appointment would secure an immediate collapse of the
revolt, and resumption of nayment of revenue ; but it might on the other
hand restore the Muntafik and their Shaikhs to the position of virtual
independence which they had occupied in the reign of the Sultan "'Abdul
; Aziz. The local Turkish officials seem to have been in favour of strenu
ous action against the rebels; while the Porte, possibly under the advice
of Nasir Pasha at Constantinople, were in favour of conciliation. What
policy was in the end adopted is not clear ; but the Muntafik question
for a time again dropped out of notice.
It will be apparent from the preceding that between the years 1878
and 1881 the Bani Lam, the A1 Bu Muhammad, and the Muntafik, the
only important tribes in their part of the country, were more or less
simultaneously in a state of excitement or insubordination very detrimen
tal to the general peace. Though concerted action among them was
not in question, there was reason to think that the attitude of the one
was to some extent influenced by that of the other ; and the trouble among
the Muntafik, in particular, tended to create disorder beyond the limits
of their tribal territory.
In the spring of 1883 there were disturbances on the left bank of
the Tigris near 'Amarah, and exceptional measures became necessary on
the part of the Turkish authorities for the protection of navigation.
In 1892, for causes which are not ascertainable, the A1 Bu Muhammad
tribe under Shaikh Saihud again rose against the Turkish Government.
Telegraphic communication between Baghdad and Basrah was inter
rupted ; several native boats were plundered between Qal'at Salih and
Qurnah ; the Turkish steamer " Mu^al" was fired on, and could not pass
ihrough the disturbed zone ; and 'Azair (Ezra's Tomb) was placed in a
state of defence. On this occasion no British steamer was molested.
104 a
Disturban
ces near
'Amarah,
1883.
Al BU
Muhammad
rebellion
under Shaikh
Saihud, 1892.