"دليل بلاد فارس، الجزء III، وهو يتضمن محافظة فارس، لورستان، عربستان، خوزستان، يزد، كرمانشاه، أردلان، كردستان" [ظ‎‎٥‎٢] (٦٨٦/١٠٩)

82
BAK—BAK
The villages of Feiidan are partly inhabited by Armenians. Here
Muhammad Taki purchased, villages and. acquired others, and en
deavoured to encourage agriculture and to settle his lllyats on its
fertile soil. Opposed by the Persian Government, his attempt was
but partially successful. Its inhabitants are inoffensive, with a fair
reputation for courage. They, and a large body of men from Gulpaigan,
form the Feridan regiment.
The actual personal property of Muhammad Taki was estimated at
1,500 buffaloes, 50 excellent Arab mares) some valued at £250), 500
good K/ab stallions, 500 brood mares, 500 horses of Lur breeds, and
about 10,000 sheep and goats; of cash he possessed little.
Jealous of his authority over the tribes and his supposed great
wealth, the Persian Government broke his power, split up the tribes
under various chiefs, and forfeited to the Crown the villages of
Feridau. Lured by the most sacred oaths on the Koran, he impru
dently gave himself up to the Persians, and never afterwards returned
to his hills. After his downfall Jafir Kali Khau, of the Haft Lang
tribe of Bakhtiariwand, rose to chief power. At times he was able to
assemble 5,000 well-armed and desperate men. His main stronghold
is the Diz, 2 days* march from Shustar in a north-east direction, a
natural stronghold, 3 miles in circumference, with perpendicular, in
accessible sides, well supplied with water and with a few acres of
arable land and good pasture.
He raised himself to power by a series of most atrocious murders
and acts of treachery. With the most determined bravery he defied
the Persian power and carried his plundering expeditions to the neigh
bourhoods of Karman, Yazd, Shiraz, and even Tihran ; the name of a
Bakhtiari sufficed to put to flight the boldest of the peasantry; his
followers, the bravest and most barbarous of the tribes, adhered to
him so long as he led them to plunder. His following, the Baidar-
wand and part of the Duraki tribe, encamped during the winter near
the Diz, in Shimbar and Andaku, among the hills of Lali and about
Got wand on the Karun.
Their summer quarters were in the plains of Bazuft and Chahar-
Mahal and the neighbouring mountains. Jafir Kuli Khan built a
small fort in Jalakan. He eventually obtained the support of the
Persian Government.
Next in political importance to Muhammad Taki was Kalb *Ali
Khan of the Haft Lang tribe of Duraki, and considered to be the
legitimate chief of the Haft Lang. A few subdivisions of the
Dinarunis adhered to him.
He waged continuous war against Muhammad Taki and Jafir Kuli.
His Diz, oi fortress, the Diz-Shahi, near the river Dizful, a day’s
journey noith-east of the town (18 miles), is considered to be impreg-
nable. It is a plain, 15 miles in circumference, on the summit of a lofty
i , with inaccessible sides ; water is abundant, the soil fertile, and
grazing good ; villages have been built upon it.
tj 18 °^ 0wei ’ s were brave and warlike and noted marauders. The
Hatt Lang are reported to be more cruel than the Chahar Lang, and
have frequently been known to cut off the breasts of women taken