ملاحظات أُعدت كمرجع خلال جولة كرزون في الخليج الفارسي، وأوراق أخرى عن بلاد فارس والخليج الفارسي [و‎‎١‎٦‎٣] (٦٧٨/٣٢٥)

vGeo.—Sykes—Second Eevise. ~
the castle into his belly, wherewith he gave three leapes, by report,
and died immediately. ’ * Kishm has more recently (in 1896) acquired
a melancholy notoiiety as the scene of an earthquake, which killed
more than a thousand of its inhabitants and did an immense amount of
damage.
So long as we were coasting we were in a rough sea, but the
moment we reached the land-locked harbour between it and Henjam,
we were once again in still water, and easily realized Sir John
Malcolm’s high opinion of it. Henjam, although now supporting
the scantiest of populations, was once densely inhabited, as the ex
tensive rums prove, while fur a few years it was a telegraph station,
connecting Eushire with Jask.
Upon returning to Maskat, after a most enjoyable tiip, I found the
resident just about to start for Chahbar.so I left the hospitable Lapwing
and transferred myself to the R.I.M. ss. Lawrence, where I was among
old friends. I accompanied Colonel Meade on his farewell visit to the
Sultan, where we were received in what struck me as a very European
room, until I remembered that it was the Portuguese Government House
and factory, the budding being three-storied. His Highness, who
knows a liitle Hindustani, appeared to take a great interest in the
topics of the day, in which he was evidently versed, and invited me to
call whenever I passed through Maskat.
The resident came on board the Lawrence, amid the thunder of a
salute, and the following morning we reached Chahbar, where half a
company of Bombay Marine Infantry, under Captain Creagh, an old
schoolfellow, had just arrived, the telegraph station being threatened by
Abdi Khan of Dashtiari. I saw him later on at Kerman, the governor-
general, at my request, having seized and imprisoned him. A few
hours passed and the Patriclc Stewart appeared on the scene, turning all
into bustle at the usually quiet station.
Being anxious to visit Pasni and Ormara, in the evening I accom
panied Mr. fhnch on board the Patrick Stewart, Ttie lamp on the steam-
launch attracted large numbeis of fish with a sharp snout, many of which
leaped on board, and one of the party was nearly blinded, the fish strik
ing him just below the eye.
The next morning found us at Gwadur, where we were told that
there had been hundreds of tons of fish driven on shore by a storm,
which had apparently increased the activity of some gas, supposed to
be sulphuretted hydrogen, that has in recent years poisoned the sea. A
nairow tiack had been beaten down, but one of our party neglected
to use it, and sank almost up to the waist in a veritable fish-bog.
Matters were somewhat unsettled, as the Kej rising had affected the
neighbouring Kinds, and not only had the telegraph-line been destroyed
in both directions, but a raid on Gwadur was quite possible. We
sympathized with the postmaster, who said that he expected to find his
throat cut every morning, and cheered him up by telling him that
troops were on the way to relieve the situation.
I was delighted to have the chance of visiting Pasni, the next point
at which we touched, as, although perhaps the most filthy and squalid
village in my experience, it was just about here that Alexander the
Great, after turning the Taloi range, to the noith of which his army had
endured all the horrors of thirst, rode on ahead with a few horsemen
and dug the shallow wells that saved his exhausted forces.
The same evening Ormara was reached after sunset, and upon
landing I started off with a guide to find the foice that was on the point
of stai ting, under Colonel Mayne, on what proved to be so successful an
expedition. Questions were asked as to the state of Pasni, and the
chances of the Baluchis making a stand ; and I left with the rather
bitter feeling that I had no share in the undertaking. Ormara, like
Gwadur, has a hammer-shaped headland, on both sides of which ships
can lie; but, unlike that unhealthy port, it is open to the monsoon, and
consequently enjoys a good climate. It is the Bagisara of Nearchos f
Karachi was reached the following night, but alter enjoying the
directors hospitality lor a few days, I once again proceeded up the
gulf to Bushire.
Upon reporting my arrival, I received instructions from the Lega-
* ‘ Purchas Pilgrims,’ vol. ii. lib. x. cap. 9.
f Chahbar bay, or probably the Tiz harbour, is Talmena, while Gwadur is Barua.