'Notes of a journey through Kurdistan in the winter of 1881-82.' [‎19r] (37/56)

33
to keep. Mesjid Khan himself told me that, though his assessment is 3,000
tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. a year, he has to pay 10,000, the balance going to the Governor-
General of Province, Ministers, &c. That he recently had to raise 6,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value.
from the Jews to meet some of these demands, and was now called upon for
3,800 more. When the Persian army from Ispahan was on march to oppose
the Sheikh last year they burned many of his villages, doing 12,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value.
damage, and though he proceeded to Teheran to complain he could get no
redress. That he was so worried he almost thought of quitting the country
and flying to Turkey. Here, as elsewhere, Kurds are Sunnis, and bitterly hostile
Southern Kurds. t0 tlleir Shial1 rulerS - Mesjid Khan, of whose
powers and dare-devilry many stories are current,
was absent burning a neighbour's village one of the nights of my stay. The
* Found comparatively few Per- Southern Kurds are divided into 12 clans: Sehna,
aian-speaking inhabitants^ through- Sakuz, Banah (Soui Boulak, Sulimania), Abramani
out my travels. Kurdish is a mere
patois of Persian, to which most of ^um (J.aliela, lurkisli ), iVbramani Takt (Sulima-
the words bear considerable resem- nia), Juanro, Miaudarband (Kirmanshah), Kaman-
g 1 } ur ' Sursur (Kirmanshah), Isfanabad (Hamadan),
would have been of far more use than Pilakho (Aushar, Persian), Kurkera (Aushar
Persian through country visited. Persian). As to what their numbers may be, it seems
pure guess-work. Some say one million, some two, some a half. Dissensions and
clan feuds weaken them, as they did the Scotch Highlanders, and they do not
attempt resistance to the Persians, whose present army is far from formidable,
but in the event of any invasion the great fact would be that the invaders
would find auxiliaries rather than enemies in them, which, considering the
nature of the country, is of enormous importance. Persian-born Governors are
now beginning to replace the Kurdish Chiefs, who up to now were always
Governors of their own districts. None of the present Chiefs have any great autho
rity. The Mukri Kurds, Souj Boulak district, are, perhaps, the most numerous,
but there is now no one recognised head. Habbi Beg, Juanruni, whose head
quarters are at Kellak, 8 farsakhs from Zohab, is said to be the biggest man, and
to have from 26,000 to 100,000 clansmen. The Jafs, who are on both sides
of the frontier, on the Diala, and chiefly nomads, and are considered Kurds,
though apparently more resembling Arabs, are divided into the Kashkai,
Sursur, Babagani, and Abrami clans, and are popularly said to muster 35,000
horsemen. Mahomed Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , who lives near the Sulimania-Kifri road, is the
most powerful man of those parts.
Sate.—High rocky range. Burda Suz, east of town, on right bank of Sakuz
river, and very high chain, continues thence towards
Sai-uz to :Routes f rom south-west, across which Sihna road runs. This was
Saiieb . . 2 farsakhs, closed declared to be now impassable from snow.
by snow. There is a shorter route, Soui Boulak to Sulima-
DiZd"r : 6 s - nia .« rf Miradeh-Baneh, usually taken by caravans ;
Bakiama . 6 „ besides that of Souj Boulak-Sardasht to Sulimania,
Chernoo ! 5 " sa ^ to now c ^ ose ^ ^7 snow. One caravan had
Kamiram . 8 „
got through from Sulimania to Souj Boulak, but
Karmanshah . 8 „ a fresh fall had since occurred.
Routes from ^be whole of these upland valleys are invaded
Sihna to ^ every spring by Jaf and other nomads, and, accord-
Dehguian ! 5 " ing to some informants, mounted parties of the
Kurba . 8 „ latter make swoops on villages even in this district,
Hamadan 88i * 8 " a11 . of which are perfectly defenceless, levy black-
Mountainous, but fairly easy. ma il their discretion, re-crossing the frontier ere
they can be punished.
Snow almost daily, and roof leaked much. The Khan left me to myself
most of time, only visiting me an hour or two daily, and only once had I to eat
with him, when one tray was reserved for us two, and other trays for each three
or four of his chief attendants, excellent food in its way; and he openly offered
me " mastic,*' which he drank himself occasionally.
On taking leave he sent a cousin to accompany me to Baneh, with letter
for the Khan and orders for all villagers to turn out and carry my kit over
pass; gave him my Soper Express. He wished to give me a mule, instead of
which I took his dagger, to which he added a prayer carpet and jacket. I
parted from him with real regret.