File 52/1912 Pt 1 'Persia Diaries' [‎118r] (240/900)

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Sistan Consular Diary o! Major F. B. Prideaux, C.I.E., His Brilannic Majesty's
Consul for Sistan and Kain, No. 25, for the week ending the 21st June
(received the 14th July) 1913.
19th June .—Doctor Morozoff, the newly appointed Medical Officer for the
Russian Vice-Consulate, Sistan, has reached Birjand from Russia. He was pre
viously attached to a regiment. He is 28 years of age and is accompanied by a
young wife. He was escorted on the journey by 12 Cossacks, 5 of whom relieve
the Detachment in Birjand which guards the Dispensary and Telegraphist's quar
ters ; the other 7 are reliefs for the Vice-Consulate escort.
At Amrani an affair occurred which illustrates the Doctor’s inexperience and
impulsiveness. When the party were about to leave the place in their mule-kaja-
wahs, they came across a carriage containing a Persian lady traveller. She appeal
ed to the Doctor for protection from the insults of a road-guard. The Doctor
called for the man, and on his not being produced, arrested the ‘ Dah-Bashi,’ or
Naib of the guards, and brought him down to a few marches from Birjand under
custody of the Cossacks! The Russian Consul, on hearing the news, was very much
perturbed, and begged the Karguzar in Birjand not to report the affair to Meshed
or Tehran. The 4 Dah-Bashi ’ was brought in the rest of the way as an honoured
guest and the .Karguzar has asked for 150 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. compensation for him.' He
will doubtless accept a good deal less, if a secret douceur is thrown in. The Karguzar
tells me that the woman was one of about a dozen of bad characters who had been
deported from Tabas or some such place, and who was now trying to get back to
her home unnoticed. This story is quite possibly a fabrication. Baron Tcherkas-
sov’s treatment of the case seems hardly typical of Russian methods, and goes to
prove that his nerve is lost.
The Ehtisham-i-Humayun, er-Karguzar of Sistan, has reached Birjand with
his family, including the girl betrothed to Sartip Muhammad Reza Khan.
General.
The Russian Consul .—Baron Tcherkassov has heard that he will be transferred
shortly to Kermanshah. He expects to leave Birjand about the end of July. He
will probably proceed first to Kennanshah and then take three months leave to his
home.
His successor in Sistan is likely to be Monsieur Petroff from Bokhara (brother
of the Consul in Rome).
Baluch Raids .—No news of fresh activities. Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Khudadad Khan of
Khwaia Ahmad in Sistan has crossed the Shela and gone to Baluch Ab for the
purpose of plotting with the Sarhaddi Sardars. It is said that J™ua Khan
and Idu, the leaders of the raid last March against Tabas, are encamped with then
families on the Shela, and that they and other Baluchis gave Khudadad Khan 200
sheep, by way of hospitality.
A grandson of Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Purdil Khan has also left for the Shela, ostensibly for
the purpose of watching Khudadad Khan. It is just as likely, in my opinion, that
he intends to claim a share of the Kainat loot.
Haider Ali Khan, the Baluch cousin of Hashmat-ul-Mulk and relative of
Khudadad Khan, has left Birjand for Sistan.
HajiAli Reza, Turkish subject.-This individual who has given our Meshed
and Sistan Consulates a good deal of trouble during the past 18 months has now
arrived in Birjand en route for Meshed. He was travelling from Bandar Abbas
to Meshed on pilgrimage in January 1 , 912 f w ^en ^ e was attacked and lorted by a
Baluch lashhar at Ab-i-Garm (3 marches from Tun). His brother was muraerea
and three donkeys and a quantity of personal property were carried off, including
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