'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III.' [‎57v] (119/982)

104
BAK-BAK
They may be described generally as men of considerable natural intelligence
while most of them have aspirations towards a higher level of civilisation
than they have hitherto attained. Several of them have travelled in
Europe and India, besides having made the usual pilgrimage to Mecca ;
and a few are able to converse either in French or English. Their hospi
tality is unbounded ; and some of the leading Khans have built suites of
rooms suitable for the reception of European visitors in their Kalehs, which
are a feature of the principal villages throughout the country. The gov
ernment of the country is invested in the 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. or Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. , assisted by the
Ilbegi and other lesser authorities. The title 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. can only be be
stowed by the Shah, and has apparently been withheld during some periods
for no very clear reasons. That of Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. , which should be synonymous
with the title 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. , has sufficed when the more official designation has
been withheld. A rather nominal division of these titles happens to obtain
at the present time (1905) owing to the bestowal of the dignity 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.
Asad on Haji Qull Khan : while Najaf_ Quli Khan, lately Ilbegi or Com-
mander-in-Chief, has been appointed Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. . The arrangement, however,
is not a happy one and causes some friction. Besides these titles, the other
appointments, which are made locally and are merely ratified by the Shah,
are those of the Governors of the Chehar Mahal, Kaleh-i-Tul and Ramuz.
The present (1905) yearly assessment paid by the Khans to the supreme
Government at Tehran is 54,000 tumdns, made up as follows :—
Chehar Mahal .. .. .. 24,000 tumdns.
Pusht-i-Kuh .. .. .. 16,000 „
Property within the province of ’Arabistan 14,000 „
54,000 tumdns.
N.B. —One tumdn is Jcrdns 10 and at the present exchange Jcrdns 4 equal
Re. 1. In regard to the last item, Bakhtiari territory was held to be
confined to the left bank of the Karun in its large sweep noithwards
from the Pul-i-Shalu or Gudar-Balutak ; but of late years the Khans have
bought up land on its right bank adjoining the fertile plain of ’Aqili
between Shushtar and Dizful, and thus made in this direction consider
able encroachments on he Province of Northern ’Arabistan.
Following the description of their chiefs, something should be said con-
Tribesmea. cerning the people»
Tents in 1905 : a rough census taken showed that there were about 36,000
tents or families of the Haft Lang ; while the Chehar Lang numbered about
11,000 tents. Of the latter figure 6,000 tents were said to be joined to the
Haft Lang, e.g., to be directly under the authority of the 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. , while 5,000
tents were affiliated to Burujird : but that, on an emergency, the whole
could be counted upon to join the Haft Lang. Taking one tent to represent
five persons adult and otherwise, the total population arrived at is 235,000
souls.
The bulk of the tribesmen are very poor, and in their black tents
will be found neither gold nor silver, but
Life, religion and habits. vesse } g 0 f j ron an( j CO pp er . There is next to
no education among them. The viTage Mulla acts as school-master