'Report on Fars by Captain A T Wilson, Indian Political Department' [‎92r] (188/396)

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date gardens and other sources. One of the most important villages
is Sfll, between the Kuh-i-Bang mountains and the coast-range, and
on the borders of Lirawi.
History .—The district abounds in ruins and traces of an extremely ancient
civilization, which have not yet (1905) been investigated, and there is much *
mention in local traditions of fire-worship surviving to a comparatively recent
period. The bricks found at some of the old sites are said to resemble those
of Ctesiphon. A century ago the town of Bandar Rig was in the possession
of a family of the Zab tribe, who are now found chiefly in Tmcial Oman :
another account says that the Mir tribe, under Mir Muhanna, were in
possession of the town. According to this version the Mirs came from Hindian
and drove the Persian officials from Bandar Rig, and, at a later date, the
Dutch from their settlement on Kharag island. There are said to be
descendants of Mir Muhanna at Kuwait. The leader of Zab is said to
have been Mir Mahran, who was killed in a piratical expedition against
Basrah: the tribe consequently lost their hold on the place, and were
succeeded by a family of Lurs whose founder had been a follower of Mir
Muhanna. These maintained their position until about 1870 when the
father of the present Khan of Bandar Rig, who was already Khan of the Haiat
Da fid district, succeeded in removing the Bandar Rig Khan of that day,
the grandson of the first Lur Khan, by treacherously throwing him down
a well at Arash, which he then caused to be filled up. He then incorporated
the Khanate of the town with his own rural Khanate.
Khan ’Ali Khan, who died about 15 years ago, was continually in trouble
with the Governor of the Gulf Ports, and, in consequence of his turbulence
and arrears, his two eldest sons Haidar Khan and Muhammad Khan were
in their boyhood brought up in Bushire, as hostages for their father’s conduct.
Khan ’Ali Khan was constantly fighting and generally victorious over Haji
Hasan Khan of Liiawi, the district immediately N. of the Kuh-i-Bang.
After his death his sons divided their spheres of influence as follows:—
Haidar Khan took Bandar Rig.
Husain Quli Khan took the district of Rudhilleh.
Muhammad Khan took Chahar Rustai and acts as commander of the
forces of the district.
Further, after the death of Murad Khan, brother of Khan ’All, the ports
of Bandar Dilam and Ganaweh were by family arrangement entrusted to
his son, Husain Khan, and the latter’s sons.
The strength of the district and Khans lies, however, in the unity of con
trol, for all are obedient to the eldest brother, Haidar Khan, whose word
is law in the district. Their wealth and successful business in smuggling
has perhaps added to their power in former years.
Moreover by his sister’s marriage to Agha Khan, third son of Haji Hasan
Khan of Lirawi, and other marriage ties, besides the lessons of several de
feats, Haidar Khan has acquired a ruling voice in the policy of the Khans
C361GSB z