'Collection of journals and reports received from Captain the Hon G C Napier, Bengal Staff Corps, on special duty in Persia, 1874. Includes revised index. London: HMSO, 1876' [‎9v] (22/409)

Abdul Jalil
Khan, Gover
nor of Kohsan,
General Faquir
Ahmed Khan,
Shahghassee
Atta Oolla,
Mahomed Has-
san Khan.
Trans-Caspian territory, to whom the Yemoots have submitted,
has lately made a claim to tax the Yemoot settlers or Chamoors
as well as the Charwars or nomadic portion of the tribe. The
latter, having their camps along the shore of the Caspian, naturally
fall under Russian influence, but the former have been for many
years connected with the Persian Government and cultivate lands
on both banks of the Attrek for about 50 miles up its course.
This claim, though resisted by the Governor of Astrabad, to
whom these settlers paid tribute, has been, it is said, admitted by
the Persian Government. Though the loss of such subjects may
be rather a subject of congratulation, the concession gives Russia
a pied-e-terre south of the Attrek or, in fact, command of that
river for 50 miles of its course.
I find in an extract from the Moscow Gazette that 70 elders of
the Yemoot or Yomud tribe met Colonel Lomakyn at Teheran
on the 25th March last ; and it is probable that arrangements
entered into then led to the claim I have heard mentioned.
By latest accounts from Herat giving news up to the 16th
August, 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. Yakoob Khan is still employed in preparation for
the defence of Herat, repairing and deepening the ditch and
provisioning the town and enlisting men secretly.
It is, however, said that he is prepared to submit to his father,
but not at discretion. He has received assistance in money from
some of his adherents, and the Heratees promise their support.
The carriage collected, about 700 camels, would not suffice to
move a force. It is probable, therefore, that his resistance will
be confined to a defence of the town and citadel, in the hope of
obtaining better terms than by submission. Beyond Herat I
cannot hear that he is likely to find much support.
The Governor of Balkh is said to be staunch to the Ameer.
Of the Turkomans, the most powerful tribe, the Tekkes, are
fully engaged in watching the Russians on the Oxus. One of
their chiefs, Taj Khan, who has a large disposable body of
freebooters of different tribes, is said to be on very intimate terms
with the 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. , and also to be retained by the Ameer whom he
will not desert.
Tahir Khan, a Chief of the Sarak tribe, is named as a
supporter of the 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. , and could bring some thousands of good
cavalry into the field.
The Jamsheedees, whose chief, Khan Aga, has a daughter
married to the 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. , and is hence interested in his maintenance
at Herat, can dispose of about four thousand men.
Money would bring a few thousand more of the same sort of
troops, but there is, so far as is known here, nothing like a strong
combination against the Ameer’s Government.
The Sirdar’s emissary, Abdul Zahid Khan, has, it is reported,
returned to Herat, with the Ameer’s ultimatum, demanding the
immediate surrender of certain of the Sirdar’s partisans, whose
names I give (margin), though you will probably have learnt
them from Cabul.