File 3516/1914 Pt 17 'German War: Persia; general' [‎62r] (128/370)

I understand, Niedenlmeyer, who was head of the party spoke Persian
fluently, hut Paschen knew only a little Persian. Paschen, I gathered, is tall
and heavily built, with fair hair and green eyes and wears a longish fair beard.
His dress was of Khaki, with tunic, and he wore a forage cap, with a gold band
and badge in front. ^ r b
9. Ali Akbar asked me for employment and claimed to have done much
work for the boundary commission in years past. I told him he had success
fully hidden Paschen’s movements until he had got safely away; that we
would not employ anyone desirous of serving both sides, but if he would prove
his^ worth by giving us timely information of any other German Emissaries,
which might lead to a capture, he could expect a very liberal present from us.
10. At Takhtiban I heard that the Deputy Governor of the Zir Kuh
district, Naib Ali Beg, who was sent to Zir Kuh from Birjand by Shoukat-ul-
Mulk some 20 days previously was of Aviz. I was inclined to be suspicious of
this individual’s doings and decided to proceed to Aviz and meet him. At
Bashiran, 2 farsakhs from Aviz, I learned the Naib had gone to Muhamadabad.
I met him there and found that his tour in the Zir Kuh district was quite
innocent and that he had, on the contrary, received instructions from Shoukat-
ul-Mulk to arrest any Germans or other strangers. The truth of this seemed
to be borne out by the fact that soon after I reached Muhamadabad a sowar In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman.
from iWiz arrived there with a report for the Naib that 57 strange sowars had
reached Bashiran the previous day. It was my party.
11. I had heard a report that Naib Ali Beg had been collecting grain at
Aviz. He confirmed it and explained that a party of Cossacks had lately
visited Aviz, and as the people there had been put to some trouble in supply
ing them with grain, he had laid in a stock from outlying villages in order to
be able to cope with the requirements of any other party of Cossacks going
there.
Naib Ali Beg had no news except that he had been ordered by Shoukat-
ul-Mulk to visit Shahrakhs and Yazdan. He asked me to petition Shoukat-ul-
Mulk to allow him to return to Birjand. I hear the Naib had in 20 days
managed to collect for himself 600 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. from Zir Kuh villages.
12. Erom Muhamadabad I intended visiting Malaki and Gozukht, and
touring the Eastern side of the Ahangaian hills to Awaz, but unfortunately
the condition of my horses and mules, which had had a very trying time over
much slony ground through difficult hills, would not permit it, and after visit
ing Ahangaran, I cut through the hills by way of Gumeh to Gulmeran, a
place through which the German party and Paschen passed. There is no
village at Gulmeran and fodder had to be sent on ahead from Muhamadabad.
I heard here that very little fodder was obtainable at Gozukht and that the
Germans had threatened the people there and broken open several ambars in
search of grain.
13. Thence I moved to Awaz via Gazik. Here there was a report that a
German (possibly Paschen) had passed Sabzwar (in Afghanistan) a few days
previously, travelling south. There was also inforn ation of another party of
8 Germans who were said to have got through to Herat from Kerman by a
route near Neh into Afghanistan. Both these reports were vague and I could
not get at their source.
11. I would have proceeded to Duroh, 60 miles south of Awaz, to try
and gather some confirmation of the above reports, but even after a day’s halt
at Awaz, the condition of my animals was so poor, many of the horses and mules
having cast shoes which could not be renewed, that I was compelled to return
to Birjand by way of Eurg and Bushkaz.
15. The people of Awaz spoke very highly of Ptahmat Ali. He seems to
have carried out his duties with tact and made himself popular there. The
scheme of intelligence which he controls, of 6 mounted sowars and 6 footmen,
is eminently practical and well organized.