‘Military report on south-west Persia, including the provinces of Khúzistán (Arabistan), Luristán and part of Fars.’ [‎9v] (23/470)

2
Besides the above (intended for presents and to he carried hy the party),
a small stock of presents and medicines was laid in (xee page 112).
I received from the firm of Messrs. Mackinnon, Mackenzie and Company,
Bombay, Agents of the above mentioned Steamship Company, the gieatest
courtesy; not only did they arrange for money remittances, but they also
gave me letters of introduction to their various agents in the Cull, letteis
which were of the utmost service, as they were the means or procuring for
me others to the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. and Ilbegi of the Bakhtians whose friendship for
Mr, Mackenzie is of long standing—
Karachi was reached on the
Muscat „ „
Bandar Abbas „ „
Linga ,, ,,
Bahrein
Bushire
7th March 1884;
11th March 1884;
12th March 1884;
13th March 1884;
14th March 1884;
loth March 1884;
short delays being made at each port or roadstead to ship and discharge
cargo. The steamer anchoring at Bushire for 24 hours enabled all necessary
business to be transacted.
Basra, on the right bank of the Shatt-al-Arab, a Turkish town, a few
miles above Muhammerah, was reached on the 18th March after undergoing
the one day's quarantine imposed by the Turkish authorities as a means of
extorting fees.
I remained at Basra till the 22nd March, making final preparations for
the land journey from Muhammerah to Kum.
From the firm of Messrs. Gray, Mackenzie and Company, barats or
monev orders were obtained on well-known merchants at Shustar, Dizful,
Burujird and Isfahan, as well as letters to them to furnish me with others
on Sultanabad, Kum, and Gulpaigan.
Muhammerah to Kum (53o miles).
On the 23rd March Mr. Robertson, Acting Consul at Basra, accompanied
. , , r , , me to Muhammerah in the steam yacht belonging
to the firm of Gray, Mackenzie and Company, my
hosts, and introduced me to Shaikh Mizal, the Chief of the Ka'b Arabs, and
from him I obtained the services of a mounted guide as far as Wais, on the
Karun river above Ahwaz, the limit of his jurisdiction.
Shaikh Mizal. Shaikh Mizal is a middle aged man of fine figure but
sad countenance. He has no children and may not feel
altogether secui'e in his position [see page 178) ; his elder brother, Muhammad,
who lives at Isfahan, intrigues against him, and the difficulty of collecting the
annual tribute is considerable; his darbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). is conducted with great decorum and
ceremony. The aba and kaba are here worn together with an ample puggerie.
I had heard that a short time previously to my arrival some French
commercial and military travellers had been displaying" considerable activity
in the vicinity of the mouth of this, to us, most important river, the Karun,
and had been denied a safe conduct; and I had been informed that it
was useless to apply for it, the Shaikh being unable to guarantee a safe passage
through the territory over which he exercises a patriarchal authority. Shaikh