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‘Military report on south-west Persia, including the provinces of Khúzistán (Arabistan), Luristán and part of Fars.’ [‎11v] (27/470)

The record is made up of 1 volume (231 folios). It was created in 1885. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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4
V
The Ihtisham-ul-S nltanah, Ibrahim Mi'rza, is reported to be a weak gov-
ernor, careless of the interests of the subjects he rules or
Ilitisbam-ul-Sultanah. improving the resources of the country and anxious
alone to increase the MniahkU or "personal pickings,” such as bribes, fees, &c
I sent my orderly to inform him of my arrival, expressing a wish to \isi
him • this action was necessary in order to obtain from him a safe conduct o
Dizful I may here remark that I travelled as an othcer of the Indian Army
on five months’ leave of absence, and orderly Shahsowar as a friend, in the
same service as myself, a Khan, bent on a pilgrimage to Karbalah, the great
Shiva’ shrine as soon as he had seen Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, and other woi -
famed towns of Persia. The prince was ill and unable to see me, but sent his
Wizir Mirza Buzurg Khan, Mustaufi, Arabistan, to call upon me, as well as the
colonels of cavalry and infantry of his escort, the former Hajji Ibrahim Khan,
son of the Ilbegi and nephew of the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. of the Bakhtians. ^
The escort consisted of, it was said, one regiment of infantry, the BaUhtiaii
horse, 200 strong, and a battery of field artillery; four field guns were seen,
but the existence of any artillery men is doubted; no
Persian Camp. co i on pi 0 f artillery came to visit me, nor did I see one
when I visited the camp: many of the infantry had been sent to Shustar, with
donkeys, to fetch grain for the force, and the majority of the horses had been
dispersed amongst the grazing grounds in the vicinity. The men occupied
bell tents ; the tents of the senior officers were large, commodious, well pitched,
well carpeted and the floors boarded; they were all of white canvas. None of
the junior officers were presented. In the intercourse between officers and
men, Persian etiquette rather than discipline was ob-
Disciplme. served; the men saluted and remained standing; those
of higher rank sat round about, at a respectful distance, after repeating the
requisite salutations and making the customary bows. All spoke deferentially
and in a low key. The “ silver stick,” a man of great ceremonial weight, stood
at the door as sentry. There were no sentries over the camp {see page 12 ).
I was treated with every courtesy and given a safe conduct to Dizful,
but was warned not to go beyond that town as the road thence to Khoram-
abad had for some time past been closed by the Dirikawand and Bairanwand,
tribes of Peili Lurs occupying the defiles in the hills through which it passes.
Halting a day at Ahwaz, I examined, during the early morning, as closely
as the presence of the prince would allow, the obstructions there blocking the
navigation of the river, and the neighbourhood, with a view to turning these
obstacles by canal or tramway; and in the afternoon I went out shooting with
the Bakhtians, a band of excellent horsemen, well mounted, good sportsmen,
killing their birds freely firing from horseback, and at times, following up a
bird, firing at full gallop.
My movements were watched, and the Wizir was anxious to find out
whether I was inquisitive about the Karun or not. As at the time I was
trying the paces of a horse presented for purchase, and whilst riding over the
ground I affected to be far more interested in it than in the Karun and its
obstructions.
The difficulties that beset the passage of the hills between Dizful and
Khoramabad already began to make themselves felt. As before mentioned,
by good fortune, excellent letters of introduction to both the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. and
Ilbegi of the Bakhtians had been obtained; the former it was now learnt was
at Ab-i-bid, one march to the north of Dizful, and to his instrumentality, it
became more and more apparent, that 1 must look to effect my purpose, for

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Content

Report marked strictly confidential, prepared in the Intelligence Branch of the Quarter Master General’s Department in India, by the Assistant Quarter Master General, Major and Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Mark Sever Bell, Royal Engineers. The volume was published by the Government Central Branch Press, Simla, 1885.

The contents of the volume are as follows:

  • part I, a narrative description of a journey from India to Muhammerah [Khorramshahr], through to the Luristán [Lorestān] hills, to Kúm [Qom]; from Kúm to Gulpaigán [Golpāyegān ], Chaman-i-Sultán [Chaman Solţān], Ali-Gúdar [Alīgūdarz], Imámzádá-Ishmail [Emāmzādeh Esmā‘īl], and the Zaindarúd River [Zāyandeh Rūd] to Isfahán; from Isfahán through the Kúhgehlú [Kohgīlūyeh] hills to Behbahán and Bandar-Dilám [Bandar-e Deylam]; from Bandar-Dilám to Bushire
  • part II, a detailed account of southwest Persia, compiled from Sever’s own observations and other available sources
  • part III, commercial considerations. A further section in this chapter on strategic observations, which is mentioned on the contents page and marked as secret, is not present in the volume
  • part IV, detailed road reports
  • appendix A, road reports, Isfahan to Shústar [Shūshtar], Shústar to Shíráz [Shīrāz], compiled in 1881 by Captain Henry Lake Wells, Assistant Director of Persian Telegraphs, with additional annotations by Bell
  • appendix B, a list of plant specimens collected in Luristán during April and May 1884
  • appendix C, extracts of a paper on the geology of the Turko-Persian frontier, written by William Kennett Loftus, June 1854
  • appendix D, meteorological observations at Bushire, from 20 March to 20 June 1885

The volume includes eight maps, two photographic plates, and illustrations throughout (topographical, architectural, anthropological). The two photographic plates and some of the maps are of an earlier date than the volume’s publication date of 1885.

Extent and format
1 volume (231 folios)
Arrangement

A contents page (f 7) and index (ff 222-226) refer to the volume’s original printed pagination.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 233; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.

Written in
English in Latin script
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‘Military report on south-west Persia, including the provinces of Khúzistán (Arabistan), Luristán and part of Fars.’ [‎11v] (27/470), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/9, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100048990082.0x00001c> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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