Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎161r] (321/678)

Greo. Sykes—Second Revise. 3
wanted little else than cash *—although he never refused presents
anl in those days, to take bullion out of England was considered to
he almost criminal.
In 1620 there were two sea-fights off Jask, the first being indecisive ;
but in the second the Portuguese were defeated, and the English fac-
which appears to have been founded in 1619, was saved from
destruction, ffwo years later, in 1622, in alliance with Persia’s great
bhah, Hormuz was taken, and the Portuguese power receivt d a blow
from which it never recovered. From this date, until to-day, British
trade and influence, although with fluctuations, has been on the increase,
and our responsibilities have been faced with a determination that has
been unsurpassed in any quaiter of the globe.
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Jowasmi pirates
were strong enough to take H.M.S. Minerva after two da} s’ fighting !
and every sailor was put to the sword. This affront was only wiped’
out by some desperate engagements, which forced the truculent Arabs
to abstain from sea-fighting and piracy. Since the middle of the
century the pax Britannica has been maintained, although not without
a heavy outlay. In the Bahrein group alone has this peace been
broken in recent times, when Sheikh Jasim, in 1895, attempted to
invade these islands from Zobara on the opposite coast. However,
short and sharp was the punishment meted out to him, fortv-four of
his ships being destroyed by H.M.S. Sphinx and Pigeon, while an even
larger number was towed off to Bahrein.
At the present time the Persian gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. is crowded with British ship-
ping, Hindustani is the prevalent language at most of the ports, and
peace prevails everywhere. It must, however, be remembered that
were the Bi'itish gunboats to quit this land-locked sea, piiacy would
immediately be re-established; and, as an Arab naively remarked to
me, the loot would now be ten times as valuable as it was a generation
ago.
I reached Bombay in November, 1897, and the beg inning of Decem
ber found me at Bushire. A few days after my arrival, news reached
Colonel Meade, the resident, of the murder of Mr. Graves, of the Indo-
European telegraph Department, while engaged on inspection duty
midway between Jask and Chahbar. Being ordered to proceed there
without delay, I was soon steaming down the gulf on board H.M.S.
.Pigeon, under Commander Mowbray. After calling in at Jask, we
steamed east along the coast, and early in the morning found ourselves
off Galag, where the Patrick Stewart, with Mr. ffinch, the Director-in
chief of Persian Telegraphs, and his staff, also the Persian man-of-war
Persepolis, were lying at anchor. After consulting with Mr. ffinch, who
had already sent off in every direction to collect camels, we landed, a
party of thirt} 7 all told, and camped near a wretched date-grove. Some
eight camels were all that could be procured at fiist, so that our kit was
restricted to about half the usual scale ; and an earl} 7 hour the next morn
ing found us ready to march inland. The sea-shore was quite bare, and
inhabited by myriads of small crabs; but once we struck inland the
lofty tamarisks gave quite a park-like appearance to the flat level
country. After a hot march we reached the banks of the Rapsh, and
close to what is technically known as a mast—a miniature Eiffel tower,
used when great spans are necessary in telegraph construction—we
saw the grave of our murdered countryman. We camped near the
Persian force commanded by the Daria Begi, who had sixty men and
a gun with him, and then went to hear what my colleague, who had
arrived two days previously, thought about the situation.
I found that matters were at a deadlock, as the Karwanis ■)■ declined
to surrender the murderers, and, the time given them by the Persian
admiral expiring on the following evening, we decided that, unless
hostages were given, we should march to the Karwan villag* s that were
* Cf. ‘Sir Thomas Boe,’ p. 353: “And obserue one thing well: The parts of
Persia that vent cloth, which in Steele’s judgement will not exceed 500 a yeare—a
small matter—and the rest wilbe expected to be supplyed in mony, are the same that
produce the silke and are nearest Turky, as Gordgestan and Gilan ; and to tho^e
parts cloth can be brought cheaper by Aleppo then by Jasques.”
t Is it not at least possible that we here find the Caraonas of Marco Polo ? The
tribe is famous for lawlessness, and is distinct from the Baluchis.