Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎300r] (599/678)

frontier authorities to put a stop to these incursions, with the only result of copious
promises never fulfilled. The general impression now prevailing in Astrabad is that
the Russians are awaiting an opportunity to fall upon these Turkomans, and inflict
exemplary punishment themselves.
The Prince Governor A Prince of the Royal line who also acted as Governor of a large Iranian province during the Qājār period (1794-1925). has recently prohibited the export of rice from the
Astrabad Province. Purchasers had already arrived to obtain this year’s crop,
but it is presumed that they will not succeed to any considerable extent.
fhe Serdar had previously prohibited the sale and export of grain by the
Turkomans to Russia, and had added that all they possessed for sale was to be
brought and sold at Astrabad, where there was a scarcity. Most of the grain is
now brought to that city, to the pecuniary loss of the producers, who obtain a lower
price in Astrabad than they would in Russia.
The following troops are in camp at present at Astrabad : —
The Tehran regiment, under Mahmoud Khan Mir Panj (800 men). 200 of
these are at Ak-Kaleh. Of the 600 remaining, perhaps 400 are in camp.
200 Cossack cavalry, under Sefer Ali Khan Mir Panj.
Irregular cavalry—
200 Shahsavend Kurtbegloo.
100 Karachuloo.
Some 150 Nana-kelle horsemen are with the Serdar at Bastam.
Besides the above, Ameer Khan Serdar arrived with the Semnan Damghan
regiment of infantry and 100 sowars of Gowdaree-i-Bastam ; these have since been
dismissed to their homes.
The local irregular cavalry is, of course, available in case of necessity, but they
area’ll dispersed all over the province.
The Arab Ajem regiment of Shahrood and Bastam has been disbanded in con
sequence of their recent misconduct in Khorassan, when they refused to proceed to
Kelat-i-Nadiri. The Serdar, who also holds the appointment of Governor of Shah
rood and Bastam, is now enlisting men to form a new regiment.
Deeming it necessary to visit the Prince Governor A Prince of the Royal line who also acted as Governor of a large Iranian province during the Qājār period (1794-1925). , l decided to proceed to
Tehran via Shahrood. The Prince telegraphed orders that an escort and some of
his own attendants should accompany me to Shahrood. I therefore had a guard of
four Persian Cossacks and a couple of the Prince’s Peeshkhedmets. At Tash I was
forcibly delayed by a storm on the 17th October. The altitude of this place is some
7,500 feet.
The whole village of 150 houses was completely destroyed by an earth
quake five years ago, when over 100 women were killed in the village bath alone,
besides many persons who lost their lives in the houses.' The village has been
rebuilt on the same spot and in the same manner as before, i.e., mud.
On my arrival near Bastam 1 was met by the Serdar’s Secretary with a guard
of honour of some thirty horsemen, and a led horse with gold trappings. The
Serdar’s carriage was sent out to this spot, and I drove into Bastam in State.
The Serdar, whom I have known during the last sixteen years, was most
cordial, and placed his house, in a large garden outside the town, at my disposal,
and himself took up his residence with his Moonshee Bashi.
The Serdar’s version of the Kari-kala movement is different to the one I have
already reported above, and is worth recording, as showing the official view of it.
He tells me that the Charvai, who cross from Persian to Russian territory, have
repeatedly been requested to swear allegiance to the Emperor; but this they have
invariably refused to do: this action would seem, indeed, to have produced the
contrary effect, for the Serdar affirms that some 600 or more families of Russian
Turkomans have recently migrated to Persian territory. The Russians have conse
quently strengthened their force at Kari-kala. Surmises of the motives for this
increase of troops on the frontier are fruitful; some imagine that it is in order to
put a stop to further migration, and others that it is to prevent Persian Charvais
from crossing the frontier unless they make allegiance to Russia.
To resume the whole position of affairs in Astrabad, it is, in my opinion,
absolutely necessary to strengthen the Governor’s hand by supplying the necessary
troops, i.e., some 4,000 men, half being infantry and half cavalry ; that these troops
be regularly paid, drilled, and supplied with uniforms, arms, and ammunition in
sufficient quantities. In Europe such details would not require to be mentioned, and
would go without saying, but in this country it is far from the case. Unless this is
done, it is much to be feared that Astrabad will again fall into its pristine state of
lawlessness, and will be overrun by Turkoman hordes.