Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎312r] (623/678)

[This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty’s Government.]
No.
ASIA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
2432
7. PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY.
No. 1.
[January 17.]
Section 2.
v
Sir M. Durand to the Marquess of Salisbury.—(Received January 17, 1896.)
(No. 102.)
My Lord, Tehran, December 20, 1895.
I HAVE the honour to forward to your Lordship herewith a Report which I have
received from Mr. Preece, Her Majesty’s Consul at Ispahan, on a journey through the
Bakhtiari country to Shuster.
1 n v tw c
(Signed)' ’ H. M. DURAND.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Extracts from Consul Preece’s Report on his Journey through the Bakhtiari Country to
Shuster.
(Secret.)
THE Bakhtiaris are now governed by Hajji Imam Kuli Khan as Eel Khaneh. He
is a brother of the late Eel Khaneh Houssein Kuli Khan, who was murdered by r the
Zil-es-Sultan in 1882. He is an old man, over 70, bent with years, and very feeble. The
real man of affairs, who practically governs the tribes, is Isfendiar Khan, known as
Samsam-es-Sulfaneh, son of the late Houssein Kuli Khan. He treats Hajji Imam Kuli
Khan with much respect, and consults with him on all tribal matters, but it is easy to
see that his is the dominant mind.
Isfendiar Khan is a man of medium height, of clear, open countenance, and
pleasing, gentlemanly address, somewhat staid and deliberate in manner, at times,
however, breaking out into a frank, open way of talking, mixed with a good deal of
humour. His extreme staidness is to be accounted for by his having passed a large
portion of his life more or less a prisoner, first in Tehran as a hostage for the good
conduct of his father, and then, after his murder, for seven years as a prisoner. He is
extremely well thought of by the Bakhtiaris as a just Chief) and at present they all
acknowledge him as their leader. Should Isfendiar Khan disappear, the tribes w r ould
break up again into their several divisions, and return to the state of anarchy' usual
except when he is at their head.
Reza Kuli Khan, another brother of the late Houssein Kuli Khan, and his son, the
Zergham-es-Sultaneh, who were up to about a year ago in power, are a pair of rapacious,
cruel men. They greatly oppressed the tribes, were the instruments of the Zil-es-
Sultan in dealing with the sons of the late Eel Khaneh ; all were glad to see their backs
w'hen they lately bolted to Tehran. The majority of their followers have given in their
adhesion to Isfendiar Khan. They have, however, left some twenty' men behind them at
Paradamba purely for purposes of robbery, and these men now keep the road from here
to Shiraz in a state of ferment. The Zil-es-Sultan always says it is the men of Ispendiar
Khan who are robbing. On my return from Chichakhor I made searching inquiries
wherever I could, and found that beyond doubt it was the men of the Zergham-es-
Sultaneh who were in fault.
I saw two sons of Hajji Imam Kuli Khan, Sultan Mohammed Khan and Mahmud
Khan, both extremely nice, frank, outspoken young fellows, full of talk and very
pleasant.
Of Isfendiar Khan’s brothers, I met Nejef Kuli Khan, Hajji Ali Kuli Khan, Amir
Kuli Khan, and Yusuf Khan.
Nejef Kuli Khan is a very fine man, the image of his late father. He is reputed
to be very brave and a good leader. Hajji Ali Kuli Khan is the clever man of the
family. He is interested in the antiquities of the country, and is anxious to trace back
the Bakhtiari to their origin. He reads French. As a ruler of the tribesmen, I should
judge that he is not far inferior to his brother Isfendiar Khan. Hajji Khosroes Khan 1
[1018 b—2] B