Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎172r] (33/174)

dIoTsTs. ] AMEEIl ’ S AND TACOOB’s RELATIONS "WITH PERSIA. 75
JANY. 1869. )
Of a very different tenor was the rumour which led Mehdee Koolee Khan.
* Mr. Alison’s despatch to Lord Clarendon, Mo. 2, Chief of the Jemsheedee tribe, to write*'
dated 11th January 1869. . . to Mr. Alison, on the 26th Deceiver 1868,
tendering the fealty of himself and his tribe, and saying—
(1) , that Koorshed Khan, Chief of the Tekke Turkomans, had written to
him from Mery to say that the Russians had entered Bokhara and would soon
he at Charjooee, after which an advance on themselves must soon follow, a move
which they were determined to resist, so they asked what the Jemsheedees could
do for them ;
(2) , expressing his own fear that the turn of his tribe would come next;
(3) , saying
“ we are not on good terms with the Afghans, and we were waiting until you had done with
Shere Ali Khan, the Afghan, so that we should then boast of being in your service.
Sir, we have now heard that your Government is not cordial with Shere Ali Khan and
that he has returned disappointed from his interview with the Viceroy, and he has not been
able to arrange his affairs; therefore we having heard this news have troubled you with this
letter. If you require us who are the Jemsheedee tribe, and that of the Turkomans of Merv
Penj Deh, write us two lines, so that it may be a source of confidence to this friendless com
munity A’
(4) , stating that the capture of Herat would be a mere nothing to the
horsemen of the 12,000 Jemsheedee families.
373. The last item of intelligence to be mentioned on this head is that, on
the 5th October 1868, the Agent wrote in reply to the query of the Commis
sioner of Peshawur, that there was no ground whatever for believing that either
the Ameer, or his son Yacoob, ever had any underhand dealings with Persia;
that there had been no communication, of which the British Minister at Teheran
had not been informed; that presents valued at about a lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. , more
or less, had been interchanged between Yacoob and the Shah of Persia; but that
the transaction was as clear as the sun.
374. On the 16th December Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Mamun Khan arrived at Meshed with
30 horsemen despatched, he said, by Shere Ali to offer condolences on the death
of the Shah’s son, Jelal-ood-dowlah, who had died in the cholera epidemic of
July and August [Meshed Agent’s letter dated 18th December in Mr. Alison’s
despatch to Lord Clarendon, No. 5, dated 12th January 1869J.
11,
Miscellaneous items of information.
375. On the 25th September the Ameer sent a message to the Agent that
he hoped the British Government
to Afghanistan.
would not permit Jelal-ood-deen to return
376. On the 19th January a letter written to Abdool Rahman by Gholam
Mahomed Khan, one of Azim’s adherents, who had once been pardoned,
was discovered breathing disaffection. He was therefore put in irons.