Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎235v] (160/174)

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'ROT?TT AHA NEWS—POLITICAE.
[ 1869-70.
There can he no doubt that the Russians rule at Saraarkund with a rod of iron. F. B.*
in his letter of 26th October 1869, mentions the fate of the son of a merchant who, six days
before, was blown from a gun before a parade of Russian troops for having assau e a ussian
officer, and Ibrahim himself saw on the door of the sarai a notice that tie e °^ e ^ ^ esi en
of the city was shot for having assumed a menacing attitude to a Russian o cer w o m er eiec
in the marr’s domestic quarrel.
“ (9.) Ibrahim met a person calling himself Feroze Shah in the Jew quarter of Samarkund
and describes him as a very vain person, who had accompanied the King of Bokhara in his battle
against the Russians at Juzzak, but had afterwards so disgusted him with his arrogance that
the King dismissed him. He then wandered about several localities in Toorkistan, and had
shortly before Ibrahim’s second visit to Samarkund (18th April) betaken himself to that place
and brought forward three Punjabees to prove his identity, but two others swore on the Koran
that he was not the man, so the Governor directed him to leave the city and go elsewhere.
a F. B. has twice mentioned this man in Samarkund, in his letters of Sth and 11th No
vember i 869, and both times calls him the pseudo-Feroz Khan. He says, however, that he
receives 25 Tungas a day. F. B., in the latter letter, adds that a number of mutineers ot 1857
beg in the streets of Samarkund.”
728. The diaries throughout June and July 1869 contained repeated
mention*of a demand on the part of the Russians that the Ameer, of Bokhara
should send them a prince, some said a princess also, to reside in St. Peters
burg (as a hostage).
729. On the 17th June a letter [dated 21st May] was received from the
. Meer* of Shuhr-i-Subz, urging Shere
* The Meer on the 26th June wrote another letter ........ , , • x Pi -d
to Alum Khan, strongly renewing the same re- All to JOin in a holy War against tlie XtUS-
presentation. [Diary ending Sth August 1869,] gjanS, wllO COUld not be represented to
muster more than 7,000 men throughout their new conquests. The Ameer sent
back the bearers with a present, and
+ Diary ending sth July. returned a vague but courteous messagef
that he was glad to know that he might regard the Meer as a friend.
730. And about the same time, men from across the Oxus wrote to Alum
Khan expressing their dependence on Ameer Shere Ali. They said, too, that
their immediate hopes of delivery from the Russian yoke rested on the
rebellious Tora, Prince Abdool Mullik, then in arms against his father and
against the Prussians.
731. 11^ November .—News from a correspondent in Bokhara that [in
consequence no doubt of the brightening of his prospects] the Ameer had
, >T , become less oppressive.^ He had reduced
# Diary ending llth November 1869. - l .- L , ,,
the assessments, and had fixed them ac
cording to the old rates. Troops had been sent from Bokhara against the
Meers of Kulab and Hissar. Indigo and cloth goods were selling very dear.
732. 21st February 1870.—News from Hamid Khan, Surteep, that the
son of the Ameer of Bokhara had returned to Tashkund from his visit
to St. Petersburg. The bearer of this letter said that a Russian
officer had now forced the people of Shereabad to return the property
which during the troublous times they had plundered from the neighbouring
villages.
733. April llth.—
“A merchant, lately arrived from Bokhara, reports as follows: ‘It was given out in
Toorkistan that the Russians have directed the King of Bokhara that as they will attack
Oorgunj (Khiva), and their troops will proceed there, via Bokhara, he (the King) should
collect supplies at all stages, and should also furnish 5,000 troops to accompany their army to
Oorgunj/ ”
734.. The return to Samarkund of the young son of the Ameer of Bokhara
from his journey to St. Petersburg, and his expected return to Bokhara, was
reported in a letter which reached the Ameer on the 12th May. It was said
that he brought the message that the Czar had remitted part of the tribute
money.