'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia' [‎656r] (1313/1386)

49
. , The Governor is,no doubt, aware that there are 500,000 families in Kurdistan,
including: Turkish and Persian subjects.
No serious inquiry having now been made into the condition and affairs of
Kurdistan, its people have always been painted in the very worst colours
There may be bad characters among them, but why should the innocent be classed
with the guilty ?
The reason why complaints are made against the Kurds is, that neither the
Turkish noi t e ersian Goa ernments have either the power or the will to govern them
properly.
Through all this the Kurds get a bad reputation, and they in their turn have no
respect for their Rulers.
In view of this state of affairs, both the Persian and Turkish Kurds have resolved
to unite and form a single nation, and keep order among themselves, and thev
undertake to bind themself es in writing that no disorder shall take place in their
country.
It will be impossible to quell the present movement by force. If the Govern
ment resort to it, they will be the losers, and great loss will result on every side.
It is therefore advisable that the Government should adopt pacific measures, other
wise there is no answering for the consequences.
The Sheik concludes by saying that he makes the above statement as a well-
wisher, and the Governor may act as he thinks fit.
Inclosure G in No. 61.
Abbass Mirza to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
(Translation.) October 30, 1880.
THE details of the case are as follows :—
Yesterday, Friday, the 29th October, two Kurds, who are brothers, and were
formerly in my service, one named Abdu Raheem and the other Hoossein Nooli,
presented themselves at my house. They stated that they had formerly a Government
salary, which was paid through Ayeez Khain, 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. , but it had now been cut off, and
they requested my intercession on their behalf. Afterwards, on the plea that they
wanted to show me a Firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). , one of them produced a letter, which he gave me,
saying at the same-time in a whisper that it was from Sheikh Obeidullah.
. I read the letter, and as it is said that other verbal communications would also be
made to me by Abdu Raheem, I called him to a private room. He stated that he had
been sent by the Sheikh, whose message was that a great force was ready, and that I
was to hasten as much as possible and join his camp (the Sheikh’s), and that he had
been sent to guide me to the camp.
As I have been cherished and brought up by His Majesty the Shah, may my soul
be his sacrifice ! and I could never act in a treasonable manner, I had those two Kurds
seized and delivered up.
(Translation.)
Inclosure 7 in No. 61.
The Sepeh Salar to the Minister for Telegraphs.
Tabreez, October 30, 1880.
"TelegAAf2 read the note which his Excellency the British Minister had addressed
to his Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and which you telegraphed to me,
word for word, by Royal Command. .. . , .. c
To-dav Teimour Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. must certainly have arrived at Oroomiah, with a force of
5 000 men * and six guns. To-morrow, a reinforcement, consisting of one infantry
regiment, 300 cavalry, and one 9-pounder gun, with 500 rounds of ammunition, also
v Infantry, cavalry, and ammunition are continually sent to the Itimad-es-
Sultaneh’s camp. Just now I held a review of 300 Shahsevan cavalry who are really
a fine body of men, and they will leave early to-morrow morning with a caravan o
ammunition for the Itimad-es-Sultaneh’s camp. Should the Gerrous Regiment an
the Gaveeran cavalry also join his camp, he will, no doubt, march towards Souj
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