CHAP. II.
HISTORY OF THE SHEIK OF BUSHIRE..
Table of Contents HISTORY OF BUSHIRE-SHEIK NASR-THE NASAKCHEE BASHEE, THE CHIEF EXECUTIONER DISPATCHED FROM SHIRAZ AGAINST THE SHEIK ABDULLAH RESOUL; VISITS THE ENVOY: VISIT RETURNED-DIFFICULTIES OF THE SHEIK-HIS SEIZURE-CONSTERNATION OF THE TOWN-PRECAUTIONS OF THE ENVOY-EXPLANATION OF THE NASAKCHEE BASHEE-SUCCESSOR OF THE SHEIK, MAHOMED NEBEE KHAN-ASSUMPTION OF THE GOVERNMENT BY THE NASAKCHEE BASHEE-MAHOMMED JAFFER APPOINTED PROVISIONALLY; DISGRACED; RESTORED-RECEIVES A KALAAT-CEREMONY-FATE OF THE LATE SHEIK OF BUSHIRE.
The history of the Sheik of Bushire, who had received us on our landing, added the principal interest to our subsequent residence in his country. Our stay was marked by the subversion of his power and of the Arab rule; and the journal of every day naturally contained ample accounts of the progress of an event, which was locally so prominent and important. The travellers of the last century, who mentioned his predecessors, may possibly direct some little curiosity to the fortunes of their descendant; but without any previous interest in the persons, the tale of the present day may excite attention as a practical illustration of the principles of an eastern government.
The coast of the gulph was lined for ages with the petty sovereignties of Arab Sheiks,12 who, while they occupied the shores of Persia, yielded a very uncertain obedience to the monarch of the interior. The degrees indeed of service paid were probably at all times measured more by the character and relative force of the different parties, than by any original stipulations. Nadir and Kerim Khan in vain endeavoured to reduce these Arab chiefs to more complete obedience: but in many districts their authority was scarcely acknowledged, and except in partial remissions, still more seldom felt. Among these chiefs, Sheik Nasr, of Bushire, long retained a real independance. The Dashtistan, the low country under the hills, was his province; and in all the turbulence of his age, this territory and more immediately the country round Bushire, was still the place of security. In one instance indeed, memorable in the latter history of Persia,13 the resources of Bushire supported the sinking fortunes of the last dynasty. Lootf Ali Khan, after the murder of his father Jaffier Khan, king of Persia, fled for refuge to Sheik Nasr. The Sheik, in memory of his ancient attachment to Jaffier Khan, received the prince with the warmest hospitality, and gathering the Arab tribes under his controul, resolved to lead them in the cause which was thus trusted to his honour. The prince in the mean time prepared, by letters, his friends at Shiraz to second their operations; and the measures were continued with secrecy and success, when, in the words of the Persian historian,14 "The boat of Sheik Nasr Khan's existence from the beating waves of the sea of life, had received considerable injury; and the bark of his age, from the irresistible tempest of death was overwhelmed in the sea of mortality." In his last moments the Sheik committed to his son the duty which he was no longer permitted to execute himself. The son fulfilled his father's charge with faithfulness: in two or three months he had assembled a large force of Arab tribes15, and advanced with them towards Shiraz: when a conspiracy in the camp of their enemy enabled them in the first instance to succeed without a battle, and eventually to reinstate on his throne the Prince who was confided to them. The story marks the character of the two nations more fully, if the history of Lootf Ali Khan, before his flight to Bushire, be recollected. Although his father had reigned in Persia for a long time (compared with the usurpations which preceded,) although himself had long accustomed the people to serve and triumph with him, yet in the first moment of distress (the arrival of the intelligence of his father's slaughter, and of the orders of the conspirators to seize him), even in his own camp he was left unsupported by all. Five, indeed, fled with him in the night to Bushire; but in the morning the whole camp had dispersed without an effort; and all had submitted to the usurpers. The contrast now begins: the Prince threw himself on the protection of the Arabs, the vassals or allies of his father; he was welcomed with the most warm fidelity, supported by their honour, and restored by their valour to his throne.
The Sheik of Bushire, who in his dying charge had bequeathed this cause to his successor, is still remembered in his general conduct with reverence. Whenever his little domain was threatened either by the Government of Persia, or by a neighbouring chief, Sheik Nasr flew to arms. According to the traditional accounts of the country, his summons to his followers in these emergencies was equally characteristic and effectual. He mounted two large braziers of Pillau on a camel, and sent it to parade round the country. The rough pace of the animal put the ladles in motion, so that they struck the sides of the vessels at marked intervals, and produced a most sonorous clang. As it traversed the Dashtistan, it collected the mob of every district; every one had tasted the Arab hospitality of the Sheik, and every one remembered the appeal, and crowded round the ancient standard of their chief, till his camel returned to him surrounded by a force sufficient to repel the threatened encroachments. In every new emergency the camel was again sent forth, and all was again quiet.
The territory, therefore, of Bushire, and the neighbouring district, remained under the rule of the Arabs, unviolated by the successive Princes, who have conquered and retained so large a portion of the rest of Persia. But Abdullah Resoul, the grandson of Sheik Nasr, inherited the office only of his predecessor, and possessed no qualities which could command the affections and the services of his people; and though at the time of our landing the government was vested in him as the descendant of the ancient possessors, it was obviously improbable that Bushire, which had now become the principal port of Persia, would be suffered to remain long under the administration of a young Arab, of sluggish, dissolute, and unwarlike habits.
In the evening of the 16th Oct. (the day after our landing), the Sheik of Bushire, escorted by several of the principal men of the town, paid a visit to the Envoy. They had not sat long, when a man came in and whispered something in the ear of one of the visitants, which caused the Sheik to arise, take a hasty leave, and gallop at full speed into the town. The Government of Shiraz had sent a body of men to seize him. He had just time to reach Bushire before the party of Shiraz horsemen could overtake him. He immediately mustered all his little force, planted a guard on the walls, and himself kept constant watch at the gates. He had indeed anticipated the probable designs of the Court of Shiraz; and, though now apparently resolved on the last resistance, he had already taken the precaution of shipping most of his property on his own vessels, and with them meditated to retire to Bussora.
The commander of the Shiraz horsemen, to whom the commission was intrusted, was Mahomed Khan, the Nasakchee Bashee, an office not ill understood by that of chief executioner16. He is always employed, at least, in seizing state prisoners, though his personal character is rather opposite to the duties of his situation; for to the facetiousness of his temper, according to the report of his countrymen, he owes the favour of the Prince of Shiraz, and through that favour, his office; and, as a second consequence, the monopoly of tobacco17. In the discharge of his functions the Nasakchee Bashee is generally supposed to realize in every commission a considerable sum, besides the maintenance of himself and his followers at the expence of the individuals against whom he may successively be sent. While he waited the accomplishment of his present attempt, he remained encamped at a short distance from the town. About twelve o'clock on the 18th, he made a visit of ceremony to the Envoy. He was attended by eighteen men, himself alone mounted on a horse; on his arrival he seated himself on a couch next to Sir Harford Jones, and his men extended themselves in two rows to the right and left before him. The conversation consisted of mutual compliments about health, the hopes of continued amity between Persia and England, and the never failing topic the weather. The whole party wore the black sheep-skin cap (the dress of every rank of Persians), and almost all had pistols in their girdles; some had muskets, and all, except the Khan's own body servants, had swords. Most of them also wore the green and high-heeled slippers of ceremony, and every man had a full black beard. On the day of this visit, the Sheik, as a douceur perhaps to engage the Envoy's interference in his cause, sent him a present of two horses.
On the 20th. I went on the part of the Envoy to return the visit of the Nasakchee Bashee. He was encamped among some date trees; and living in the remains of a house which was all in ruins, but which he had screened up with mats to keep off the sun and wind. A clean mat was spread on the floor, carpets were arranged all around, and his bed and...
