The Project Gutenberg eBook of Raiders of the Sarhad
Title: Raiders of the Sarhad
Author: R. E. H. Dyer
Release date: January 29, 2016 [eBook #51070]
Most recently updated: October 22, 2024
Language: English
Credits: E-text prepared by John Campbell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org)
The Project Gutenberg eBook, Raiders of the Sarhad, by R. E. H. (Reginald Edward Harry) Dyer
| Note: | Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/raidersofsarhadb00dyeruoft |
THE RAIDERS OF THE SARHAD
THE RAIDERS OF THE SARHAD
OF ARMS AND BLUFF AGAINST THE
BRIGANDS OF THE PERSIAN-BALUCHI
BORDER DURING THE GREAT WAR
BY
Brigadier-General R. E. H. DYER, C.B.
WITH NUMEROUS PHOTOGRAPHS AND TWO MAPS
LONDON
H. F. & G. WITHERBY
326 HIGH HOLBORN, W.C.
1921
PREFACE
With the greatest diffidence I have at last made up my mind to write the story of my small campaign with the Sarhad Raiders in 1916.
This campaign sinks into utter insignificance when compared with the great deeds done in other theatres of war by men who said nothing about them. But, insignificant as it was, it forms part of the mosaic of the Great War, and for this reason may be of some general interest.
I take this opportunity of paying a tribute to all the officers who took part in this little campaign. Their untiring devotion to duty, and their efforts to do their utmost under conditions that were often more than trying, accounts for its success.
I would like, in particular, to mention Major Landon of the 35th Scinde Horse, whose great knowledge of the people and their country was invaluable; Major Sanders of the 36th Sikhs; Colonel Claridge of the 28th Light Cavalry; Captain Brownlow and Captain Hirst, both of the 28th Light Cavalry; Major Lang; Captain Moore-Lane; Lieutenant Bream of the Hazara Pioneers, and Captain English, R.A.
In addition I would mention how much, not only I, but the old country owes to Khan Bahadur, the Sarhad-dar, and to Idu, non-commissioned officer of the Chagai Levies.
The photographs are from snapshots taken by various officers during the campaign.
R.E.H.D.
CONTENTS
| CHAPTER I | |
| ORDERS FOR THE WEST | PAGE |
| I receive my orders—German agents and India—Their routes—A deal in chauffeurs—Concerning an appetite and sausages—Nushliki— The last of civilisation—Further information—Sand-holes and digging—Petrol in the desert | 15 |
| CHAPTER II | |
| THE ROAD TO ROBAT | |
| Mushki-chah—The native contractor—An evening rencontre—Idu of the Chagai Levies— The native idea of an airship—Idu the invaluable—Robat | 30 |
| CHAPTER III | |
| A PLAN OF CAMPAIGN | |
| An "intelligent" officer—Matters political—Three tribes and a fourth—Their women and inter-tribal laws—Sarhad conditions— A summons to the Chiefs—A bid for rank—Telegraph wires and Sheitan—Two first-class liars—A strategic scheme— An ungazetted General—Lost kit—Swallows and flies—Forces available—Communications freed—The Kacha levy and a shock—Mirjawa | 37 |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| BLUFF AND ARMS | |
| Ladis and its fort—A force without arms—First sight of the enemy—Shah Sawar and more bluff—Battle—Bluff succeeds— Casualties—Bad news from the North—Idu's proposition—Jiand's stragglers—Jiand's white flag | 55 |
| CHAPTER V | |
| KHWASH AND MORE BLUFF | |
| Jiand's surrender—A political lecture—Jiand's oath—Bluff for Khwash—The army moves forward—Khwash and its fort— Mahommed-Hassan comes in—Beetles as scavengers—Halil Khan comes in—Rifle prices, a comparison—Idu's warning— News of Izzat—Order of march—Bluff for Bampur—The meteor hole | 69 |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| A FULL BAG OF PRISONERS | |
| The march to Kacha—The food supply—Flowers in the Wilderness—Galugan—Repeated strategy—Juma Khan comes in— The bag is full—The throne of the dancing maidens—Landon declines—Idu's doubts—Suspicions aroused—Halil Khan closes up— Kacha, oaths, and thumb-marks—The Chiefs depart—Bad news | 87 |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| THE RACE FOR KHWASH | |
| Plans and routes—Car versus legs—An equestrian interlude—The trap in the gorge—More digging—Rendezvous—Mrs Idu and gastronomy— A reinforcement—A message to Landon—Izzat's men—Idu's romance—A "British Bulldog"—The car abandoned | 103 |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| KHWASH AND THE SECOND SURRENDER | |
| Doubts dispelled—Organisation for defence—Idu's "Exiat"—And its result—Jiand arrives—Idu's second visit— The Sarhad-dar arrives—Landon at last—Jiand's visit of ceremony—The Gul-Bibi—Shah Sawar's treachery—We call on the "Rose Lady"— A carpet and the Sarhad-dar's advice—Another Durbar—Returned loot—Temporary peace | 122 |
| CHAPTER IX | |
| TREACHERY AND ITS SEQUEL | |
| Further reinforcements—Entrenchments and gardens—Government inquiries—Food supplies—An offer to Jiand—Murad and straw— Shah Sawar again—Sentence—Idu's suggestion—Re-enter the Rose Lady—News of Jiand's intentions—A vital moment—A round-up— The Sarhad-dar's advice—A Bhusa hunt—Distrustful wives | 143 |
| CHAPTER X | |
| FAILURE AND FRESH PLANS | |
| Slave buying—A diet discovery—Poetic justice—Disposition of prisoners—Incredible news—The Sawar's story—Disposal of forces— The march to Kamalabad—Jiand gains his freedom—Retreat to Khwash | 165 |
| CHAPTER XI | |
| SUCCESS IN MINIATURE | |
| The night attack—The Hazaras arrive—Jiand retires—We march on the Sar-i-drokan valley—Cavalry strategy—"Gushti's" decision and opinion— "The Hole of Judgment"—Attack and retirement—A lost and regained water-supply—The Sarhadis as humorists—The mud fort— Halil Khan's arrival—The fight at dawn—Exit Halil Khan—A prophet—The Hazaras' request | 181 |
| CHAPTER XII | |
| VICTORY AND PEACE | |
| News of the herds—Towards Dast-Kird—Water!—Mutton for all—Dast-Kird—A stampede—Back to Khwash— On the track of the Gamshadzais—Twice a prophet—The Sarhad-dar's roost—Before Jalk—Rejected terms—More strategy and a bloodless victory—Remain only terms and sick leave | 201 |
| Index | 221 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
| PAGE | ||
| A TYPICAL GORGE IN THE SARHAD | Frontispiece | |
| IN DIFFICULTIES BETWEEN NASARATABAD AND ROBAT | Facing | 25 |
| "A GOOD LIAR," LANDON'S ORDERLY AND CHIEF SPY | " | 49 |
| QUESTIONING A SARHADI PRISONER | " | 59 |
| JIAND'S MEN COMING IN TO PARLEY | " | 71 |
| KHWASH FORT | " | 75 |
| SURRENDERED RAIDERS, (CENTRE) JIAND, (RIGHT) SHAH SAWAR, (LEFT) HALIL KHAN | " | 89 |
| CAMEL CORPS SAWARS AT THE TERMINATION OF AN EXPEDITION | " | 97 |
| THE DURBAR AT KHWASH | " | 141 |
| RAIDER CHIEFS AT THE DURBAR AT KHWASH | " | 141 |
| RAIDED SLAVES ON THE WAY TO THEIR HOMES | " | 167 |
| A PERSIAN GIRL CAPTURED BY JUMA KHAN | " | 167 |
| CAPTURED RAIDERS ON THE WAY TO KACHA | " | 173 |
| ON THE MARCH TOWARDS GUSHT, AND THE MORPEISH HILLS | " | 185 |
| HAZARAS ON A PICKET POST BELOW WHICH HALIL KHAN WAS KILLED | " | 197 |
| WATER! ON THE MARCH TO THE SAR-I-DROKAN | " | 203 |
| HAZARA PIONEERS WIDENING A PASSAGE FOR LOADED CAMELS | " | 215 |
| CHAHGIRD FORT IN JALK | " | 217 |
MAPS
| PAGE | ||
| SKETCH MAP OF THE PERSIAN-BALUCHI-AFGHAN FRONTIERS | Facing | 15 |
| SKETCH MAP OF THE FIGHT IN THE MORPEISH HILLS | " | 181 |
THE RAIDERS OF THE SARHAD