IN "NO MAN'S LAND."

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1916, Page 12

IN "NO MAN'S LAND."

•A KHURDISH AMNESTY. We have received (says the Manchester Guardian) from our correspondent, Mr, Phillip Price, whose articles on the chaos the war has caused in Persia we have recently published from time to time, the following description of the scenes he witnessed when the KiNjians recently granted a general amnest, 1 to the Khnrdish chiefs on the Turco-Persian border. Urumiah (Persia), October. The Russian military authorities have promised a general amnesty to all Khnrdish chiefs who will come in and make peace with Russia within a given time. According to the terms, (he property of those who have been fighting against Russia will be respected, and in return the chiefs will sign a pledge of good behaviour before the Persian Government, will help to repatriate the Christian population of ilheir district, and finally will leave one of their sons as hostage with the Persian Governor of Urumiah.

Recently I was privileged to witno-.,-some of the scenes connected with thi.' Khurdish amnesty. Starting from mi old Persian town one. morning on horseback, I rode out with a small company towards the mountains which divide Turkey fro.n Persia. The Cossack posts lay a short distance up a river valley where a fertile plain narrows into a gorge. Perched on rocky eminences which looked back on the plain, chess-boarded with ricefields. orchards, and poplar woods, we looked forward from thoso outposts of the Russian army on a wild and romantic scene. The ridges of the Central Asian plateau rose tier upon tier before one's eyes and were dominated on the horizon by the frowning, snow-speckled mountains of the Tureo-Persian frontier. We were leaking out upon a "no man's land" which, only recently evacuated by the Turkish forces, had not yet been reached jy the Russian army. Here dwelt some »f the Khurdish chiefs with their wild :ribefl, whom it is hoped to make the 'uture buffers between Turkey and Perlia to prevent aggression by the former. Our read lay up a narrow valley along vhieli bounded a mountain stream. The >pen spaces were covered with patches >f drooping wheat and barley, for the var iia s aiopped the work of harvesting' ieiv. Burnt villages and ruined vineaid , were seen on every side. By the ictraija lay the bodies of two dead i'Vui'ds, blackened and twisted in the un. They had been killed a few d:iys ■Etcrs in an tilfrsy with a Cossack pairol. tftev leaving orders for their burial so as .'4 to pollute ihc water supply of the >:«;n, wo proceeded upstream cautiously, '■ion we cmc to an open fiat, where we ;-l.ekl an encampment, a:ul on e.viproaehng discovered a large party of Christian jots who had been hmig up in this

';iuntry between tlie Russian and Tori I'll lines, unable to get back to thei homes. They were in a terrible state d.ul in rags, their means of support con bating of a few rapidly depleting bags of maize. They welcomed Us with joy for their situation was becoming desperile, and told us that, as the Khurds were .ily a short distance ahead, they feared to move another inch.

It was now tho business of our party to find the Khurils and try to secure for these Christians, with their families and oxen, a passage to their homes. Across a neck of the valleyside whicli projected into the plain we suddenly saw the sinister outline of a gigantic man armed from head to foot with rifle, revolver, and dagger. He was the advanced guard of one of the Khurdish tribes whose pacification it was hoped to effect. Soon a dozen such apparitions started up from the earth anil moved towards us. There was a moment of tension, nr.d then a few sentences in Khurdish put them at our feet, for our party contained a doctor, whose influence with a medicine bottle among the Khurds was as valuable as a. military force. Another hour's ride brought us to a caravanserai, or wayside resting-house, from the roof of which flew a tattered flag. A score or more pie;(M'c.-q»e ruffians in baggy trousers and peaked head dress surrounded the building. Here resided a Khurdbh chief who since the ,e\V.cu?.tien of the Turks had set, himself vn », dictator to the '■"i.'iitfvsicle, a"U siv.'i this' Spot on the road had levied tribute on the surrounding villages and on all passers-bv. It whs .|o put a stop to this state of affairs, as well as to pass the Christians on to their homes, that our little expedition had come. The chief lived in the topmost room of the caravanserai, from which a of the surrounding country could be obtained. Xo force of troops could approach up the valley without bring seen, and he and his bodvguilrd were ready to bolt at a moment's notice. All that evening was spent in ccjuxttinc round the chief on a large carpet, while in the dim light the sinister figures of gigantic Khurds, armed to the teeth, stood around us. In the end gentle persuasion was successful; the Christians were allowed to pass, and the chief agreed to make peace with Russia, and a'lb'.re Turkish intrigues in future. Tims

' ■.■.■. use of the Allies triumphed in the V i;>!e and gond-iia-iurcd. if sometimes tub'.ib'iit. minds of the Khurds.

A few days liter I accompanied a similar expedition to meet another chief who Kmi came in to surrender. A Klmrdish liur,tii!:iu with a white fie.ft had come ;luwu the valley to announce his master's approach. On reaching the spot appointed beyond the Cossack posts one was to be seen, and we feared a ruse or oven worse. On returning to the Cossack posts the scouts reported that they had seen nothing, lint if, was surmised that the chief and his body of troops had dr.v.vvi near to the posts had had a fit 01" nerves, and then retreated to another valley, where he was probably in hiding. Leaving all display of armed force behind, so as to cause no fear, we proceeded up (he valley for some distance. Uere we met a native Christian who bad been sent up by the Cossacks to scout. He reported that hj" had seen them early that morning. I . :se::tly we saw a large party of horsemen iciii'v towards us, and recognised the Kli'.ndi.sh chief. 1 have seen few more pic'-inr-iuc sights than a cavalcade of Khurds s\irrr>-.ind ; ng their chiefs.

Their quaint head ilivss. brilliant tunics, and baggy trouper-; all enr.-i.-ue to tone down the' ferocity with which they, display their arms and ammunition, and are indeed an echo of the Middle A;;..?. It is. remarkable to. think that these men

have for a whole year, as instruments of Turkey, been defying the modern military force of Russia', aided by Xiiture and their mountain fastnesses. Our next object was to pass them thi'uiigh (lie Cossack posts without frightening <tlip.ni, for at the sight their iaipuise wag to lake to their heels or get behind a rock and open lire. On being assured of Russia's good intentions, they were persuaded to approach, and after the. necessary explanations wit.li the Cossasks, we passed into the territory occupied by the Russian army, to the shaded spot under a poplar grove where a conference was to take place between the Khurds and the diplomatic representative of the Tsar. Tjie latter explained IBS ipJeasneit $1 cpntinuins' the struggle

against Russia, who, In the course of a hundred years had come out successful from every conflict with Turkey* lie added also that Russia had over' 20,000>00 Moslems among her subjects, all of whom were contented with their lot, and th* Khurds, therefore., had no need to fear from entering into relations with her. These words had their eil'ect, and it is honed that before very long-most of the Khnrds of the Turco-Peraian border will have settled accounts with Russia, and will assist the Persian Government in withstanding any further Turkish intrigue.