A certain Taki Derrani, a noted shot of Kuhpaia (East of Kashan), brought in a moufflon as a present to the Governor, hoping for a present. Not only was he disappointed in this, but the servants seized his gun until he should give them something. Next morning he appealed to the Governor, but only received a beating for his pains; accordingly he returned home, collected three hundred of his friends, and seized the city, murdering Murad Khan. Hearing of this, Kerim Khan sent Mohamed Amin, Garnis and an Afshar chief to expel him. The latter deserted and returned to Shiraz, where he was duly "sticked," but the former, aided by the citizens, expelled Takf, who was finally killed.

During the reign of Kerim Khan, Send Abul Hasan, Mahallati, the descendant of the chief of the Assassins, was Governor of Kerman for some years, and built the house which was afterwards used as the Consulate, but upon the death of the great Vakil, Kerman, for the last time it is to be hoped, acquired a melancholy fame, at the price of the number of beggars who throng its bazaars to-day.

Kerim Khan's relatives were generally as cruel as he himself was kindly in disposition, but in A.H. 1204 (1789) Lutf Ali Khan succeeded to the throne, and created a reputation for heroism which has never since been equaled in Persia. According to the native chronicler, he had invaded the province in A.h. 1196 (1781), but owing to lack of supplies was forced to abandon the enterprise. A few years later, when betrayed by Hdji Ibrahim and in difficulties, he was invited to Kerman by Mullah Abdulla, the Imam Juma.1 The city thus became the scene of the last act of the struggle for power, which resulted in seating the Kajar dynasty on the throne;indeed Kerman was by no means entirely in favor of Lutf Ali Khan, Murtaza Kuli Khan of Zarand, a partisan of Aga Mohamed, having been appointed Governor by the latter in A.H. 1208 (1793).

The Kajar Eunuch marched towards his prey by Shahr-i-Bobek and Mashiz, and constructed a fortified camp, which is still standing some three miles to the west of the city. At first Lutf Ali Khan fought in the open, but he was finally besieged, and his position becoming desperate, he threw a plank across the ditch, and escaped to Bam. There he was betrayed by his host, who ham-strung his horse as he was mounting. This scene, which would form a grand theme for a painter, terminated the career of the hero, who, after being blinded, was finally put to death. Kerman suffered horrors from which it will not recover for at least another century, 20,000 women and children being sold into slavery, while 70,000 eyes were counted by the brutal conqueror, who, turning to his minister, said: “Had one been wanting, yours would have been taken."

TEN THOUSAND MILES IN PERSIA OR EIGHT YEARS IN IRAN By MAJOR PERCY MOLESWORTH SYKES
H.m. Consul, Kerman And Persian Baluchistan;
Awarded Silver Medal By The Society Of Arts, 1897; The Back Grant In 1899; And Thk
Gold Medal In 1902 By The Royal Geographical Society
LONDON: JOHN MURRAY ALBEMARLE STREET