Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 137.djvu/106

100 He was gone. The whole deputation returned to their hills. Though they had seen no troops, the collection of supplies which was going on must have convinced them that a force was about to enter their country. Still the tribal headmen did not come in. Spies reported they were assembling and consulting. It was a matter of days now, and beyond the collection of supplies, which was progressing well, nothing had been done towards arranging the preliminary conditions imposed by Government, and the question of carriage had still to be decided. I was relying on the Shiranis themselves supplying 2000 hill bullocks – small, hardy animals, with hoofs like iron, each capable of carrying a load of 200 lb. But until the headmen should appear and arrange terms, nothing could be done. In desperation I addressed a sort of ultimatum to the tribe, threatening it in vague language with the displeasure of Government did it not consent to do, with a good grace, what otherwise, sooner or later, it would be compelled to do. This time, instead of employing spies, I sent in some of my most reliable men, officials and non-officials. The ultimatum was a brutum fulmen; and if, by some mischance, the Government terms had leaked out amongst the Shiranis, they would know that it was such. Having been required to accomplish in a few weeks a work for which months should have been allowed, the stake played was worth the risk run. Whilst my men were in the hills, I lived months in days, so intense was my anxiety. About the evening of the fourth day, two horsemen came hurrying in to say that the tribal representative council would reach next morning. In they came, most of them on foot, some on horseback, about 100 in all.

They were then feasted, cajoled, and threatened, and silvered persuasion was employed to induce the leading recusants to use their influence with their fellow-clansmen to further the Government object. In thus purchasing a man's vote and interest, I had to be more cautious than any M.P., for corrupt practices were as abhorrent to Shiranis (tribally), as they are to Englishmen (collectively). Individually, every man was greedy to sell himself, provided that the purchase could be effected without the knowledge of the others, and several of the most fractious were so bought. When everything was in train for a settlement, I met the whole council in solemn assembly. The discussion which followed was as hollow and theatrical as a set debate in Parliament. The result had been prearranged; and although some of the late malcontents still harangued and raised objections, as patriots should, I knew that they were now my own men. By exposing their selfishness I might have brought down upon them the virtuous indignation of their fellow-clansmen, whose republicanism would have insisted on an equal division of the money already bestowed amongst all. Although in reality a poor little comedy was being performed, the uninitiated spectator would have thought the proceedings grave and serious enough for a tragedy.

Some readers may think that it was undignified on the part of a responsible political officer to stoop to finesse and underhand diplomacy in order to effect the object in view. No doubt it would have been more dignified had Government simply announced to the Shiranis that a strongly escorted survey-party would enter their hills and ascend the Takht, and that if any resistance was offered it