Wat and Revolution in Asiatic Russia
and development of Khurdistan, and that is by the exercise of a little honesty, that quality so rare in diplomacy. If the governing power deals fairly with the natives, improves roads, irrigates the land, and builds schools, the object of which is not merely to teach the children garbled history about their own country, the natives will then become confident, and turn their activities to works of production rather than of destruction. Khurdish unrest is very largely a symptom of dissatisfaction with the neighbouring Powers, that are trying to gain control of the country by dubious methods.
The Khurds are probably the descendants of that race which at the dawn of history occupied the highlands of the Taurus range. Periodically descending into the rich lands at their feet, and founding dynasties over the lazy inhabitants of the oases, they have in times past acquired powerful influence over Persian affairs. The ancient kingdom of Media was probably formed by one of these Khurdish incursions. They have in turn fallen greatly under Persian cultural influences, and their language is distinctly Iranian. But since the rise of the Ottoman Empire, part of them have fallen under Turkish influence. Setting aside the Kizil Bashis, who are probably the relics of another partially Khurdicized highland race, and the Jaff Khurds in Mesopotamia, there are two main cultural groups. The western group, inhabiting eastern Asia Minor up to the Turco-Persian border, speaks a Kirmandji dialect of Khurdish, containing a certain admixture of Turkish words. The eastern group in north-western Persia speaks Mukri, which shows strong traces of Persian influence.
Socially, the Khurds are divided into two castes. The
108
