Wild North America 1846

After living in Kuwait City for a few days, an Ottoman cavalry team of more than [-] people from Basra arrived here, and under the guidance of local colonial officials, they met Colonel Lei Xiao in the manor.

They came to meet the special military delegation after receiving a telegram from Baghdad.

Before the railway was completed, there were two roads to Baghdad, one by water and the other by land.

Riding on horseback is the way most people choose. Due to the rough roads on the Gobi Desert, horse-drawn carriages are only used for freight, and passengers can be bumpy enough to make people doubt their lives. It is better to ride a horse.

There are many towns along the Shatt al-Arab River, where accommodation and rest are very convenient, and are commonly used by most caravans.

Sir Mai Guangmin suggested to take a steamer. His family has a ready-made steamer with a capacity of more than 300 tons, which has a shallow draft and high horsepower.

The latter way of passage is more comfortable, provided that the Baghdad Governor's permission is required to issue a special pass.

Colonel Lei Xiao naturally adopted Sir Mai Guangmin's suggestion. There is no need for so many cavalry guards to take the steamer. A group of 14 people plus Caroline and Mai's two maids, the Ottoman cavalry led by Captain Kaman more than 10 people Board the ship, and return on your own.

Sir Mak Kwong Man's steamer was ready very quickly, and his second son Mak Dang Hsiung also led 16 capable Chinese gunmen on board to defend Colonel Lei Xiao and his party along the way.

Mr. Enzo loaded 120 barrels of kerosene in the bottom warehouse of the steamer. This stuff will be worth a lot in Baghdad. Nobles’ communication and exchanges cost money. This batch of goods is regarded as a tribute to Colonel Lei Xiao.

Sitting on the steamer, the forward speed is quite fast.

After traveling along the bay for two days, the steamer entered the mouth of the Arabian River, and then traveled up the mouth of the river for half a day before arriving at Basra, known as the "Venice of the East".

Instead, Basra is 120 kilometers away from the Persian Gulf in the south. It is the only hub connecting the Persian Gulf and the Euphrates inland water system. Sea-going ships can sail directly to the pier, and several large ships can berth at a time to unload.

From here, there are many rivers and lakes, the water regime is complex, and the Arabian River is seriously silted up year after year, so only small ships in the inland river can pass.

Basra is the second largest city in the Baghdad province and one of the earliest port cities in the world. The city has a very Arabian style, and you can see local tribes in long robes holding camels and horses everywhere.

Colonel Lei Xiao came on a whim, abandoned the ship and landed here, and took Caroline, Major Pan Zhixin and other entourages to visit the city.

in the bustling street market

Colonel Lei Xiao and his party, who were wearing the imperial military uniform, were very eye-catching. Under the escort of Captain Kaman, the local Arabs avoided one after another, showing fear on their faces.

The Ottoman soldiers under Captain Kaman were very cruel to the local Arabs. As long as there were shopkeepers or street vendors who could not dodge with their loads, they would rush up and kick them over, causing the potatoes and onions to roll to the ground.

The Ottoman soldiers and the Arabs cannot be equated. The Ottomans are of Europa race. Historically, they had mixed with the Greeks in large numbers and mixed with the Turkic-speaking Oghuz from the Ilkhanate, thus forming a very unique culture. nationality.

In its heyday, the empire spanned the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, and once ruled the Spanish peninsula for nearly 200 years.

The Arabs are only one of the hundreds of ethnic groups under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. Baghdad is a frontier province of the empire and is governed by Lord Pasha. This is the same as Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Jordan and other regions.

Colonel Lei Xiao turned a blind eye to the ferocity of the Ottoman soldiers. He himself was born in the army. When the Tang Empire army suppressed the colonies, their methods were equally cruel, even worse.

This kind of thing is not surprising.

He was admiring the large-scale mosque buildings, and the local exotic buildings and pedestrians were the focus of his attention, when suddenly his arms tightened.

It turned out that it was the bold Caroline who came up to her. She raised her pitiful and delicate face with a begging look in her eyes.

Colonel Lei Xiao shook his arm lightly, but he didn't shake it off, and could only let Caroline hold his arm, which was quite an intimate gesture.

Caroline was wearing a set of the latest Parisian complex pleated skirt, which was quite expensive. After satisfying her small thoughts, she showed a happy smile on her face.

Local women in Basra wear headscarves. Caroline's move is undoubtedly very bold, but everyone pretends not to see it.

The group stopped and went, and bought some local specialty camel yogurt and dates to taste. Everyone's teeth were sour after drinking, and they couldn't help grinning with bitterness.

Even better are dates, an extremely sweet dried fruit that satisfies the Arabian need for sweetness.

"Caroline, have you been to Basra before?"

"Of course my honorable lord, because of my father's business, I have been to Basra, Baghdad and farther Munich, and more than once. Our family also has a beautiful manor in Munich, and we can live there over there."

"There don't seem to be many Chinese here, do you know why?"

"I know that the taxes in the Ottoman Empire were very heavy, and local officials exploited and oppressed merchants. Generally speaking, it is difficult for merchants without a foothold to stand, let alone make money."

"According to the bilateral agreement between Datang and the Ottoman Empire, um...the Ottomans should provide an equal business environment. Are they deliberately targeting Chinese businessmen?"

"Can't you say that?" Caroline looked up and thought for a while, then shook her head seriously, and explained;
"The Ottomans were not good at management, but their rule was very brutal and they suppressed foreign forces very hard, no matter Arabs, Persians, Greeks, Bohemians, Armenians or Syrians, all of them were like this.

For the European and American powers, these local rulers have a deep sense of fear and do not allow the local people to cooperate with the British, French and Tang merchants.

Violators are often punished with ransacking their homes and exterminating their families.

Without the cooperation of the local people, it is difficult to grow the business, and it is also difficult to do it strong, let alone take root in the local area.

We Chinese smugglers in Kuwait City.They are all in secret contact with the local big family, and cooperate in private, and must not be made public.

once word leaks

For these local big families and tribal forces, they may face a catastrophe.

Lord Pasha in Baghdad will never allow the situation of coercing foreign countries to happen. In their view, this is an extremely serious crime and must be severely punished. "

After explaining in this way, Colonel Lei Xiao nodded thoughtfully, only then did he understand the reason.

The Tang Empire has well-established trade treaties with major countries in the world, including the Ottoman Empire, giving each other business convenience.

If the other party did not abide by the treaty, the Tang Empire would have reason to go mad and forcibly use force to open up the market.

Colonel Lei Xiao came all the way and knew that there were many Chinese businessmen in the capital of the Ottoman Empire, much more than Basra City, which is the most obvious example.

(End of this chapter)