and the fact has
been verified--that the annual tax imposed upon the Zoroastrians
rose to 660 tomans. The governors and collectors having gone on
increasing its amount in order to profit by the surplus, the sum
rose to nearly 2,000 tomans, or L1,000 sterling, about 25,000 francs
of our money. According to statistics, a thousand Zoroastrians were
compelled to pay. Of these two hundred could pay it without difficulty,
four hundred with much trouble; the rest could not do so even under
threats of death. Lamentable scenes have ensued at the time of the
collection of this onerous tax. [53] Sometimes these unfortunate
beings turned to their brethren in India in the hope of obtaining a
favourable intervention with the Persian Government, such as some of
the European Powers had effectually attempted in certain cases.

Dishonoured by the appellation of Guebres or "Infidels," they endured
at the hands of the Mussulmans sufferings similar to those endured
in India by the members of the Mahar caste at the hands of the
well-born Hindoos. [54] All relations, all intercourse with them
were tainted with pollution; a host of lucrative occupations were
forbidden to them. Moreover, we know the frightful inequality of laws
in Mahomedan countries, where the general rule is to grant aid and
protection to the true believers and to ignore these rights in the
case of the infidels. Instances of this are too numerous to be quoted;
we will content ourselves with pointing out this inequality without
any further comment. [55]

In the presence of this painful state of affairs the Parsis in India
could not remain indifferent. Mr. Dosabhai Framji Karaka wrote,
a quarter of a century back: [56] "Can we then do nothing for our
unfortunate brethren in Persia? Our community has considerable funds
and possesses men known throughout the world for their benevolence
and their noble efforts towards the amelioration of the condition of
their co-religionists.... It seems to us that a deputation from us
to the Court of Persia, presented and duly supported by the English
Ambassador at Teheran, might successfully attempt some negotiations
with a view to put an end to the cruelty practised every day. The
amount raised by the Capitation Tax with such useless violence must
be to the Imperial treasury insignificant in the extreme, and there
is no doubt that a representation from the Parsis of India has all
chances of being favourably received. Persian princes seldom k