'The views and opinions of Brigadier General John Jacob, CB. Aide-decamp to the Queen; Aide-de-camp to the Governor General of India, &c. &c. &c.; late commanding in chief the British forces in Persia; at present commanding the Sind Irregular Horse, and Political Superintendent of the North-West frontier of Sind.' [‎67] (98/481)

67
MANAGEMENT OF PASTORAL HILL TRACTS.
I instructed the collector that I did not anticipate we
should be enabled to turn this region to any profitable
account by collecting a revenue from the present scanty
agricultural produce of its rain lands, and that I should not
deem it advisable to levy such tax, even although cultivation
should be extended; but that the hill tracts were chiefly
valuable as grazing-lands, and that we might do something
towards ameliorating the condition of the hillmen, by assist
ing them to construct a few wells or bunds for supplying
their cattle and themselves with water; by endeavouring
to introduce into their villages or grazing districts some
form of patelship; by ascertaining, registering, and perhaps
levying some slight capitation tax upon the cattle; and
by opening up roads through the more frequented villages,
to enable the hillmen to bring the produce of their flocks
and herds readily to market.
With the object of more accurately ascertaining the social
statistics of this region, I supplied the collector a form of
statement, showing the name of every village, tract, or
valley; the names of the chief men, and approximate
estimate of the numbers of inhabitants; the size and de
scription of boundaries ; the number of flocks and herds ;
and the number of wells. But, above all, I impressed on
him the necessity of bearing in mind throughout these
proceedings with the people of the hill tracts, that they
are essentially a pastoral, and, therefore, in some degree
a nomadic race, and that no attempt should be made
towards compelling them to have recourse to agriculture;
on the contrary, that they should be left wholly free to
choose their own mode of life, as circumstances might
permit.