'Report of Khan Bahadur Maula Bakhsh, Attaché to the Agent to the Governor General of India and Her Britannic Majesty's Consul-General for Khurasan and Sistan, on His Journey from Meshed to Quetta via Turbat-i-Haidari, Kain, Sistan, Kuh-i-Malik Siah and Nushki (7th April to 28th July 1898)' [‎40r] (84/156)

ON HIS JOUENEY FKOM MESHED TO QUETTA, 1898.
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H
effect that Mirza Rahim Khan Marvi, the Russian Agent, behaved improperly
in Sistan and ought to be removed from there. 1 y
(a) He mentioned fdrther that the dwelling house recently built by the
Sale of th« ex-Russian Agent’s house (generally l^te Russian Agent (MirZa Rahim Khdn
beHeved to be the Russian Consulate building in Marvi) in Husaindbad, which had given
Sl8tan) ‘ . rise to exaggerated reports to the effect
that the Russian Government had constructed large Consulate buildino-s in
Sistan at an outlay of thousands of Tumans, was being offered for sale for
Tumans 150 (about R500) by the ex-Agent’s family. He said that it was a
small two-storied structure of sun-dried bricks containing four or five rooms
and a small yard which he valued at about a hundred tumans (about R330),
but that it was not expected to realize more than about Tumans 80 (about
R260). v
(b) I intended to question Agha Mulla Mehdi on the subject of the
An interesting letter from the leading priest of Contents Of llis letter to my addl’CSS which
Sistd,u had reached me just as I was leaving
Meshed and to ask him to explain himself more clearly; but the unexpected
See paragraph 12 . arrival of another visitor put an end to
our conversation, and owing to the
Mulla’s numerous engagements on account of the Muharram, I was unable to
obtain another interview with him during my short stay in Sistan.
79. Shaikh Ismail Turshizi, one of the leading priests of Meshed, who
Shaikh Ismail, a leading priest of ileshed, under W3S deported in Connection with the
surveillance in Sist<n. ^ ^ murder of a man accused of being a Babi,
arrived at Nasirabad (Sistan) under a guard of Persian Cossacks on the ] 8th
April. He is the guest of the Deputy Governor of Sistan.
The people of Sistan think he has been very badly treated. They sympa
thise with him and hold him in great reverence and esteem.
Shaikh Ismail devotes all his time to saying prayers, reading the Kuran, or
delivering discourses on religious subjects. He does not interfere tvith the
public affairs of Sistan as he did in Meshed. The deportation has had a
healthy effect on him and he seems to be very penitent.
He is praying for the removal of the Rukn-ud-Dowleh from Khurasdn,
which, he thinks, will enable him to return to Meshed.
The people of Sistan blame the Russian Consulate-
General at, Meshed for haying caused priests to he
deported.
(a) The people of Sistan blame the
Russian Consulate-General at Meshed for
having caused Shaikh Ismail and other
priests to be deported from Meshed.
80. Speaking of Hospital Assistant Abbas Ali, the Deputy Governor and
Gratuitous medical aid afforded by the British the leading priests told me that the
Government to the people of sistan. ^ Hospital Assistant had, during his stay
of about .five months in Sistdn (February to May 1898), attended them and
many other patients; that he had displayed tact and ability in the discharge of
his duties and given medicine free to all who had applied to him for it; and
that whenever his services had been called into requisition he had given general
satisfaction in the performance of his work.
Hospital Assistant Abbas Ali’s compounder, Inait Ali, was also well
spoken of by all.
As far as I can ascertain the gratuitous medical aid thus afforded by the
British Government has had a very good effect on the people who are grateful
for it.
81. It is reported that Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Sir Nauroz Khan of Khardn left Gulugah
Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. sir Nauroz Kimn of Kharan’e visit to the (Sarhad) for Nasratabad on the 17th May
Governor-General of Kirman. 1898 ^
He is said to have paid a visit to the Asaf-ud-Dowleh, Governor-General
of Kirman at Bampur, and the latter is
e« paragraphs 37 and 95. reported to have conferred a sword and a
robe of honour upon him.