!['Reconaissance through Baluchistan and Seistan, 1897' [‎10v] (25/120)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0002fc/Mss Eur F111_300_0025.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'Reconaissance through Baluchistan and Seistan, 1897' [‎10v] (25/120)")
'Reconaissance through Baluchistan and Seistan, 1897' [10v] (25/120)
The record is made up of 1 volume (58 folios). It was created in 1897. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
16
Feeling of
the people.
It may be said of Mir Abas, “ laugh and grow fat he is a young man of 40 years,
and always wears a genial frank smile of contentment; he rendered the Mission through
out our stay in Seistan some genuine service, and he is most loyally disposed to the
British Government.
It is satisfactory to note that the chiefs and tribes inhabiting Seistan and the
intervening districts are almost without exception loyal to the British; this I also
found to be the case in southern Perso-Baluchistan and Sarkad on my former tour.
Baluchistan and Afghanistan are always spoken of as Mal-i-Angrez, and many are of
opinion we have some lien on Seistan by arrangement with the Shah.
None but the higher officials of Birjand, Tabas, and Seistan, knew or cared anything
of the plague, but all, of high and low degree, were cognisant of the fact that the trade
routes had been closed at the instigation of Russia ; the possibility of the Russians now
annexing Khorassan and Seistan, as they had encroached on Northern Persia, was openly
discussed on many occasions by the officials, priests and more enlightened people.
As far as my experience goes, the people of Southern Khorassan and Seistan are
averse to the probable presence of Russia, and her action in causing the routes to be
closed has not increased her popularity.
The fact of our presence and prolonged stay in the country gave rise to the rumour
which spread far and near throughout Khorassan and Afghanistan, that the British Sirkar
had caused the routes to be opened again in face of Russian influence.
In conversation with the officials, clergy and more educated, feelers were repeatedly
thrown out as to the possibility of the purchase and incorporation of Seistan with British-
Baluchistan, which remote contingency seems to be the great desire of all excepting
“ Birjandi & Co.” ®
1 frankly told all that the British Government were not desirous of acquiring or
adding any more to her already large possessions; her desire was to protect her own,
open up the avenues of commerce to all nations, and live in peace with her neighbours. ’
About this item
- Content
This volume is a confidential report, printed at the War Office, by Harrison and Sons, printers in ordinary to Her Majesty, in 1899, and authored by Major George Washington Brazier-Creagh, Intelligence Division, War Office, concerning the resources, administration and general affairs in Baluchistan and Seistan [Sīstān] following his political mission in 1897. The report contains an introduction by the author, (folio 4), dated 5 December 1898, in which he mentions that details from the report are being incorporated into the Baluchistan Gazetteer and Route books. He also pays tribute to Colonel Bell and Captain Henry Dundas Napier who preceded him, as well as Captain Arthur Henry McMahon and George Passman Tate. The text of the report is accompanied by footnotes and section headings appear in the left and right hand margins.
The report includes a table of contents on folio 5 with the following five chapters:
- 'Chapter I. General Account of Journey across the Baluchistan Desert' (folios6-8), including details of incidents en route, future trade prospects, danger threatening commerical prospects, and a list of leading merchants in Seistan;
- Chapter II. Russian Designs and Political Consideration' (folios 8v-10), includsing details of future policy, approaches to Seistan, alternative routes, influential Sardars of Seistan, treatment of refugees by the British Government, and the feeling of the people;
- 'Chapter III. Resources and Population of Seistan' (folios 11-24), including details of administration, fertile places, a list of villages, climate, seasons and winds, sanitation, population, transport (camels, donkeys and horses), windmills, agriculture, industries and trade, Camel Corps, sport and shooting, locusts, and fish;
- 'Chapter IV. Exploration of the District in the West and South' (folio 25), including details of crossing the Dasht-i-Shelag, pollution of wells, character of country, routes, and pilgrimage;
- 'Chapter V. Land System - Revenue and Productions &c' (folios 26-29), including details of ijaras [ ijārah ], tenant rights and responsibilities, hardship of tenants, collection of revenue, culturable area, annual yield, surplus grain, irregularity and delayed water supply, and ancient ruins.
There is a list of nine appendices (folio 5v) as follows:
- 'A.- Geneaological tables of Sarbandi, Kayani, and Naroi tribes' (folios 30-31);
- 'B.- List of Taoki tribes in Seistan' (folio 31v);
- 'C.- Average temperature of each camp', April to November 1897 (folios 32-35);
- 'D.- Aneroid readings', April to November 1897 (folios 36-39);
- 'E.- List of wells and springs', with serial numbers corresponding to 'Map No. II' (folio 39v);
- 'F.- List of villages', with serial numbers corresponding to 'Map No. II' (folios 40-41);
- 'G.- Table of meteorological observations, Baluchistan' (folios 41v-43);
- 'H.- Table of meteorological observations, Seistan' (folios 44-50);
- 'I.- Table of meteorological observations, Neh and Birjand Districts' (folios 50v-51).
The file also includes five maps and sketches, store in a pocket (folio 58). They are listed on folio 5v as follows:
- 'No. 1. Baluchistan and Seistan' (folio 53);
- 'No. 2. Seistan' (folio 54);
- 'No. 3. Route plan of Robat Nala' (folio 55);
- 'No. 4. Waterways of the Helmund [Helmand] Delta' (folio 56);
- ’No. 5. Nasratabad [Naṣratābād] Fort' (folio 57).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (58 folios)
- Arrangement
This volumes contains a page of contents (folio 5) referencing page numbers.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover, and terminates at the inside back cover; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.Pagination: The volume also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'Reconaissance through Baluchistan and Seistan, 1897' [10v] (25/120), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/300, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025688316.0x00001a> [accessed 13 August 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100025688316.0x00001a
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100025688316.0x00001a">'Reconaissance through Baluchistan and Seistan, 1897' [‎10v] (25/120)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100025688316.0x00001a"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0002fc/Mss Eur F111_300_0025.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0002fc/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/300
- Title
- 'Reconaissance through Baluchistan and Seistan, 1897'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:57v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence