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'Reconaissance through Baluchistan and Seistan, 1897' [19r] (42/120)
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.
i
(907)
Windmills.
33
a £
a £
^•2 ^
= 2'3 J
55
30
70
27
550
22
20
Remarks.
Ruined.
This is the first village of importance in Southern Seistan being the en
trepots where the Sarhad and Bam-Narmishin kafilas make for on arii\al
in the country. The village was founded some 200 years ago by Moham
mad Roza Khan Sarbandi, he also founded several adjoining villages, viz.:
Hussainabad, Tuti, Sehkoha, &c. The present chief of the tribe is
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.
Purdil Khan, who resides here with his family and a strong following of
the tribe who are scattered throughout Seistan. The strength of the tribe
which is the most influential in the country is estimated at not less than
3,600 men. There are four merchants here, of whom Azghar Ali is the
most reliable, and served the Mission well. All supplies are procurable, the
culturable area is large and yields good crops. The current prices are
similar to those as shown in attached list for ISasratabad.
Hussianabad (Pain) is 2 miles south from Daulatabad. The ThaB\ idr
here is Mi Khan Beg, a great scoundrel. The ground in the vicinity is much
cut up and is intersected by several joos, which caused our entrance into
Seistan to practically be by u leaps and bounds,” which afforded the
onlookers much merriment, particularly as my escort (5th Bombay Lancers)
acquitted themselves well. •« u
A village touching the main road from Sarhad, Quetta, &c., via Robat
and Harmak to Seistan, the first village met on arrival in country. Sup
plies only in small quantities available here.
As its name signifies it is situated above the ridge or hill about half-way
between Lutak and Warmal. There is an octroi office here under an agent
of Mir Abas of Iskil.
A very much neglected village. The area of culturable land is large,
but there is at all times a paucity of water. The water is always slow in
reaching here, so much being utilized by all the other villages further west
along the Rud-i-Seistan, in addition to waste from bursting and overflow of
the canals.
Jalalabad was a large village of some 500 substantially built houses and
extensive fort during Kyani occupation. It was partially swept away by
encroachment of floods some 30 years ago since which it has been entirely
destroyed, in 1894, by the Rud-i-Parian offshoot of the Helmand. It is now
derelict, waterlogged, and surrounded by a regular lake through which we
had much difficulty in wading, and a memorable night’s stay here from the
rapacious attentions of mosquitos. Some flue gardens close at hand, as well
as an old Ziarat, were only discernable by some superior fruit trees and
ancient Gohguz trees. , ,
1 measured some of these latter trees which were as follows : length,
45 feet; circumference at base, 18 feet; near branches, 14 feet; another
old stump was 43 feet and 16 feet circumference. This, I think, will do
away with the accepted theory that trees will not grow in Seistan con
sequent on perpetual winds. The apathy and a system of stifling all
individual enterprise has more to do in such matters find general neglect of
development all over the country.
In former days prior to and during the Kyani rule under Mohammed
Bahrain Khan, who built this fort and town, there is on all sides evidence
to show that the former inhabitants understood the art of brick making
and were masons and architects of no mean capability. The wainscotting,
cornices, &c., in the fort and offices were covered with a first-class cement,
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
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'Reconaissance through Baluchistan and Seistan, 1897' [19r] (42/120), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/300, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025688316.0x00002b> [accessed 3 August 2026]
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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