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'Reconaissance through Baluchistan and Seistan, 1897' [27v] (59/120)
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.
50
Cause of
failure this
year.
Irregularity
and delayed
water
supply.
The scarcity of ghee is attributable to a paucity of grazing in Sarhad this year:—
1892.
Maunds.
Seers.
Chitacks.
Wheat ..
• • • •
.. 3
30
0
Barley, per rupee
• • • •
.. 5
0
0
Ghee
.. o
2
10
1893.
Wheat
• • • •
.. 3
0
0
Barley, per rupee
• • • •
4
10
0
Ghee
.. o
1
12
1894.
Wheat
• • • •
.. 3
0
0
Barley, per rupee
• • • •
.. 3
30
0
Ghee
• • • •
.. o
2
0
.
1895.
Wheat ..
• • • •
.. 1
20
0
Barley, per rupee
• • • •
2
10
0
Ghee
0
2
0
1896.
Wheat
• • • •
1
5
0
Barley, per rupee
• • • •
.. 2
0
0
Ghee ..
• • • •
.. o
3
0
1897.
Wheat
• • • •
.. 0
21
8
Barley, per rupee
• • • •
.. 1
2
0
Ghee
• • • •
.. o
1
0
The years 1895 and 1896 were not considered good years, but they were better
than this year.
Consequent on the bursting
of the Band-i-
Hohuk, and neg
lect to repair it for
some
considerable time, there was a
scarcity of water all along the south, affecting
most
the villages further west.
It is stated that the apathy
in repairing the Band was the
chief factor in causing
this year’s scarcity in many parts.
From July onwards up to October, in many parts of the country, there is always a
scarcity of water as the canals are all dry.
During this period wells are sunk in the bed of old canals or close to the villages,
and water is always found at from 4 to 6 feet below the ground surface. At Kosha
Pain and other standing camps I sank wells for my own and my transport supply.
The ill-constructed and temporary banding of the canal, which is annually carried
away at Hood time, and the delay to repair it, is a source of great loss to the Zemindar.
There are no water rates, and no action appears to be in force to prevent any one
local authority from monopolizing the sources of water supply of the community. YYest
of Kimak, &c., reckless waste and insecurity of tributary feeders causes an insufficiency
of water as far west as Warmal,* in consequence of which there is a considerable
difference in the area under cultivation, fertility of ground, and general character of
the produce. The cry in several parts was : “ Oh, if we had water and it were only
brought in time, then the crops would not be so poor and our labour in vain.”
* The water was over a month late this year in reaching the outlying villages to the west.
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' [27v] (59/120), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/300, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025688316.0x00003c> [accessed 12 July 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