'CORRECTIONS TO GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME III' [‎69r] (139/180)

QAS-QAS
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tribe, and have brought them as guards on to the upper part of the route
near Shiraz : they are also in touch with leaders of the Buir Ahmadi.
The Farslmadan, whose camping grounds lie to the east of the Kamarij
plain, during the autumns of 1910 and 1911, showed themselves wantonly
{ and intentionally destructive of telegraph property, between Khan-i-Zinian
and Pul-i-Abgineh. Their Kalantars were also trying to seize as personal
property villages on the Kazarun plain.
| ^ Ethnography.
Numbers .—Before the great famine of 1871 the Qashqai were said to
number 50,000 tents, but in this year they suffered heavily both by actual
famine, and by the dispersion it necessitated. In 1892 their numbers were
estimated at 10,000 tents. Wilson says that in 1911, on very good author
ity, they numbered 25,000 to 26,000. To this number must be added, some
15.000 families of peasants, some of whom were once Qashqai nomads, but
are now sedentary, and inhabit various districts mainly or wholly under
Qashqai control.
Chick in 1912 said that the actual numbers of the nomad units are about
40.000 tents, or families : their proteges (Bulvardi, etc.), allies, tenantry
and cultivators of their lands may make an additional 10,000 families. If
we reckon 5 persons to each family or tent, this makes a total of 300,000
tribespeople. The present Ilbegi (1912) estimated that the II numered at
least 500,000, while Saulat-ud-Dauleh stated to Mr. Chick that no one knew
the exact numbers, and it was not to his interest to find out, on account of
the Government poll-tax. (For numbers of fighting men see under Military.)
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Habitat .—No nomad tribe in Persia travels so far in their migrations as do
the Qashqai, whose win ter-quarters (Garmsir) extend to the immediate
neighbourhood of Biz, Jam, and Galehdar in the south; their summer-
quarters (Sards!r or Sarhad) being in the neighbourhood of Asupas, Arsin-
jan, Ardakan and the Chehar and Shlsh Dangeh districts, parallel with, but
west of, Yazdikhast, where they come into contact with the Arab tribes.
Their most northerly summer camping grounds are in the last two named
districts. To the west they extend to within a few miles of Behbehan, this
district being visited by the Darrehshuri section (who thus come into con
tact with the Kuhgalu), whilst the Kashkull come down to within a few miles
of the sea on the borders of the Dashtistan district. They will not be found
east of Afzar or the Qir-o-Karzin plain, nor in the neighbourhood of Muba-
^ rakabad or Jahriim, nor in the Kara Aghach valley from Kavar to Tadun,
and never south of the mountains bordering the sea coast.
In many cases the ‘ lireh ’ in its winter-quarters is divided and settled
in distinct portions, far apart from one another. Thus the main body of
the Kashkull are settled in the Mehlatun hills, from Khisht to Mishun,
but another branch of the Kashkull still proceeds each year to the ‘ Bulak ’
of Qir-o-Karzin. There are Gelleh Zan Namadi between Farrashband and
Jirreh: there is another part of this clan in Hangam and Qir. Ja’afarbegl are
on the eastern border of the ‘ Buluk ’ of DashtI near Shunbeh, and also with
the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. in Qir-o-Karzin.
C394GSB