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'Military Report on S. W. Persia, Vol. III. Bakhtiāri Country North of Kārūn River' [59v] (123/144)
The record is made up of 1 volume (68 folios). It was created in 1909-1910. 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.
Tlkhani, April 1907.
Reverted to Ilbegi, June 1907.
Character, etc .—This man’s character is more complex and less easy of ana
lysis, but the key to it is perhaps that beneath an exterior deceptively strong
and determined in appearance, he carries a faint heart. His lack of physical
and moral courage has its complement in a decided absence of reliabi
lity in his words and deeds. He was for long considered as a mainstay of the
British-Bakhtiari friendship, but in recent years he has definitely forfeited
this good opinion by the repeated breaking of the most solemn promises, and
a line of conduct which has revealed an absolute absence of conscience and
the domination of an unscrupulous lust of money. As he is lacking in any
particular ability, and his brazen lies and patently false promises only draw
attention to his tortuous trail, it is difficult to detect anything attractive in
his character, and this difficulty is increased by the absence of the vivacity
which in some of the other Khans to some extent distracts the attention.
His false promises are as a rule in some measure inspired by purely mer
cenary motives, but if ever made in good faith, which is doubtful, they are
rendered abortive by his cowardice, which prevents his making good any
promise that may be ungrateful to his colleagues.
A man of this unattractive type of character has one advantage: he does
not precipitate dangerous diplomatic situations by allowing himself to be car
ried away by the feelings of the moment into the use of extravagant language
and ill-considered action. He also exhibits no disconcerting embarrassment
when his depravity stands revealed, and does not think it necessary to cover
repudiation of his engagements by an outbreak of temper. He is therefore
essentially a safe, if an unsatisfactory, man to have dealings with.
Sultan Muhammad Khan.— Aged about 39. Born about 1870.
Mu’in Humayun.
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.
Ashraf (1908).
He is usually on working terms with Ghulam Husain Khan.
Went to serve the Shah in Tehran in 1908.
Character, etc. He is own brother to Ghulam Husain Khan, to whom
he is junior. So far as observation goes, he would appear to share his brother’s
defects, and his attitude is declared by the degree to which at the moment
he feels that an attitude of friendship would serve his own affairs. He is
consequently not to be relied on. It is only under unusual circumstances that
he comes into prominence.
’Al! Ahbar Khan. —Aged about 30. Born about 1879.
Saham-us-Saltaneh.
Takes no part in public affairs.
Character, etc .—-He is a young man without any other characteristics
than those conferred by addiction to drink and women. As a force he is
negligible.
About this item
- Content
It consists of a military report on S W Persia, specifically Bakhtiāri Country North of Kārūn River, created for the personal information of the officers of the Army in India. Compiled in the Division of the Chief of the Staff, Army Head Quarters, India by Lieutenant A T Wilson, 32nd Sikh Pioneers. Printed at the Government Monotype Press, Simla, 1910.
It includes a preface by Wilfrid Malleson, Assistant Quarter Master General, Intelligence Branch.
It is divided into the following sections:
- geographical – boundaries, mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, and geology;
- general – Bakhtiāri levies, bridge constructions, and revenue;
- tribal – history, organisation, numbers, customs, land ownership, and taxation;
- communications – via various routes, condition of tracks, and construction of a cart road;
- climate;
- strategical - possibility of collision with Russia and intervention by Great Britain, comparison of routes, recommendations, and composition of force;
- routes – broken down into stages and incorporating comments on the road, climate, transport, fuel, supplies, water, grazing, and physical obstacles;
- appendices – including documents relating to the Ahwāz-Isfahān road, tables of tribal sub-divisions and strength of the Haft Lang and the Chehār Lang, and biographical notices of certain Bakhtiāri Khāns by David Lockhart Robertson Lorimer, British Consul, Ahwāz [Ahvāz].
Also includes five maps:
- folio 65: 'SKELETON MAP OF BAKHTIĀRI COUNTRY Showing routes and chief rivers';
- folio 66: 'SECTION FROM 'ALWĀNĪYEH ('ARABISTĀN) TO KHARĀJĪ THE LYNCH ROAD, ROUTE NO. I. AHWĀZ TO ISFAHĀN';
- folio 67: 'ISFAHĀN—DEH KURD—'ALĪ KŪH—CHARĪ—BĀZUFT—CHILAU' and 'ISFAHĀN—URŪJĀN—ARDAL—GURĀB—BĀZUFT—CHILAU';
- folio 68: 'FARAIDAN—TANG-I-GAZĪ—GIL-I-SHĀH—BĀZUFT—CHILAU' and 'FARAIDAN—TANG-I-GAZĪ—PAMBAKĀL—BĀZUFT—CHILAU';
- folio 69: 'BURBARŪD—KALEH HUMA—MAKHADĪ—BĀZNAWĪ—PUL-I-SHĪRAK—PUL-I-KUL—DIZFŪL' and 'FARAIDAN—TANG-I-GAZĪ—GALA GĀO—PĪR SAIYID—BĀZNAWĪ—PUL-I-KUL—DIZFŪL'.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (68 folios)
- Arrangement
The item consists of a single report with five accompanying maps enclosed in a pocket on the inside back cover. A contents page at the front of the volume (f 4) and index at the rear (ff 61-63) both reference the volume’s original printed pagination.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 70; 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 file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Military Report on S. W. Persia, Vol. III. Bakhtiāri Country North of Kārūn River' [59v] (123/144), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/MIL/17/15/10/3, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100038368349.0x00007c> [accessed 29 August 2026]
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- Reference
- IOR/L/MIL/17/15/10/3
- Title
- 'Military Report on S. W. Persia, Vol. III. Bakhtiāri Country North of Kārūn River'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:51v, 54r:64v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence