'MILITARY REPORT ON PERSIA. VOL. IV, PART II.' [‎44v] (93/212)

76
This factor in the life of the tribe has great influence on their
regular migrations backwards and forwards ; some of these
properties, for instance, raise large quantities of rice, a staple
article of food.
They are now one of the richest of the nomad tribes of Persia
and the best armed, their proximity to the sea coast in winter
having enabled them to make large purchases of rifles and
ammunition on favourable terms.
They have seldom come into direct conflict with the Persian
Government, as their proximity to Shiraz and Isfahan, their
large flocks, extensive landed property, and lengthy migrations
have always made them peculiarly vulnerable.
The Qashqai—in their winter quarters at any rate—do not
camp in the open valleys ; one does not see a hundred or more
tents pitched in one place, and indeed one might travel many
miles through the heart of the Qashqai country without noticing
an encampment. Their custom is to select secluded valleys and
ravines on the hill side, which are to air extent protected from
the winter weather and also near water, and in such spots four,
ten, or twenty tents may be seen together. The enormous
extent of country occupied by the Qashqals and their distribu
tion in sparse units,widely scattered over extremely mountainous
country, not only prevent the tribes from accumulating in any
one place in more than a small fraction of their real strength,
but also would seem to make any operations against the tribe
or certain sections of it a difficult matter. Moreover, in many
cases the tribe in its winter quarters is divided and settled in
distinct portions, far apart from one another.
They resemble generally the Lur nomads of south-west Persia,
but their language is a dialect of Turki, though most tribesmen
understand Persian fairly well. In appearance they compare
favourably with their Lur compatriots : they seem on the whole
to be taller and fairer than Bakht.’arls, and certainly more so than
Lurs. In religion they seem more orthodox and less supersti
tious than their Lur neighbours.
Ihe migrations of the Qashqai differ little from those of other
nomad tribes. Their principal transport animals are camels
and donkeys : mules, are scar ce and only used by the Khans,
and cattle are not extensively employed; they are probably
the onl y tribe in South Persia, except the Arab, who use camel*
for the purpose.
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