‘REPORT ON THE MISSION TO SEISTAN, 1897’ [‎6r] (16/134)

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Helmand in Afghan territory were loud in praise of the British Sirkar, as it
flew like u wild fire round the country that the Sirkar Angrez had caused
the routes to be re-opened.*
Starting again next morning we zig-zagged along the rugged, boulder-
strewn skirts of the hills, crossing numerous broad scours, the outlets of the
drainage from the Mirjapra, Kacha, and Lar ranges.
Our frontier post Robat, 47a miles, was reached on 30th April.
The intervening distance between Quetta and the Persian frontier, a dis
tance of 527J miles, was accomplished in 24 days, including five days* halt,
averaging 22 miles per day or 27f miles per marching day.
This, too, over exceptionally bad going for the greater part of the
iourney, and in excessive heat, with indifferent, not to say bad, water at long
intervals, is a test of what our native cavalry and heavily-laden camel corps
can do when put to the pinch.
The length of the marches varied, all distances from 12 to 43 miles being
covered each day, and I had not a sore-hack amongst the animals on reaching
Seistan.
Letters awaited me here from the Sartip, Deputy Governor, and from
Colonel Yate, Her Britannic Majesty’s Consulate-General, Meshed, with a
copy of the order issued by the Governor-General of Khorasan to the Hash-
mut-ul-Mulk, directing him to receive me with all honours and render me all
the assistance that I may require during my stay in Seistan, etc., etc.
The condition of the horses and transport on the completion of this
exceedingly hot and rapid march necessitated a rest. Consequently a halt of a
few days was made at Robat.
During this period I was able to make a complete reconnaissance survey
of the surrounding hills and valleys, which are of considerable strategic
importance affecting our trade routes and future policy towards Seistan.
Leaving Robat again on 6th May, at 7 miles we nicked in with, and
followed along the main kafila A train of travellers; a caravan; or any large party of travellers. route from Jalk and Sarhad to Seistan and
Western Afghanistan, by no means a well supplied route in the all important
matter of water, which is only met with at long stretches.
We reached Seistan, 94 miles, on the 9th May. This latter part of the
iourney to us appeared a regular high-way, after the lonely deserts and plains
we had crossed ; travellers and traders are free to come and go unquestioned,
no restrictions being imposed on them similar to those affecting our Seistan-
Quetta routes, instituted by the adverse influence of the Moscovite under the
cloak of plague.
Incidents " en rowte.”—The journey at this season of the year, as majf be
supposed, was intensely hot, added to which was a scarcity of water, which
moreover was neither suitable nor palatable for equines, much less humanes.
Most of the old wells had either fallen in or had been filled in by sand
drifts • the majority of them had been fouled beyond description by years of
foecal * and other matter which, saturating the ground in the vicinity of the
wells, had percolated through, thus rendering the water positively dangerous
for drinking purposes.
Though little if at all inhabited excepting by a few wild nomads, this m
former days was a much frequented route, but owing to the swZmwj of Sir
Nauroz Khan and the predatory proclivities of the Reki and Dawani bad-
mashes it fell into disfavour.!
Jalk riots —Two marches from Nushki we camped by a kafila A train of travellers; a caravan; or any large party of travellers. from Jalk
(16 stages vid Reg-i-Wakab) en route for Nushki; they informed me of a
serious disturbance in the Jalk district.
It would appear from their information the tribes are up in arms and
resent the oppression of Mir Abdulla Khan, Governor.
• Vide Appendix A, letter No. 5, dated 14th July 1897, paragraphs 41 and 42, also letter No. 10, dated 28th
August 1897, paragraph 8.—B.C. „
11 shall again refer to this section of the route. Strategically it is a much better line of advance than that by
Amir Cbab.—» B.O. ^ cj