'Report on the Preliminary Survey of the Route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line' [‎84r] (172/300)

149
Supplies
Water
Houses
Transport
Labour
Climate
People
» 7—38
250 oxen ; 1,000 cows ; 100,000 sheep. Supplies of all
sorts procurable, but it appears the Governor must give
an order sanctioning the sale.
River water, muddy but plenty of it, and said to be better
than the Pahra water, which is Kanat.
Peesh huts ; also few mud huts. Port of mud and bricks
on a mound 200 feet high.
500 donkeys; 2,000 camels, but as they belong to
Baloochies, there is always some delay in getting these.
Rate, 2J to 2| Krans per diem.
100 at 1^ Krans per diem; Baloochies, but not worth
much.
'“Temp.—6 a.m., 53 ; 1 p.m., 86; 6 p.m., 75.
I
■ ■ ■ ■ .
With an altitude of only 1,920 feet, situated in a hollow
among damp, marshy ground, with the river flowing
through, Bampur is very liable to sudden changes in
temperature, and is a very feverish and most unhealthy
place. It is a bye word for heat and unhealthiness even
in Balooehistan. When I said Kej was hotter, I was
met with a rejoinder —“ Perhaps, but Bampur is uu-
healthier.” The heat during summer is said to be terrific.
During the 4 days I was there, Pebruary 22nd, 23rd,
24th, 25th, the temperature varied between 58° to 86°
at 1 p.m., with a sultry atmosphere, which gives one a
suffocating sensation, and had a most depressing effect,
and this was at the end of the winter. To translate the
Deputy Governor’s words, it was a veritable hell, and
life became an existence during July and August, when,
he declared, eggs, placed in the sun, were cooked in a
few minutes! He said there was no difference between
Pahra and Bampur as regards climate, but that the
river water at the latter place was preferable to the
Kanat water at Pahra. The Persians find it a most
deadly climate. During the past 4 years, close on 100 of
the 400 soldiers have died of the effects of heat. As
another instance of the notoriously bad climate of
Bampur, I may state that 7 years ago the late Pirman
Pirma sent down 300 masons from Kerman to build
the Pahra fort, of which number 80 died at Pahra,
while some 25 died en route on the homeward journey.
^Bampur consists of two classes—the poor, unfortunate,
down trodden Baloochies of Negroid extraction, who
are the slaves of the Persian Government officials, and
of the domineering Persian soldiery. The latter lead
a lazy life and live on the produce of the former. The
Baloochies complained bitterly to me of their hard
lot, and how depopulated and poor the whole district
...<{ had become. The half of the Bampur river water is
running to waste because there are no labourers to till
the soil. I personally saw the Persian soldiers hunting
some Baloochies who were eating the green barley
about 1 foot high. The Baloochies say the country is
ruined, and pray for us to come and take it.
Maliyat nominal 33,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , but 17,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. only
reach the Shah.