'Report of Khan Bahadur Maula Bakhsh, Attaché to the Agent to the Governor General of India and Her Britannic Majesty's Consul-General for Khurasan and Sistan, on His Journey from Meshed to Quetta via Turbat-i-Haidari, Kain, Sistan, Kuh-i-Malik Siah and Nushki (7th April to 28th July 1898)' [‎47v] (99/156)

72
REPORT OF KHAN BAHADUR MAULA BA£BSH
find good water, and recross the Shela from east to west from Gumbad-i-Shela,
the next halting place with water, to proceed to Hurmuk.
"Without fresh water in the Shela it is impossible for them to keep west
of that river, since the hilly track through Palang Kuh by Tur Shab and
Baluch ab is impracticable for laden camels, while it is out of the question
to march through the waterless “Lut” (desert) east of Palang Kuh direct
to Hurmuk.
(/) After crossing the Shela we
marched through tamarisk iungle to
Siah ab.
Siah &b is the name of a group of wells situated in the bed of a dry nalla
R4mr6d about 2 miles south-west of Ramrud
and about 3 miles south of Tappa-i-Mir
Tappa-i-Mir Dost. Dost.
SiiLh db.
(g) The wells called Girdi Chah, where one of Surgeon-Major Brazier
GirdiChfih . Creagh’s dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. posts was located last year,
are situated about a mile and-a-half to the
north-west of Siahab, a short distance from Ramrud.
(h) The wells near which we are camped are three in number. We found
si&h £b neiis. them all choked with sand and filth and
had to clear out two with some trouble
to get a supply of muddy, but fresh sweet water for our camp. Camel
grazing and fire-wood are plentiful here, but nothing else is procurable, though
we were fortunate to find a few Baluch families moving |with their flocks
of sheep and goats from Sarhad towards Sistan from whom we purchased a
couple of lambs and some milk.
(i) The hot wind dropped and did not
blow to-day, but the heat was oppressive.
(j) One more of our camels broke
down on the road from exhaustion.
101. Hospital Assistant Abbas Ali joined me at Siah ab on the afternoon
Hospital Assistant Abbas Ali joined me at Siah Ab of the 11th June 1898 with ten nmpl
on the 11th June 1898^ loads of 8Upplies from '
had purchased from the Deputy Governor of Sistan for the use of mv caravan
between Kuh-i-Malik Siah and Miroi.
105. All supplies required by caravans between Neh and Miroi must be
All supplies required by caravans bound for obtained and carried by them from either
Quetta between Neh and Miroi must be obtained Nell Or Sistan, 3S nothing is DrOOnrahlfl
and earned either from Neh or Sistan. , ,, , o would 1)10
anywhere on the road on this side of
Miroi.
Route from Nasirdbad (SistAn) to Siah ab (fol- 106 . Hospital Assistant Ahbas Ali hne
lowed by Hospital Assistant Abbas Ali). come from N4sirdMd tbe
route:—
Heat oppressive at Siah ab.
Camels breaking down from exhaustion.
N4sirabad.
Distance
in miles
(roughly).
1 Daulatabad via Baghak (village) About 21 Water, good, from canal.
Supplies procurable.
2 Khanduk vid Lutak
8 Machi (ruins)
4 Siah ab . .
23 Water, good, from wells.
Mre-wood and camel-grazing obtainable but
no supplies procurable.
13
12
Ditto
Ditto
ditto.
ditto.