'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)' [‎50r] (104/156)

ON HIS JOURNEY FROM MESHED TO QUETTA, 1898.
77
extend to starvation in an unfavourable season. In order to prevent the occur
rence of such a contingency it seems to be essential that the Thanadar should
bo armed with such an order as I have ventured to suggest above.
111. The Thana building at Rub&t-i-Kuh-i-Malik Slab is a strong
structure built of stone masonry in mud
with a tower over the gateway.
The Thana building at Rubat-i-Kuh-i-Malik
Siah.
Three rooms were originally built for the Thanadar and his staff, but three
store rooms have recently been added. The whole building is surrounded by a
thick stone wall, and the Thanadar is preparing, under orders from the Poli
tical Assistant, to build four towers or bastions at the four corners.
115. These, when completed, would make the Thana an imposing build-
Russian viaws regarding the new trade route Wg, which Would, I am afraid, add to
from Quetta to Kuh-i-Maiik siah. the anxiety and alarm—whether real or
assumed—expressed by the Russian writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. (supposed to be one of the officers on
the staff of General Kuropatkine, then Governer-General of Trans-Caspia and
now Russian Minister for 'War) on the opening of the new NushkPSistdn trade
route, in a leading article which appeared under the heading “ British India”
in the Trans-Caspian Review of the 8th August 1897. The article in question
said:—
“ On finishing last year the labours of the demarcation of the Afghan,
Balueh and Persian frontiers, the Anglo-Indian Government at once started
making a road from Quetta to the mountain group of Kuh-i-Malik Siah where
the British Empire touches Afghan and Persian territories and where to-d"y is
rising a strong fortification . . . More important is the political meaning of this
road. Up to the present the British power, although it has had relations with
the Persians, has had no meaning, as they were separated by impassable deserts.
The position is now sharply altered. An English fortress has risen on the very
frontier of Persia, connected with Quetta by a road, which though only at
present for pack-animals, will, of course, soon be made first a carriage-road,
then a railway ; and then, of course, the English artillery, which will then
decorate Kiih-i-Malik Siah, will give great weight to the utterances of the
English Minister at Teheran.”
The Thana after the completion of the towers at the four corners would no
doubt be a good and safe shelter for the Thana staff, but even then it could not
be called a fortress. The building is commanded by a height on one side and
any one looking at it will see that it is devoid of any fortifications or require
ments of a fort; but as the Russians derive their information from these parts
through ignorant news-writers these latter are sure to magnify its strength
and character.
116. It will, therefore, I think, be well for Mr. Zaroudny to come to Rubat
T> u r. * y , , . ;f pw,: while he is travelling in these parts and
Possibility of Mr. Zaroudny s visit to Kubat-i- ipjiixi • •
Kuh-i-Maiik siah. see for himself that there is no truth m
the exaggerated reports that have reached the Russian authorities about the
(( English fortress and fortifications at Kuh-i-Malik Siah.
Mr. Zaroudny had exnressed his intention to me of going from Sistan to
* A ^ 1 • ry- Qi’oV. Vila
Gaud-i-Zir-eh by Kuh-i-Malik Siah on his
way to Ladiz (Ladis). Erom what he
See paras. 11, 41, 59, 68, 70 and 74.
said I gathered that he was unlikely to visit Rubat, but he mightpossibly come
this way.
Rearing that the sudden appearance of a Russian might cause some
trepidation or embarrassment to the Thana, I thought it best to put t ic
Thanadar on his guard by informing him of the possibility of Mr. Zaroudny s
visit.
miio ncVprl mp whether he should fight the Russian if he came