Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎225v] (450/678)

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camel kajawnhs, but Captain Stewart hopes that in a few days they will be able
to move about a little. The most serious case is a sepoy Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. with a broken thigh
bone.
Monday, 23rd December 1901. —Turbat Kej. Halt.—The troops and
prisoners from Nodiz marched in in the morning. I held a Darbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). in the
af ternoon. The Nazim made a speech giving particulars regarding Nodiz and
bringing to notice the services of various Sardars and Motabars who gave
him assistance. The award of the Jirga detailing the sentences passed on the
prisoners was then read out, and after that I addressed the assembly, my speech
being read in Persian, Urdu and Baluchi. I conferred khillats on the Nazim,
Sardars and Motabars recommended by him for good service. In the evening
I gave a dinner to all. A total of 73 sat down including the Nazim and all
Sardars and Motabars present and the Native officers of the troops. The British
officers were all present with me.
Tuesday, 24th December 1901. —Basulkan, 17 miles.—The road led south
through low hills and broken stony ground the whole way. Three miles out
we passed a little water and the road here wants clearing of stones and
also in other places further on. The watershed was crossed about the 12th
mile and a little beyond we came to a little water in the nullah called
Gokpharosh, a Baluch word meaning cow-breaker, where there is a nasty
bit of rock for laden animals. At the 13th mile, where the nullah emerges
into open ground, are to be seen the remains of the sangars erected along
the crest of the low outer hills by Baluch Khan, Noushirwani, and his
men when they were so signally defeated by the force under Colonel Mayne,
of the 30th Baluchis, in 1898 and fled leaving 180 dead on the field. They held
a strong position on either side of the mouth of the pass and the shell fire, it is
said, did not kill a man there. It was only when their left was turned that
they were forced to retire and then it was they suffered their loss. Basulkan
consists of nothing but a small pool of water in the nullah bed. It has no
habitations and no supplies. There is another road to Pasni leading through
Pidarak to the east, but that is said to be rocky and not so good for laden
animals.
Mir Kustam Khan, the younger brother of Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Sheh Umar and of Mir
Mehrab Khan, Gitchkis, has been told off by the Nazim to escort me to Pasni.
Khan Bahadur Muhammad Hasan of Sami and Khan Sahib Hurra Khan,
Gitchki of Turbat, also accompanied me to the first stage out. On arrival at
Basulkan I was met by Mir Kamal Khan, Bezango of Pidarak, who accom
panies me on.
The prisoners taken at Nodiz have been brought on with me, and the
example thus made of them ought to have a good effect in deterring others
from doing what they did for some time to come. The Nazim has sent the
prisoners under a guard of a jamadar and 40 men, but I found they were in a
sad plight on arrival. The wounded are carried on charpoys by the other
prisoners, but they had nothing to cover them. I collected all the tent salitas
and gave them to cover the prisoners at night. It gets very cold here now
]ust before dawn. The prisoners get nothing but dry dates to eat and I had to
send my bhisti to give them water. The Nazim had made no arrangements for
them whatever.
Pidarak village is said to contain some 120 families. The fort belonging
to Mir Kamal Khan, Bazengo, is one of the three now left standing in Kej not
in possession of the Nazim.
Wednesday, 25th December 1901. —Surap, 16 miles.—The road led the
whole way through barren stony country without a sign of life. Not a bird
even was to be seen, and the only thing that grew was the “ Pish” or dwarf
palm in the nullah beds from which the people seem to make almost every
thing they have from houses to shoes. The rocks all run across the country
in parallel ridges east and west with strata of rock from half an inch to three
inches in thickness sticking upon edge. The last five miles ran down a
nullah bed to the camp pitched by a pool of brackish water in the nullah. No
habitations and no supplies. Grass and wood was collected locally, everything
else was brought from Pidarak.