Notes Prepared for Reference during Curzon’s Tour of the Persian Gulf, and Other Papers on Persia and the Persian Gulf [‎227r] (453/678)

7. /v
23
Exports for one year from 1st April 1900 to 31st March 1901—
Rs.
Pish . . .
Matting .
Mung
Gum . ,
Dates
Wool.
Ghi .
Cotton
Cotton seed
u Konar" .
“ Isahgul ” .
Bakla .
Hides
Kapat (mat bags)
Skins
Pish maws .
Shark tins .
Fish ,
Total . . 21,200
The climate of Pasni is similar to that of Ormara. The thermometer
registers from 90 to 98 in the shade in summer, hut there is generally a cool
breeze and the heat is only oppressive for a few days at the end of October.
The winter is pleasant. There is no local cultivation. The people are^all
fishermen and live by fish except during the monsoon, from 15th June to 15th
September, when their boats are laid up. The water is sweet and good. . It is
procured from wells, and any amount of water can be procured by simply
digging wells three or four feet deep.
In the afternoon I inspected the village which consists entirely of mat
huts. The only building is the Musjid built lately by Mulla Jagardin, the head
of the boatmen, at a cost of Rs. 900. I presented him with a Khillat as some
recognition of his good work and sent his bill of charges to the Nazim for
reduction of rates. The ruins of the house of Mir Suba, Kbulmati, are still
extant. He joined the 1898 rebellion, and his house was blown up in conse
quence. His brother Mir Muhammad is now the local Baluch Chief and gets
part of the telegraph subsidy. We saw several boats come in from their fishing.
They had about 100 £< Mushka ” fish, weighing about 3 or 4 lbs. a piece, all
caught with a hook and line. The contractor has the right to 10 per cent,
of all catches. The fish were sold to our men at two pice or a half penny a
piece.
The contractor complains that he cannot get his dues from the fishermen
at Khulmat, as whenever he demands payment they cross over to the other
side and say they are Las Bela subjects. I doubt if Las Bela has any right to
a share of khulmat. The contractor gets nothing either from Shumal Bandar,
though that place is also included in his contract. The Telegraph bungalow
at Pasni is a good building with three large rooms, the centre one being the
office. All that is required is to enclose the two end verandahs to form dress
ing rooms with a door into a big room and another into the bathroom. A new
store is required, and that could be built up against the back of the kitchen.
There would then be one good set of quarters for the telegraph clerK and a
spare set of quarters for travellers.
Monday, 30th December 1501.—Embarked on the Datrich Stewart, which
arrived from Karachi at 9-30 a.m. With it came Lieutenant-Colonel Fullerton,
I.M.S., Agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. Surgeon, and Captain Ramsay, 3rd Assistant Agent to
the Governor-General, and Mrs. Yate. The tents and baggage was embarked
in a couple of the local fishing boats. The horses, sowars and khalassis, etc.,
were all left at Pasni to be called for on our return.
Lieutenant-Colonel Eullerton examined the wounded prisoners and we
sailed at 1-30 p.m. for Sheinal Bandar which was reached at 5 P-M. Inis
consists of a long low circular bank facing eastwards ending in a high mud
hill which forms the promontory on the south. There was no village visible,
but we saw some men on the shore. There were no boats.
700
900
1,000
300
800
2,000
2,500
2,000
10,000