‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [‎11v] (27/617)

2
Enclosure No. 2.
Extract from the Chageh Diary for the period 9th March to 10th April 1897.
fT
18th March iSP?'.—Despatching the “ barbardari ahead m the eaily
hours of the morning, we mounted the horses proffered by the Tahvildar for
the occasion and started for the last stage ol our 650 mues march. This
march, although but IQi miles, was a peculiarly trying one, owing to the
country traversed being cut up by countless deep, narrow irrigation channels
with water averaging in depth up to our horses girths. I was surprised to
find the crops so late; they are at least a full month later than at JN ushki;
this and several other small points would lead one to suppose that the Seistan
climate is one whose warmth is much maligned. One of the coldest days I
ever recollect was passed in Nasirabad. A mile out of the city we halted to
enable news of our near approach being communicated to the local officials.
Dor this they appeared fully prepared, as we were only kept waiting a few
minutes. Half a mile from the fort of Nasirabad we were met by Naib-ul-
Hukumat with a ragged following of some forty odd sowars, dressed in their
best. The Naib proved to be a wizened little man verging on the “sere and
yellow leaf ” with eyes possessing peculiar eccentric orbit of their own. He
received me, apparently, with marked cordiality, expressed the pleasure our
presence animated him with, apologised for keeping us waiting at Hussain-
abad, and paid us innumerable compliments, which being an Irishman I found
no difficulty in repaying with interest in the same coin. When the mutual
exchange of compliments had ceased, the Naib inquired of me as to what was
my pleasure, viz., to visit the Sartip at once, or do so the following day. To
this I replied that I was anxious to discharge the duties incumbent on a visitor
as soon as was consistent with the Sartip’s convenience. On this the Naib-ul-
Hukumat led the way to the fort, within the walls of whose citadel is the
official residence and 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). hall of the Deputy Governor of Seistan. After
being kept waiting a few minutes—no doubt purposely—the Sartip appeared.
He is a youth of about 16, whose corpulency, half-closed eyes, and air of
extieme lassitude, proclaimed a weakened constitution, and enfeebled intellect,
consequent on a life spent in undue indulgence in the enervating pleasures of
the harem. With the young Sartip appeared also his uncle, and guardian—if I
can use the term—Syed Khan, Chief of the Naruis, cousin of the murdered
Darwesh Ah. After the customary mutual inquiries as to one another’s health
and interchange of the prescribed compliments, we took our leave, to be con-
thp C fW by the -a N a^ Ul ’ Haknma ^’ With similar formality, to the house, outside
the tort, provided for our reception.
fnn. P J! a w!tf ad t W<? fou,1 f, t0 T sis - 0f a rectan f? ular mud fort, ornamented with
ton ers, with exterior walls embracing an area of 150 X 200 jards. Within the
01 1 are the quarters of the garrison—said to consist of one full baftilinn of
andd sh r lf «f Sq , uadr0n , 0f cavalry ’ and three guns-and the Governor
whom possess no offensive weapon. The dress mounts e ma J 01 portion of
ance of the cavalry are of a distinctly more efficient tvnl tl d ?f* era i ap P ear -
of drill or anything approaching trS
infantry, does not appear to be recognised” The LrTtT CaSe ,° f the
worn out, unserviceable for any offensive n UPnn , p § “, 4 a f re . °! d > “eg'ected,
terror their presence inspires Close imdnrto,. ’ ,. n ^ useful for the moral
« a,i,b, d “ ««
sp.S/'S. "Sr* \X*3Srtl **
-Si'Sisacsy&tsL atpr****?*
Naib, to business. To this both “evinced 1 P ’ *, P e ? k more correctly, the
excuse that the Russian “ Akhbar Navis ” waTstraTninff h- Clmati011 ’ statin S iu
what was passing, a subterfuge I cannot heln H.f ! " ua ear s outside to hear
to suppose that the Naib and”« news 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. areonT’.^ 1 haTe . every reason
Eventual!, tbey jielded. H„.,, diec^d

‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [‎11v] (27/617)

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‘Seistan Persia & Seistan’ [‎11v] (27/617)

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