'Report on the Nushki, Chagai and Western Sinjerani Districts for the year 1897-98 and on the Development of The Quetta-Seistan [Sistan] Trade Route' [‎6r] (11/148)

tions 1 had formed. In spite of the fact that the first freshlet that came
fown the river bed swept away all traces of the three hands, it did not do so
befbie sufficient water had been diverted to irrigate lands tlmt absorbed forty
camel loads of seed grain. The experiment, so far as it went, proved a
success, and to my mind was full of promise as to the results which would
follow on the construction of more permanent works. The natives of the
district entertain exaggerated notions as to the fertility of these dnk lands, and
maintain that in average years two crops can be reaped from one sowing. It is
not too much to say that the revenue of jSusliki could he doubled bye. nstruct-
i no - irrigation works to supply the duk lands with W'ater.
15 jn accordance with the instructions issued by the Agent to the
Governor-General, 1 devoted consideiable attention to investigating the
question of the Nushki Chagai frontier. My researches show that, while the
ancient division between the two districts runs somewhere from near Baluch-
Afo-han pillar 157 to somewhere near Padag, neither the Kharan 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. nor
the’ Afghans, w hen holding Chagai, recognised such a frontier. Sir ISauroz
Khan’s sowars used to levy—what they w T ere pleased to term —tirni from
Charsar to Mall, along the northern foot of the Kharan hills, wdiile the
Afghans penetrated as far as Lala. As the Khan does not appear to have
interested himself in the matter and as my inquiry fails to show that the
Khan’s representatives ever levied revenue west of the points referred to, 1 am of
opinion that the interests of the two districts would be best served by drawing
the boundary line from Mahakaki * through Lala to Ziarat-i-haiyad Mali mud
The boundary 1 here propose would include within Nushki all lands
over which the Khan has exercised jurisdiction, and would at the same time
leave to Chagai uncultivated dak System of postal communication used in Moghul India and later by the East India Company. lands which would doubtless prove of value
to that district.
16. Nushki, prior to the first visit I paid to it in January 1897, bore
an unenviable reputation tor being the mart in the whole of Baluchistan wffiere
slaves could be procured of the best quality and at the cheapest rates, it is
not too much to say that, if investigation w'ere made, upwards of two thirds of
the slaves to be found in Baluchistan would prove to have been either purchased
at, or to have passed through, Nushki. The question of slavery in Baluchistan
is one that so closely touches Muhammadan customs and reliuion that it
requires handling with great care. On the occasion of my first visit, I informed
the assembled Sardars that, while I did not desire to interfere in any way with
domestic slaves (already in their possession), so long as they were maintained
wdth due respect and comfort, still 1 was determined to put down further
importation and dealing in slaves. Ibis 1 have done. Occasionally, as lesentlv
occurred, slaves are brought to Nushki from Kandahar for sale, but few vendors
escape arrest, and the trade may now be said to have died out.
17. When leaving Quetta on my first visit to Nushki, the instructions
issued for mv guidance included injunctions to co-oj erate with the Khan’s
Naih in suppressing inter-tribal feuds and frontier raids. I have endeavoured to
carry out these instructions, but 1 am compelled to confess that my efforts
have met with but partial success, for the following reasons :—
At the time of my first visit to Nushki, the Naib was absent in Kalat and
did not return to bis duties till harvest operations were about to begin. I was
thus compelkd to act solely on my own initiative. This did not operate so
much to my disadvantage as it might appear, as I qu ckly found that the Naib
was a nonentity and possessed but little real authority. Moreover, inquiry
showed that it had long been the Naib’s policy to foment inter-tribal quarrels
from self-interested motives. I’nder these circumstances, to have expected
from him efficient co-operation towards the suppression of either feuds or raids
would have been futile.
Vide tkc "kekek map annexed to tke report.