'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' [‎7r] (13/148)

opportunity to fly at one another’s throats. It will be remembered that the
disaffection of Ghazi Khan’s post last year and its withdrawal across the frontier
was followed by an outbreak within 21 hours, and that of so serious a nature
that it was only suppressed by the arrival of a detachment of troops from Quetta.
In illustration of the indifference with which the Khan of Kalat regards Nushki,
1 may say that 1 made the weakness of the Nushki thana establishment the
subject of a special report to the Agent to the Governor-General in Baluchistan,
and he, as a result of the representations I raide, personally interviewed His
Highness the Khan of Kalat on the subject, and obtained a pledge from him
that a force of 50 Kalat sepoys 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. should be permanently detailed to Nushki for
duty. The Khan, with singular indifference to his own interests, has failed to
keep his pledge and send the promised troops, I am reluctantly forced to the
belief that we can expect no support from the Khan, for the simple reason
that his interests in Nushki appear to be measured by his revenue returns,
which are insignificant and which, under the administration of the present Naib,
continue to steadily dwindle. Thus, the only courses open are either to bring
pressure on the Khan to govern the country, a course which experience shows
would he unsatisfactory and lead to little results, or to offei him a quit rent for
his rights there. From what the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Kalat lately told me, I
have reasons for supposing that the latter of the two courses is the one which
the Khan would welcome. Mr. Knox, on the occasion I refer to, informed me
that the Khan had approached him on the subject of a quit rent, and request
ed information as to the sum Government was prepared to offer. I believe this
suggestion was made quite voluntarily by the Khan : it is one that he appears to
have entertained some little time, for, so far back as in June 1897, the Khan,
on the occasion of a visit to Quetta, summoned the Nushki Sardars before him,
and warned them that, if they caused further trouble, he would wasli his hands
of them and transfer Nushki to the Government. I should welcome such a
proposal on the Khan’s part, and if it were made I would recommend that it be
favourably entertained. In my opinion, such an arrangement, while operating
materially to the Khan’s pecuniary advantage, offers the only satisfactory solu
tion to the difficulties which beset the question.
CHAGAI.
21. The instructions issued in respect to my last cold weather tour desired
me to study, so far as time might permit, the resources of the district, to examine
the hill ranges to the south of Dalbandin and to the west of Chagai, and to
report as to the possibility of assessing the district to revenue. Discretionary
powers were also given me to take steps to raise revenue, if I considered it
advisable to do so.
22. It did not take me long to perceive that any attempt to raise revenue
during my tour would result in failure, owing to the straits to which the
inhabitants of the district w T ere reduced. Chagai, iu common with Western
Sinjerani and Kharan, has suffered severely from famine. Little or no rain
has fallen west of Nushki for upwards of two years, with the result that 25 per
cent, of the live stock of the district hive perished. I was at first inclined to
believe that the nomad Baluch were exaggerating their losses from interested
motives, but wherever I went I was met with the same complaint and found
the same scarcity prevailing: several tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. were reduced to sustaining life on
the roots of the dwarf palm and on “ Khamu ” and “ Labu ”—roots indigenous
to sandy deserts,—and at two, at least, of my tbanas I found colonies of
starving children dependent on the charity of the sowars for their food. The
heavy loss in d&k camels which my Political Assistancy sustained during the
past year is due to the same cause.
23. My instructions forbade me to proceed beyond Amir Chah, and I had
thus ample leisure to explore Chagai and study its revenue resources. Leaving
Nushki on the 10th December 1897, I first made a careful examination of the
lands to the north of the Kharan Sarlat hills. After spending a few days
halted at Dalbandin, I proceeded with a light camp to examine the hills form
ing the southern boundary of the Dalbandin plains, which are the subject of a
dispute between Kharan and Chagai. After aeconrplishing this, I returned to