'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' [‎11r] (21/148)

mcnt should pro-
isem, and also aid
nue, according to
the understanding
id them for their
willingness to aid
lout remuneration.
'titioners, however,
lie yield of all the
ncludc by pointing
e district and all
necessary, before
change values, ia
. to criticise each
in proposal {a) and
i resources of the
sum which 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.
munfi allowance to
at might he raised.
will involve the
dablishment, such
s experience shows
he trusted to raise
less measures are
orting more than
posal (<?) has also
that it does not
I am confident
pect any material
> face the unpopu-
g some compeiisat-
1 recommend that
rimental measure;
on. Firsth/, in a
to feel one’s way
possible ; secondly,
deciding questions
this arrangement,
wards framing an
ile in addition to
grazing tax will
istriot tins quieted
nt nomads, unused
' loss endemic. In
ter is noticeable.
ial disputes to me
Ige in which my
an frontier, in tlie
xceptions to this
e Kharan-Chagai
tins in much the
of my last year’s
17
administration report. Rarely a month elapses without news reaching me of
some incursion of K. ha ran sowars into the plains lying north of the Kharan
range and of the wholesale lootiug of flocks and camels. Ignorance of the
border line cannot well he pleaded in extenuation of these raids, as egress from
Kharan is prevented by posts * at eacli of the several passes leiding north into
Chagai, a fact which shows that the Kharan officials are well aware as to the
points to which their legitimate jurisdiction extends. The chief offender in
this respect is the Naib to whom 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. Sir Nauroz Khan has entrusted the
care of that portion of Kharan which borders on the south-eastern frontier of
Chagai. This man first addressed the Dafadam in charge of the Padag
chauki, requesting his aid in levying iirni around his post, and promised, in
the event of the latter’s doing so, to favourably consider any claim which the
Dafadar A Non-Commissioned Officer in the Indian Cavalry. might prefer for services rendered. Failing in his attempt to bribe
the Dafadar A Non-Commissioned Officer in the Indian Cavalry. in charge of this post, the iNaib now raids boldly across the border,
wherever the inclination seizes him. H id Sir Nauroz Khan any vested rights
in the country lying north of the Kharan ranges, I would make allowances
for his Naib’s conduct, hut careful investigation into the matter has satisfied
me that 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. Sir Nauroz Khan has no legitimate title whatever to any lands
north of the ranges named. It is true that 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. did on one
occasion advance a claim to Washki Nullah, but my researches have proved
beyond doubt that the original owners were the Jamaldini Rakhsh.mi of
Nushki, who still hold a stmad t from Khan 4-bdulah Khan, by which the
Washki lands were granted to them and tq their descendants. This deplorable
state of affairs can only be remedied by a demarcation of the boundary
between Kharan and Chagai, and such a step offers little real difficulty, for, as
I have already reported, an excellent natural boondary already exists which
fulfils all the necessary requirements of a good frontier line. AH that is, thus,
necessary is for an official representing Kharan interests to be detailed to
accompany me nexc cold weather along this frontier, with eiders to co-operate
with me in laving down the alignment which the boundarv should follow
between connecting water-sheds.
48. At Baram Chah, the state of affairs is some what different. Here, no
question as to the alignment of the Baluch-Afghan boundary exists. The
trouble is due to a Revenue official, named Asad Khan, who has posted himself
near Baram Chah on the Afghan side of the border, and who, from interested
motives, encourages the crew of ruffians round him to make thieving incursions
across the border into the district. During the course of my tour through the
Chagii Sarlat hills, I was frequently met by tomandars with con plaints of the
losses tiiis man had occasioned them, fuid with petitions requesting me to take
steps to mitigate the nuisance. I think that a representation to the Amiri
would suffice to cause this official’s removal.
49. I would dually urge the desir ibility of detailing an officer of the Geolo*
gical Survey to investigate and rep >rt on the mineral resources of the district.
I had occasion in my last year’s report § to dwell at some little length on the
rich mineral deposits we met with in the course of our journey to Seistan.
Further investigations into the geology of Cliagai have satisfied m * that these
deposits are not confined to the mountain ran.es west of Cliagai alone, but
extend east towards Nushki as far as a point opposite the Padag chauki. I was
also informed of the existence of several mineral out-crops in the hills south
west of Nushki, but unfortunately time did not permit of my examining these
deposits.
* These posts have orders to shoot any person leaving Kharan without permission. They were sta
tioned at the passes to cheek emigration into Chagai, which at one time promised to deplete Kharan.
Several fugitives are said to have suffered for their temerity.
t The holders of this sanad inform me that Sir Nauroz Khan recently made them an offer of Rs. 500
for the papers.
+ The frontier in the vicinity of Baram Chah falls under the Governorship of Farah and not, as in the
case of Nushki, of Kandahar.
■§ Vide paragraph 38, Appendix I of the Chagai District Administration Report for the year 1806-97.
8 56—5