'Military Report on Persian Seistan' [‎15r] (34/188)

19
probably by digging. All the wells throughout the road would have to
be cleared out or fresh ones dug. With the exception of fuel and long
grass and a few hundreds of sheep, no supplies are available.
By using alternative route (see below) from Kani to Shah Ismail in
conjunction with this route, it might be possible to move an infantry
Division of two brigades of four battalions each, with three batteries and
a native cavalry regiment from Nushki to the Helmand and so to
Seistan. But the Division would have to move from Gala Chah to Khwaja
Ali in successive battalions at an interval of not less than 24 hours, the
whole of the water for each battalion being carried on camels.
This route offers a line for a railway from Nushki to the Helmand
valley and thence to Seistan.
Kani to Shah Ismail, vid Umbai, length 41 miles, 3 stages.—From
Kani an alternative road shorter and more direct than that vid Gala Chah
and Kanuk leads through the Kanuk hills vid Umbai to Shah Ismail.
There is, however, less water, and sand-drifts render it heavier than the
Gala Chah road ; in addition there is a heavy gradient on it. This road,
vid Umbai, is that generally taken by caravans, who consider good grazing
and short distance preferable to water-supply.
There are no supplies along this route, except camel-grazing and firewood
which are plentiful. Water is obtainable at all stages, sufficient for a
small force. More could probably be obtained by digging.
Shah Ismail to Deshu on the Helmand, length 117^ miles, 4 stafres.—No.
Instead of proceeding from Nushki to Gala Chah vid Shah Ismail and 12C.
thence to Khwaja Ali, it is possible to proceed direct across the desert
from Shah Ismail vid Arbu, striking the Helmand at Landi Wali Muham
mad Khan. This entails a march of 65 miles without water; the desert
is good going for camels, but probably too sandy for wheeled traffic of
any sort. After striking the river the road more or less follows the river
w.est to Deshu : on this part of the route water is abundant and supplies
are procurable in “ reasonable quantities. ” From Deshu the road may be
followed along the river to Khw'aja Ali and so to Seistan : there is also
a direct road to Chakansur, and another road hads across the river north
to Kash, Khor Malik, and Tarah.
Third Group.—Communications in Seistan Proper.
It has been said that in Seistan proi>er there are no roads. Regarding the
cultivated portion of the country Napier writes : “ There is not a road or any
thing approaching a road anywdiere. The whole country is intersected
with canals and watercuts, at best bridged here and there by a few boughs
of tamarisk, barely broad enough or stable enough for one loaded mule to
cross at a time. Between Sehkuha and Nasratabad, a distance of 20 miles,
one has to cross more than 20 canals and watercuts, of which 2 canals are
30 feet wide and 2 feet deep in their normal condition, and the remainder
are watercuts with the following average dimensions —banks 6 feet above
ground-level; water 3 feet deep, 5 feet broad, and sometimes as much as
4 feet below ground-level. Distance from top of one bank to the other
15 feet: add to this the fact that the watercuts often overflow, converting the
soil for some distance into a heavy bog, and it will be seen how difficult
it is even for a caravan to get from one village to another. It would be
advisable for any force operating in this district to cai’ry a certain number
of planks 12 to 15 feet long to facilitate crossing these watercuts,"