'Military Report of the Nushki-Chagai-Western Sinjarani Country' [‎13v] (31/302)

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different times of year, being worst at Mushki Chali and Saindak
Baluchis drink it and thrive on it, but it is liable to affect natives
of India, and would without doubt cause a great deal of sickness
amongst British troops.
From Dalbandia to Robat, there is no soil, and no cultivation
could, apparently, ever be introduced; supplies, therefore, would
either have to be earned or collected beforehand. The latter plan
would probably work best, as every additional camelman or camel
helps to drain the resources of the road.
Baluch camels or some species of camel used to travelling over
stones and boulders must be employed. The ordinary camel of
bindh is quite unsuitable for military purposes in this country, as
a few quick marches reduces him to a condition in which he cannot
be ridden at all.
Supplies are now obtainable in small quantities from the
store depots at the different stages, but troops would have to carry
supplies, although it might be possible to collect a small amount
from the Nushki and Dalbandin cultivation, or supplies could be
laid in along the route from Nushki at one end and from Seistan at
the other, from Chah Sandan (stage 11) to Seistan the supply of
hrewood is very scarce, but is plentiful in Amalaf and Saindak
nalas.
It is only between Tratoh and Mukak Zartz, a stretch of 95
miles, that anything approaching a waste is crossed. Even here
patches of grass are to be found in every nala bed, and, as far as
camel grazing is concerned, there is sufficient for the requirements
of caravans. After heavy rain, which is very rare in this countrv
the nalas crossed by the route become raging torrents for a few
hours, cutting away the vamps which have been made where the road
crosses them, and the alluvial soil becomes so heavy and sticky that
camels can traverse it only with the greatest difficulty, but can
generally make detours by the lower slopes of adjacent hills. The
water lies in huge ponds amongst the sand-hills for some days
after rain. The difficulties caused by rain are, however, not only
unusual, but very temporary. As a military road, this route from
iNushki to Robat has many disadvantages, the chief of which are
the difficulty of local food and forage supply, and the badness of
the water, as already noted, at some of the stages. There can be
little doubt that both these disadvantages could be modified.
The route is at present impracticable for unmounted men or
for British troops, as the stages are extremely long, all supplies
would have to be carried, and on infantry worn out by forced
marches, with no water obtainable between stages, the water of
the weils would probably have a bad effect. Generally speaking-, it
is difficult to bring troops through Baluchistan by the trade route
owing to the wel s of saline water being at long intervals apart.
The route could, however, by laying in ample supplies at all stages,
increasing the number of wells and decreasing the distances
between them, be made available for large bodies of troops
There are three natural positions, where the road could’be best
Uelended against a force attacking from Seistan.