‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎86r] (170/949)

7
*
While Panjgur and Kech are narrow, stony valleys, Kolwa,. which com
mences at the eastern extremity of the latter, is a long, wide, alluvial depression,
into which the nullas from the ranges to the north and south empty them
selves. Its staples are barley and millet, and the total produce of an ordinary
vear, in spite of its enormous area and possibilities, does not exceed 600 tons.
With a little energy on the part of the cultivators in repairing bunds, &c.,
now in a lamentable state of ruin, that quantity might be increased ten-fold.
The inhabitants are confined to a few little villages or kalats, and depend
upon rather deep and indifferent weils for their drinking supply.
The second route for an invader from Persia runs through this Kech-
Kolwa valley, and converges with the Panjgur road to Kalat near the head of
the Mashkai .River.
With the exception of these two thoroughfares (for we may exclude the
roads ftom Ladgasht through Dalbandin or Kharan as too waterless), no other
roads lead east and west along which troops could be moved.
It may be considered that Madak Kalat in Kolwa, where the Karachi
alignment enters the plain, is too remote from the frontier to guard this route
effectually, without the addition of a branch from Kolwa to Tump. yj hile
on political and commercial grounds I am strongly in favour or building
a branch to Tump, as it would be very cheaply constructed and would prove
a valuable feeder line, and at least pay working expenses from the begm-
nin°> besides exerting a powerful political influence m 1 ersian Baluchistan, I
don’t think it should be considered an integral part of the scheme of defence.
Por the Madak position per se gives every advantage to the defenders.
Except after heavy rains where pools are to be met with m fields whose
bunds are still intact, the stretch of 30 miles from the Kech Kiver at Kilkaur
Tangi to the railway is practically waterless. Even m peace time a force
would have to march through Kolwa in detachments; it is difficult then to see
how it could make good its advance in the face of troops supported by a railway
in rear. It is on political and commercial grounds, rather than strategic, that
the Kech valley branch is essential.
Before concluding this general description of Makran, a few words concerning
the tract between Kech and the coasts may not be out of place, in explanation
of the comparative cheapness of the line from Turbat to Pasm. Though
similar in geological formation to the ranges to the north, this third range is
much less formidable; the ridges between its outer barriers are lower and
further apart, while between the ridges are wide expanses of sloping, stony
plain.
The country is unusually sterile, partly because of its greater heat and
more scanty rainfall, but mainly, I believe, on account of the change in the
strata from hard rock and slaty shales to soft rock and clay shales. 1 he striking
features of the country are its wide, deep nulla beds and great stretches ol
ravines Both proceed from the same cause,—the absence ot rock and the
friability of the shales. In places the plain seems to melt away into a series
of sugar loaf mounds, like the banks of the Chambal near Dholpur or of
the Jumna at Kalpi. These ravines, though impracticable for anyone on
foot (at least in the hot weather), are in places not at all difficult for a railway;
and the main head of expense in this portion of the line will be in the matter
of bridging.
The foregoing general description may serve to convey some idea or
Western Baluchistan from a Bailway Engineer’s standpoint. Before proceed
ing to give details of the alignments, works, curves, &c., a little turtlier
account of the inhabitants may be of interest.
The men of the country from Panjgur south are lusty and well shaped.
It was remarkable how much bigger and heavier they were than the gram-eating
Baluchis round Nushki and Quetta. There is a large admixture of Negro
blood among the inhabitants of the villages, but the nomads are fairly tree
from the taint. The dominant religion is Muhammadanism, but among the
fribes round Kech Zigriism is exceedingly prevalent. Its tenets are a worship
to the Mullas, who claim at marriages the rights of a Erench Seigneur over
*