‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎134v] (267/949)

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Chiefs, who own the cultivated lands between and including Rudbar and Band-
* No outside subordinate officials have jurisdiction i“Kamal Rhan, have always been left* to
in their country One or other of the Si^erani themselves and UPG in return for tribal
Khans, at present 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. Ata Muhammad Khan of i • , n, , ,
Chahar Burjak and Rudbar, acts as local Hakim tevy service exempt trom land*revenue,
under the Governor of Chakansur. The whole revenue collected by the
’ . C AH ° N Hakim of Chakansur from the country
on the right bank of the river from Rudbar to Band-i-Seistan is not more than
some Rs. 2,000 per annum. The revenue of Garmsel, on the other hand, is
greater, amounting to about Rs. 15,000 per annum, and, with the exception of
one or two revenue-free villages, is rigidly assessed.
10. Taking all the above points into consideration, it would seem wiser
i I 1 mit / our d® mail d s eastwards to the tract of country on the left bank up to
Rudbar {i.e., Bat) only. Southwards and eastwards the line which marks the
boundary of Sinjerani territory and the boundary of administrative jurisdiction
of the Chakansur Governor would form the most convenient limit of
acquisition.
I believe it would prove easier to get the Afghans to lease the whole
Chakansur district than to part with any portion of Garmsel or any other tract
of the Girishk province. Chakansur is a very out-of-the-way district; it has
no pure Afghan element in it, and is cut off on all sides from the rest
of Afghanistan, except in the narrow
Helmand valley, by waterless desertsf or
Hamuns. From careful enquiries I calcu
late that the Amir only gets some Rs.
.. r , v , revenue from the whole district. It is well worth
considering whether the opportunity should not be taken of endeavouring to
obtain the whole. Chakansur district or if not the whole, as far north as the
Rhash Rud. I will refer to this subject later.
f The road from Chakansur to Lash Juwain, to
avoid the Hamun, passes through a waterless country.
In flood time the Khash Rud cuts off communication
between Chakansur and the country north of it.
A. H. McMahon.
65,000 per annum
gross
( l ues ^ on nex t arises as to how our acquisition of the left bank up
to Rudbar would be regarded by the people of the country.
As regaids the people actually residing in this tract of country itself, they
80 ^ ew ln ^ um ^ ers ^at this consideration is not of very great importance,
o whether the whole population, nomad or otherwise, at present exceeds
2,000 persons. The.land-owners of the little cultivated land there is are a few
individuals, some 6 in number, all Sinjeranis, and members of one family, i.e,,
the same family to which our own Sinjerani Chief of Chagai belongs. They
are very friendly and well disposed towards us, and if, as we are bound to do,
we confirm their present revenue exemptions, their position would be but little
anected by our taking over the country. 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. Ata Muhammad Khan,
hnjeram, of Chahar Burjak and Rudbar, is at present in subordinate charge
ot the country for purposes of collecting grazing-tax, and he could easily be
recompensed for loss of that appointment by grant of levy service, &c. The
(cultivators and graziers of the country are of the same race as our own people
on our side of the border. 1 hey would welcome our arrival in the country,
and although we should not interfere with the terms on which the former
seiye their land-owners, they would benefit largely by increased security of liie
and property and in other ways.
• x A i S ^° r t ^ le r ® s . t . Chakansur district, I have every reason to
anticipate that our acquisition of the country adjoining them would be wel
comed. The Governor, i.e., the Akhundzada and his family, who themselves
form the principal land-owners from Killa-i-Fath downwards, are genuinely
attached to us. The family, are by origin Tarins of Khanzai near Pishin (the
Pishm near Quetta), and, like the Pishin people, are great traders. The
khundzada himself indulges much in trade, and our arrival would greatlv
benefit him. Moreover, tenure of office in Afghanistan is precarious, and I
believe the Akhundzada would secretly be relieved in mind to have so close at
hand the easy and convenient means of taking refuge in time of stress that our
propinquity would afford. I do not think we need anticipate any opposition
from him or other Chakansur officials. The common people would openly
welcome our coming. They are a poor, down-trodden, heterogeneous lot, almost
entirely composed of Baluchis and Brahuis, among whom preponderate Gur^ez
Rakhsham, and other tribes of British Baluchistan, who, from time to time)