'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1865 to December 1867. (Edited by the Honorary Secretary.) Volume XVIII.' [‎38] (173/268)

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NOTES ON MEKRAN«
obtained in Mekran under the Maliks whose rule seems to have termi
nated in the latter part of the 17th century. There m no local account
to be had of Mekran history previous to this overthrow, nor oes it seem
to be known whether they were of Belooch extract, nor whether Malik
was their title, or family name.
The foregoing suggestions, which will be taken for what they are
worth are meant to be introductory, the object in view being to bring
forward the local version of the history of Mekran, subsequently .to the
time of the Maliks, which is preserved in the ballads and traditions of
the Natives. Few sources of further investigation being at hand, few
corrections are attempted. It is, however asserted that works on
Mekran exist, and are to be found in Kerman; if so, the information
contained in them would no doubt be interesting, and a history other
wise irretrievably lost might be brought to light.
I will now endeavour to throw into somewhat connected form, such
accounts of the history of Mekran for the past two centuries or so, as
are still preserved in tradition, and have been communicated by the
best informed Natives I have had opportunities of conversing with;
availing myself of a few reliable facts from contemporaneous Persian
history, to make some corrections*
II. Notes on Mekran History.
Native tradition goes back to a period when Mekran, as an united
independent country, was ruled throughout its extent by a dominant
family known as Maliks. Under them it was constitutionally a single
State, but divided into several general governments or provinces, each
held by a Malik, having absolute power in his own province. These
again were sub-divided into districts and dependencies, immediately
governed by hereditary petty Chiefs.
These provinces composed a Belooch Federation united under one
supreme authority (always the Ruler of the Province of Kej), who
received homage and tribute from the rest, and to whom all quarrels
amongst members of the Federation were referred, and under whom
they all united their forces to repel attacks from without, or invade the
territory of common foes. It is not, however, asserted that all the
provinces were members of this Federation in the latter days of Malik
rule. Some may have seceded earlier. One of these Princes is said to
have erected a large pillar, a little to the eastward of Minab in Persia*