'Report on The Mission to Seistan, by Surgeon-Major G. W. Brazier-Creagh, A.M.S [Army Medical Services] 1897.' [‎18r] (40/131)

• to expect that the entire character of the country will still further undergo
great changes. &
i rom ismail an intermediate route runs south between the northern route
and the one we proceeded by, joining at Kundi {vide map); this Nohli-Sal^az-
Kundi line will at once suggest itself as being the most direct. °
The most practicable and strategical line for all purposes appears to me
to run from Quetta * to Ismail; along that we travelled, thence to Kundi by
the above f onwards, following our route across the Amalaf and Siastar^i
plateaus to Saindak. Saindak should be a central depot and strong post, it is
on the high road to everywhere in these parts, leading as it does from Seistan
and Afghanistan to Mashkhel, Jalk, Makran, Kharan, Dalbandin and
Quetta.
Had it not been for the presence and protection afforded by our post at
Amir Chah, the kafila A train of travellers; a caravan; or any large party of travellers. proprietors and merchants informed me this is a
preferable route.
I would here state that I have pointed this out to Mr. Barnes, Agent to
the Governor-General, Baluchistan, as also to Lieutenant Webb-Ware, the
Political Officer, Ohagai, suggesting at the same time the advisability of trans
ferring the greater number of the levies from Amir^Chah to Saindak and placing
all under a strong crafty native, leaving but a small post at the former place
wffiich requires but little guarding.
It is in this very vicinity that the Damini tribe cause such trouble and
interfere with our trade, blocking the route by perpetual raids and bolting
into the fastness of Mirjawa range. It will, therefore, be seen how important
it is to have a strong post at Saindak to check the Damini who dominate the
entire western districts.
Prom Saindak to the frontier the most practicable route, I think, will be
found to follow along the skirts of the hills as straight as the nature of this
rugged damin will admit.
A glance at my map will show the exact places, with their names, where
water is available all the year round (coloured in blue circles or crosses) along
the whole routes travelled.
If, for strategical or other purposes, it is ever contemplated to construct a
railway and link up Eastern Persia with Quetta, this must be the line of
advance, and not, I think, that via Amir Ohah, if we wish to avoid a similar
source of anxiety which the Russian administration have to combat with in
the section of her Trans-Caspian Railway between Merv and Charjui.J
This line runs through lofty sand dunes, from which the sand is always on
the move under the influence of perpetual wind, and necessitates a considerable
expenditure to protect it from being rapidly obliterated.
I was glad to see that the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Chagai, acting on the sugges
tions and recommendations made by me in my earlier letters to Mr. Barnes,
Agent to the Governor-General, Baluchistan, had caused supply depots to be
placed along the route at convenient centres; these are a great boon not only
to traders, but to the nomad tribes along these deserts. §
Local appreciation of the re-opening of the Seistan-NushM route .—Many
encouraging signs are manifest to betoken an increased appreciation of the
opening up of the Baluchistan-Seistan caravan route.
The returns from Pebruary to October 1897 as seen in Lieutenant Webb-
Ware’s report give the total value of the exports and imports as over 3J lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , * 8
* Or m'a Bolan, Darwaza, Mastung, Kanak up to Nushki as suggested by Colonel Bell, V.C. vide “ Report on a
iourney from Quetta to Trebizond,” page ii of Preface.—B. C.
+ This short section was not travelled overby my party, but from information received and the general confi
guration of the surrounding country as seen when passing close on either side, I have reason to believe there are no
topographical difficulties whatever—B. C.
X The line projected by Colonel Sir T. H. Holdich according to the recent Indo-Afghan Boundary Commission is
now outside the British sphere of influence.
Without interfering at all with Seistan or encroaching on Afghan territory, a light railway, following the above
suggested route, would be equally suitable for commercial or strategical purposes.—B. C.
8 The major portion of the suggestions and recommendations made by me to the ^? ve f nor '^ e ” e ^ a h
Baluchistan, have been embodied under the head of “ Improvements ” on page 18, paragraph 28, of Lieutenant Webb
Ware’s report on the Baiuchistan-Persian Caravan Route.