"الاتجار بالأسلحة في مسقط. ١٩٠٨-١٩٠٩." [ظ‎‎٤‎١] (١٢٨/٨٧)

46
Again this year this man seems to be
taking the leading part among the Baluch
Sardars. Nearly all the Afghans are deal
ing with him, and he must be making large
profits. At the same time he certainly
renders great services, and without his ac
tive help and goodwill the Afghans would
find the trade much more difficult and risky.
Barkat Khan received for the first con
signments that were landed this year Re. 1-6
per rifle. This is for his personal services,
and does not include hire of boat or pay of
guide, if provided, and out of which he no
doubt makes a separate commission.
The later arrivals refused to pay more
than Re. 1 per rifle, and after some discus
sion Barkat Khan agreed to this. He has
two agents who do most of the work for him.
These are Dadulla and Dosti, both Baluchis.
As w T as mentioned above, Barkat Khan
appears to have been given a firman by
the Amir.
8 . Zaravat was selected as the final ren
dezvous for the large caravan. This place
is about 30 miles, north-west of Jashk, on
the road to Minab. It is quite close to
Agushki and Shirahan. It was selected on
account of the good camel-grazing to be got
there, and also because it was considered a
safe and secluded spot. The various parties
of Afghans had been slowly collecting there
for some three mor ths. It had become a
regular Afghan colony by the middle of
March. New arrivals were coming in daily,
and all were very pleased with them
selves. Those whose purchases had
all arrived busied themselves wuth clean
ing and packing up their rifles, they were
also continually testing their rifles. Our
man says it w r as as though field firing was
going on. Many of the Afghans had used
up their allowance of cartridges, and in many
cases the owners of Mauser pistols had fired
away all their 400 rounds.
All had assembled by the afternoon of the
20th March, and the caravan started on
the morning of the 21st March.
Rendezvous.