"سيستان، بلاد فارس وسيستان" [ظ‎‎١‎٣] (٦١٧/٣١)

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6
steps that might with adrantage
trade route, I have the honour to
he taken to develop and improve the new
submit the attached remarks.
protectioi
1 To me the very first consideration of all appears to he the safety and
sction of caravans passing along the new tra e rou e.
_ - travellers will he deterred at the outset from facing
Neither caravans or assure d that they have nothing to fear
forlhe^afety oTtheir goods while in transit. Since my return to Quetta I
have been interviewed by more than one trader and almost the very first query
nut is : ‘“will Government guarantee_ the safety of our goods and indemnify
us for loss resulting from robbery or raids ?” .
2 The next consideration naturally is the comfort of caravans using the
route." Under this heading “facile princeps” comes the matter of water-
sunnlv between Nushki and Robat (Koh-i-Mahk Slab), excepting along
two stretches, one of 65 miles and one of 42 miles. The present supply is
sufficient to meet the exigencies of all caravans. The supply can well be, and
I trust shortly will he, greatly improved, facilities for drawing water increased,
etc., etc., but still, as I have just said, excepting those stretches referred to, the
supply is ample. Three wells are thus required. One is already nearly com
pleted, two still remain. To detail a party of Sappers and Miners to dig
two wells, of an average depth of, say, 30 feet at a distance of 300 miles from
Quetta, appears to me rather a waste of scientific energy, a small party of Pathan
navvies amply sufficing. The difficulty we will have to contend against is
wind-driven sand. I found that almost invariably the accumulation of sand
in wells was due, not to the collapse of either mouth or side walls, but to the
action of sand storms. This is so thoroughly recognised by natives that the
system they adopt, on these sand-swept wastes, is to cover over the entire well
mouth, flush with the ground, only leaving a small orifice available through
which mussacks can be lowered. They say, to build up any projection, against
which sand can lodge, ensures a drift forming, and the well being quickly
blocked up; whereas under their plan, the driven sand is swept across the
mouth, very little effecting a lodgment in the small orifice left open.
No one who has not had personal experience of the country I am dealing
with can conceive the rapidity with which, should a drift once form, wind-
driven sand is capable of choking wells.
o. The ground in the vicinity of old wells’ mouths—wells in use for genera
tions is so thoroughly saturated with filth and polluted to such a depth that,
cover cuer the mouth as you may, nothing short of sinking new wells up
S i !- ef |™ 5 ar remov e( ^ ^ roni ^ ie polluted ground, and keeping them solely for
( rm ’ing purposes, will avail: percolation from a shower of rain at present being
sufficient l' 0 ren der their water temporarily undrinkable.
of well wf c . om “ o nly in vogue to prevent the damage or collapse
01 well mouths was both simple and effective.
squam^framework^nfV 8 e + xca ^ ate( ^ 1° .^l 16 depth of three or four feet, then a
built up well backed wit} 6 runks ^ud branehes, the size of the well shaft,
the friction of both “T' 5 ' 1 St0,1< ?- The Rework within takes off
taction 0 both buckets and ropes, and preserves the well from injury.
increased! 101 ’ 165 “ drawln S water and watering camels might well be
one occasion made’by'me^ t0 136 O|X0<1 al,ove wells ’ mouths were on more than
tive to matter of stovirig ■ Brazle r-Creagh’s suggestion rela-
greatly to^h e popXn\vof e ?hfrome OOI t t0 k aVelle - 8and earavans > and add
godowns, or thanas, would of neoes^itv h 01 + e _ sto _ rl ug of the supplies proper
As this is, however, a matter that wilHi T 6 °a ? e au( ^ agents appointed,
m my report, I will refrain h ffrom with atsome ^ttle length
8. An exhaustive list of " , g fUrther 011 ^ subject,
m each thana; amongst these willffij ni 01 ^ e * rS for tkanas posted
protection of trees, the procurino- of snob « 16 r u est lns t r uctions relative to
® tc - * ° 0t SUch su PP lie s as are at present available,