‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎336r] (678/722)

625
In Sistan itself there is a special area of very limited extent, to which
the name of the district is applied par excellence. Its boundaries are con
stant, and remain unaffected by political vicissitudes. It is confined to
the actual basin of the Hamun and the delta of the Helmand. Its bound
aries are as follows To the north, the Naizar; to the west, the Sarshela;
to the south, the cliffs of the Zara desert; and to the east, the river Helmand.
The frontier towns are Kuh Khoja, Zarkuh, Sihkuha, Dashtak, Burj Alam,
Jahanabad, and Jalalabad, the whole area being less than 1,500 square
miles. For a fuller and more detailed account of the country, its physical
features, climate, soil, productions, antiquities, ruins, history, inhabitants,
and language, reference may be made to Bellew’s report, pp. 124-161.—
[Conolly, Goldsmid, Lovett, Euan-Smith, Bellew.)
SlSTANI—
This tribe is said to represent the original inhabitants of the country; but
in reality it is a mixture of all sorts of tribes and races, thrown here at
different periods by the waves of conquest or revolution. With the excep
tion of the Kalantari section (who, perhaps, may represent the aboriginals),
they have no possession in the soil, but are the subjects or tenants of the
possessing tribes. They are divided into innumerable sections, according to
origin or occupation, and are collectively known under the term f dihkan, or
‘ villager/
Their position in the country is that of serfs, their families and property
being very much at the disposal of the lord of the tribe amongst whom
they are settled, whilst their liberty is completely so. They constitute the
bulk of the population, and are distributed amongst the village communities
all over the district; but it is difficult to arrive at even an approximate
calculation of their numbers.
I am inclined to believe that they collectively outnumber all the other
tribes put together. They perform all the agricultural work of the country,
and furnish all its handicraftsmen and artisans, such as carpenters, weavers,
cobblers, smiths, barbers, musicians, labourers, &c. Some of them are
employed as shepherds, and others as fowlers, huntsmen, and fishermen, &c.;
whilst all are bound to take up arms in defence of the tribe amongst whom
they live, and, it is said, they have proved very brave and faithful adherents.
Amongst the Sistanis, or Dihkans, arefound Turk, Tatar, Usbak, Kurd, Mu
ghal, and Arab, families of the Afghan, Pathan, Hazara, Brahm, and Baluch.
The first category were probably introduced by the Arab conquerors and
the invasions of Jhangiz and Taimur. The Tajik and Parsiwan, who are
also found in all parts of Afghanistan and Baluchistan, may represent the
early Persian inhabitants of the country; while the last-named are recent
immigrants exiled from their own tribes, by blood-feuds or other reverses
of fortune.
In early times the Sistanis were a more influential and numerous element
in the polity of Sistan than they are at the present day. Taimur during
his few years* devastation of this country completely broke their power.
Pie is said to have transported 7,000 of their families of the Kikha
section to Mazandaran, and the Sarbandis and Shahrikis bodily to
Hamadan. Some of the principal divisions of the Sistanis, or Dihkans,
at the present day are the Kikha, Bozi, Saiyad, Panjaka, Sarghazi, Sangbori,
Sangcholi, Shekhlangi, Karakoui, Kazak, Bamari, Kamai, Khamar,
Bahrai, Jauri, Khushdad, Mahmudzai, &c.; also Baghwan, Chaman, Jolah,
Chaupan, &c.— [Bellew.)
79