‘A RECONNAISSANCE IN SOUTH-WEST PERSIA’

Content

Narrative report on surveys conducted in south-west Persia [Iran]. The structure of the report is in two parts. The first part concerns British relations with Arabs, Persians and the Bakhtiaris [Bakhtiyārīs] during the reconnaissance of south-west Persia. The second part contains reports of routes leading into Bakhtiari country from the south-west. In addition, there is an appendix containing an account of a journey across the Bakhtiari mountains during 1890-91, which is written by Major Bruce, 19th Bengal Lancers.

The report is by William Daniel McSwiney. The survey work was carried out by Assistant Surveyor Imam Sharif, Khan Bahadur [Imām Sharīf, Khān Bahādur].

The report contains the following illustrations:

• ‘Reconnaissance Sketch of The Dizful [Dezful] Bridge.’ (f 10)
• ‘Reconnaissance Sketch of The Khushi Khana on the right bank of the Ab-i-Diz [Rudkhaneh-ye Dez], which commands the town of Dizful.’ (f 14)
• ‘Distant View of the Snow Covered Bakhtiari Mountains looking East from Dizful, November 1890.’ (f 16)
• ‘View of the River Ab-i-Diz as it flows into the “Gorge’’ on the north side of the Kilah Shahid.’ (f 18)
• ‘View of the Country Over the Plan of Dumakail looking east from the highest point on Kilah Shahid.’ (f 20)
• ‘One of the Broken Bridges Over the Ab-i-Diz at Pul-i-Kul.’ (f 24)
• ‘The Fort of Sar-i-Dasht [Sar Dasht, Khuzestan, Iran].’ (f 26)
• ‘Broken Bridge East End of the Tungi Baba Ahmad [Baba Tungi, Afghanistan].’ (f 29)
• ‘View of the Valley of Mal-i-Mir, December 1890.’ (f 36)
• ‘Bakhtiari Hut Built into the Side of the Hill at Chardeh, in which Major Bruce and Lieutenant W. D. McSwiney were snowed up in December 1890.’ (f 38)
• ‘Doorway of Above Hut.’ (f 38).

The report also contains the following:

• ‘Reconnaissance Survey of S.-E. Bakhtiari Country, May 1891, Surveyed by Assistant Surveyor Imam Sharif, K.B., Survey of India Department, superintended and assisted by Lieut. W. D. McSwiney, 7th Dragoon Guards.’ (f 2)
• ‘Reconnaissance Survey of S.-E. Bakhtiari Country, May 1891, Surveyed by Assistant Surveyor Imam Sharif, K.B., Survey of India Department, superintended and assisted by Lieut. W.D. McSwiney, 7th Dragoon Guards.’ (f 3)
• ‘Reconnaissance Survey of S.-E. Bakhtiari Country, May 1891, Surveyed by Sub-Surveyor Imam Sharif, K.B., Survey of India Department, superintended and assisted by Lieut. W.D. McSwiney 7th Dragoon Guards.’ (f 4).
• ‘Plan of Dizful’ (f 42).

Extent and format

1 volume (42 folios)

It is grouped into

‘RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY OF S.-E. BAKHTIARI COUNTRY, MAY 1891’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 2

‘RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY OF S.-E. BAKHTIARI COUNTRY, May 1891’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 3

‘RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY OF S.-E. BAKHTIARI COUNTRY, MAY 1891’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 4 1

‘RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY OF S.-E. BAKHTIARI COUNTRY, MAY 1891’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 4 2

‘RECONNAISSANCE SKETCH OF THE DIZFUL BRIDGE’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 10

‘RECONNAISSANCE SKETCH OF THE KUSHI KHANA’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 14

‘DISTANT VIEW OF THE SNOW COVERED BAKHTIARI MOUNTAINS’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 16

‘VIEW OF THE COUNTRY OVER THE PLAN OF DUMAKAIL’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 20

‘VIEW OF THE RIVER AB-I-DIZ’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 18

‘ONE OF THE BROKEN BRIDGES OVER THE AB-I-DIZ AT PUL-I-KUL.’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 24

‘THE FORT OF SAR-I-DASHT’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 26

‘BROKEN BRIDGE EAST END OF THE TUNGI BABA AHMAD.’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 29

‘VIEW OF THE VALLEY OF MAL-I-MIR, December 1890.’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 36

‘BAKHTIARI HUT BUILT INTO THE SIDE OF THE HILL AT CHARDEH, in which Major Bruce and Lieutenant W. D. McSwiney were snowed up in December 1890.’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 38 1

‘DOORWAY OF ABOVE HUT’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 38 2

‘PLAN OF DIZFUL’

2 images

Ref: Mss Eur F112/397, f 42

Physical characteristics

Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 43; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

Pagination: printed pagination sequences are also present in parallel between folios 11-35 and folios 37-40.

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Archival item

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

Mss Eur F112/397

History of this record

Date(s)

1891 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Military intelligenceReports

Places

Persia

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‘A RECONNAISSANCE IN SOUTH-WEST PERSIA’, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F112/397, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0002ec> [accessed 5 July 2024]

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