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‘REPORT ON THE MISSION TO SEISTAN, 1897’ [13v] (31/134)
The record is made up of 1 volume (63 folios). It was created in 1898. It was written in English. The original is part of the 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. .
Transcription
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18
CHAPTER III.
INFLUENTIAL TRIBAL CHIEFS WITH OTHER INTERESTING MATTER
IMMEDIATELY CONNECTED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF SEISTAN.
An erroneous idea prevails that the tribal chiefs in Seistan are of “no
account and none occupy a higher position than that of village Kad Khuda.”
This has not been my experience. I will mention some of the leadin'*
Sardars, on whose assistance and influence are dependent the internal affairs and
administration of the country, and to whom I know for a fact (having perused
the letters) the Deputy Sartip and his father, the Governor of Tabas and Seistan,
appeal to for a settlement of the frontier water distribution, tribal discontent]
land revenues, raids and other matters concerning the well-being of this isolated
little territory.
To these Sardars is justly due a mead of praise from my pen, for without
their assistance—at all times willingly rendered and against official opposition
I would have had much difficulty.
The clergy too of the country, I must not omit to state, rendered us
valuable assistance, and by timely information—on more than one occasion
prevented what might have developed into serious affairs.
Influential Sardars of Seistan .—Sardar Purdil Khan, Sarbandi, son of
Sardar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Lutuf Ali Khan, is the most influential
Sardar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
in Seistan, and the
Sarbandi the largest tribe.
This
Sardar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
resides at Daulatabad in the sixth Nawar; he is a general
adviser to the Deputy Sartip on matters of importance affectin'* tribal
affairs, etc.
He holds considerable sway not only over the Seistan Sarbandi and sub
sections of this tribe, but his influence extends over the Damini and other
small sub-tribes on the Sarhad plateaus.
Purdil Khan is greatly respected, of undoubted ability, strength of character
and, as his name implies, courageous. It is stated he did good service in the
British cause with Sir Oliver St. John.
This
Sardar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
has lost his right arm, and the following account of the
occurrence is a fire-side story in Baluch hearths
W hen a young lad of ten years, he fell backwards off a donkey; apparently
he did not mind the fall, although it appears the humeral bone was fractured
badly.
His father, Lutaf Ali Khan, seeing that the arm was partly severed from the
shoulder, cut off the entire arm and plunged the stump into boiling rogan which
the people say—possibly with truth—prevents the wound going bad and hastens
the healing process.
The boy did not seem to feel the operation and did not even cry when the
stump was put in the boiling rogan; hence his father re-christened him
Purdil, i.e., stout-hearted, courageous. Purdil Khan and some other members
of his family were for some time patients of mine; he was much debilitated on
his return from Tabas where he had been for four months with Ali Akbar
Khan during troublesome times at the beginning of the year. He returned to
Seistan in the early part of June and rendered me much valuable assistance.
He states the climate of Seistan is much better than that at Tabas at this season
of the year. This is at variance with the generally accepted idea as gathered
from the records of other travellers on this side.
Sardar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Syed Khan, Naroi, son of
Sardar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Sharif Khan, lives at Khwaja-
Ahmad in the first Nawar.
In 1888 Sharif Khan was invited to the Kabul Court and was treated with
much favour by Abdur Rahman in return for the valuable assistance he had
rendered to him (Abdur Rahman) when on his flight from Kabul.
About this item
- Content
The volume consists of a report by Surgeon-Major George Washington Brazier-Creagh on his mission to Seistan [Sīstān] on ‘plague duty’ to investigate the closure of the Perso-Afghan-Baluch trade routes under the ‘mantle of plague’ from April to October 1897. The report is divided into five sections:
- The Outward Journey: A general account of the journey across the Baluchistan Desert – folios 5-7.
- A general history of the Mission and condition of affairs in Seistan – folios 8-13r.
- An account of influential chiefs and material connected with the administration of Seistan – folios 13v-15r.
- The Return Journey: A review of road infrastructure and trade prospects – folios 16-17.
- A review of the strategic and political outlook – folios 17-18.
The remainder of the volume (folios 20-58) consists of appendices. A pocket on the inside back cover contains five folded maps (folios 60-64).
On the front cover, it bears two stamps reading ‘War Office. Library. 14 Dec 1889’ and ‘Intelligence Division. 14 Dec 1889’ respectively.
Published in Calcutta by the Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, India (1898).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (63 folios)
- Arrangement
The report is divided into five sections with appendices at the back of the volume.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 65; 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: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘REPORT ON THE MISSION TO SEISTAN, 1897’ [13v] (31/134), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/20/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100044160194.0x000020> [accessed 21 November 2024]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/20/33
- Title
- ‘REPORT ON THE MISSION TO SEISTAN, 1897’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:24v, 27r:29v, 31v:59v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence