'Report of Khan Bahadur Maula Bakhsh, Attaché to the Agent to the Governor General of India and Her Britannic Majesty's Consul-General for Khurasan and Sistan, on His Journey from Meshed to Quetta via Turbat-i-Haidari, Kain, Sistan, Kuh-i-Malik Siah and Nushki (7th April to 28th July 1898)' [‎49r] (102/156)

ON HIS JOURNEY FROM MESHED TO QUETTA, 1898.
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(c) Of course the Amir’s attention mi"ht be drawn to this state of affairs
Disadvantages of the presence of Afghan officials to-IUOriOW, and he might forthwith
along the Perso-Afghau boundary line near Hur- establish Customs llOUSeS and post guards
muk ‘ all along the boundary line, but the
position of Hurmuk well within Persian territory is clearly fixed on the
boundary maps and he could not send Afghan guards there without violating
Persian territory which he is unlikely to do. No doubt the presence of Afghan
officials anywhere near Harmuk would be most undesirable, as they might
overstep their bounds and oppress passing caravans in Persian territory for
their personal benefit, and it would be very difficult to put a stop to their
highhandedness without a strong Persian official at Hurmuk and a strong
Tbanadar at Kubat-i-Kuh-i-Malik Siah.
Tuesday, 14tu June 1898.
Hurmuk — Halt,
110. Another of our camels broke down on the road between Gumbad-i-
Halt necessitated at Hurmuk by the condition of Sliela and Illirmuk, and in Order to give
the camels. the owner time to bring it on quietlv and
to give the other camels a rest without which the camel-owners declared* they
could not proceed farther, I was compelled to halt at Hurmuk for a day.
111. Three Baluch families of the Ismailzai tribe from Dozab passed
Scarcity in s.rhad. through here to-day op their way to Sistan.
They said that a scarcity of grain prevailed
see paragraph i3G<7). garhad, and that a number of people
who had no means of moving to Sistan or sending there for grain had died of
starvation.
(a) A few Khdshi families also passed through towards Sistan. They were
Plunder »f KMsbi. b, p.iachi. in Sarhad. j" tlle “"f 4 distressed state and complained
that all their property had been plundered
See paragraph 136(0- py B a i uc hi s 0 f Sarhad which had com
pelled them to migrate from Khash to Sistan. They had lost two children
from starvation and had had to kill and devour their cattle on the road to save
their lives.
Wednesday, 15th June 1898.
112. Itubdt-i-Kuh-i-Malik Sidh (Thdna).
Time taken by laden camels, 9 hours.
Rubat-i-Kdh-
i-Alalik Slab.
Distance, 18 miles.
Road, good.
Water, good, from springs.
Camebgrazing and fire-wood plentiful.
No supplies procurable.
(a) On arrival here I was met by Tbanadar Juma Khan, Daffadar Badal
Khan, and Munshi A term used in the Middle East, Persia and South Asia to refer to a secretary, assistant or amanuensis. Munshis were employed in the British administration in the Gulf. Dad Muhammad, who
The staff of the Thdna at Rubdt*i-Kuh-i-Maiik offered their readiness to help me in every
Siah, and my arrival there. L "
way.
Sowars Nazar Jan and Mannu Jan, who accompanied my caravan from
<Neh, were very useful on the road.
Sowar In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman. Nazar Jan knows the desert country between Neh and Rubdt-i»
Kiih-i-Malik Siah wonderfully well, and had it not been for him we might have
lost the road several times.
The sowars and the Khdsadars have grown some melons and water-melons
in the ground below the springs, which shows signs of cultivation at some
former period, and the work connected with these and the building of the
Thana keeps their time usefully occupied.
K 2