'Report on the Development of the Baluch-Persian Caravan Route and on the Nushki, Chagai and Western Sinjerani Districts, for the year 1899-1900' [‎7r] (13/64)

ON THE NUSHKI, CHAGAI AND "WESTERN SINJERANI DISTRICTS, 1899-1900.
9
rock at a depth of a, 'd 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 found it necessary to send for skilled Ghilzai
rock-cutters : this has greatly delayed the work, and there now appears little or no chance of
this karez being finished before next spring.
24. With a view to testing whether cultivation by means of Persian wheels can be
advantageously introduced into the district, 1 have purchased appliances sufficient to fit six
wells with this means of irrigation. The experiment is one which is being followed with
much interest by many of the more intelligent .baluch of the district who have a predilection
for agriculture.
25. The Baluch-Afghan Frontier in the neighbourhood of Baram Chah has been quiet
throughout the year.
26. Early in the spring of the present year, Mahmud, Chief of the trans-frontier Tara-
sezai Mengals, marched, with a following of Shorawak Barech, along the Nushki-Begietan
Frontier as far west as the Chagai Hamun, and, destroying boundary pillar No. 158,* replaced
it by another pillar built about a mile south of the position which had been occupied by the
pillar he had wrecked. In doing this Mahmud was no doubt influenced by a hope that his
action would result in deflecting the boundary so as to include within Registan several square
miles of British territory. Mahmud s action has been made the subject of a special representa
tion to the Governor of Kandahar.t
27. The few Baluch-Afghan boundary pillars which were injured by the trans-frontier
Nomad Baluch have been repaired. I have no reason for supposing that in the few cases where
the pillars marking the boundary were damaged the injury was due to any other motive than
pure mischief.
28. The year’s asafoetida crop was, on the whole, a fair one. On the slopes of the Koh-
i-Sultan range the plants came up well and were plentiful. The crop would have been an
exceptionally good one had it not been for the frequent sand-storms which blew while the
drug was being collected. West of the Koh-i-Sultan and in Sarhad the asafcetida crop,
although deficient in quantity, in quality was quite up to the annual average.
29. Samar Ali Khan Sinjerani continues to reside without the precincts J of the old Sin-
jerani Fort at Chagai. He has made no attempt during the year to carry out any of the
necessary repairs, and the fort is steadily crumbling into ruin.
30. In the hope of introducing date cultivation into Chagai, I have planted 100 young-
date trees at Dalbandin. It is premature to say yet awhile whether the experiment will prove
a success, but all the young trees which were planted appear to be thriving. Expert Mashkel
date-groweis are divided in opinion as to whether date cultivation in Chagai will be attended
by success. They urge that the climate of the Chagai district is several degrees cooler than
the climate of the Mashkel depression which yields such an abundant supply of dates, and they
shake their heads doubtfully and quote the old Baluch saying, that date trees must have their
feet in water and their heads in fire.
31. The frequent representations which have been made to Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Sir Naoroz Khan on
the subject of putting down raiding from the Kharan side of the Chagai-Kharan Frontier
have not been without then- effect. I am pleased to be able to report that, during the past
twelve months, there was a noticeable diminution in the number of border outrages, a fact
w hich would show that Sir Naoroz Khan is well able to keep this frontier in order, if he is
minded to do so.
82. Acting under instructions from the Honourable the Agent to the Governor-General,
I made an enquiry into the extent of the lands to which Sir Naoroz Khan lays claim to at
Washki Nullah, and also into the nature of the claims he advances to lands north of the Ras
Koh Kamarau range and at Gali Chah. Annexed to this report will be found a sketch map
showing the Washki Nullah lands which Sir Naoroz Khan declares are his. These lands
cover an area of about 1^ square miles and are all Khushkaba, dependent on the floods which
come down from Ras Koh in winter, for their irrigation water. I have been told that 200
maunds of wheat have been taken off the Washki Nullah lands in favourable years, but my
enquiries show that these lands have not been cultivated for several years, one of the results
of the drought from which the district has suffered so severely. The enquiry I held elicited
nothing to make me change the views which will be found expressed in my previous reports,§
to the effect that Sir Naoroz Khan’s claim to possess lands north of the Ras Koh Kamaran
range cannot be substantiated, and that the correct boundary between the Kharan and Chagai
districts is undoubtedly the watershed of the Sheikh Hussan, Ras Koh Kamarau, and Malik
Surandag, mountains. The boundary west of this mountain chain has yet to be defined, and as
Sir Naoroz Khan sets much store on the possession of Gali Chah, I am inclined to recommend. * * * §
* It appears likely that Mahmud made a mistake and destroyed boundary pillar No. 158 in place of boundary
pillar No. Ibl—vide paragraph 18 of this Appendix and paragraphs 12 and 13 Appendix I, my Administration Report
for the year 1898-99.
+ Fide this office letter No. 491-T., dated 25th May 1900, to the adress of the Honourable the Agent to the
Governor-General in Baluchistan.
J Fide paragraph 33, Appendix I, of my Administration Report for the year 1898-99.
§ T ide paragraph 47, Appendix I, of my Administration Report for the year 1897-98. Vide paragraph 32, Appen
dix 1 of my Administration Report for the year 1898-99.