'Report on the Development of the Baluch-Persian Caravan Route and on the Nushki, Chagai and Western Sinjerani Districts, for the year 1899-1900' [‎14r] (27/64)

ON THE NTJSHKI, CHAGAI AND WESTERN SIN.1ERANI DISTRICTS, 1899-1900.
71. At Saindak an entirely new thana is under construction to take the place of the old
post which proved to be unsatisfactory. The ground plan of the new thana resembles, in all
essential features, the ground plan of the thanas built at Killa Robat, Amir Chah, and Merui.
When finished the new thana will be finest building on the caravan road west of Nuekki,
containing as it will not only the usual accommodation provided for thanadar, 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. , and
sowars, but also a flour-mill * post otfice, baniah’s shop and a commodious godown.
72. The first stage west of Saindak is Kirtaka. The water-supply here has been improved
by sinking another well.t The two-roomed travellel•s , serai which was built at the close of
the last year is being enlarged.
73. From Kirtaka to Robat the new road runs along the northern foot of the Kacha Koh
Lar Koh range, following the track which l discovered on my return from Seistan last winter. J.
1 have roughly divided the distance between Kartaka and Killa Kobat by making a halting
place at Chah Mahomed Razai 17 miles from Kirtaka and 28 miles § from Robat. The new
halting-place has been provided with a small serai, three wells, and the usual facilities for
drawing water and watering animals.
74-. The new Robat thana is a fine building which only wants four defensive towers to
stand fully completed. The accommodation the thana contains is ample. It consists of a
havalat, baniah’s shop, annexed to which is a godown, quarters for the thanadar, 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. ,
levies, and a flour-mill. A spacious chaparkhana planned to contain four rooms, each with
its own bath-room annexed, stabling for several horses, servant's quarters and cook house, is
being built near the new thana. The water-supply at Robat received careful attention and
the springs which provide the post with water have been opened up and thoroughly cleaned
out.
75. Hitherto I have said nothing of my winter tour. I left Quetta on 3rd December
1899 and reached Nushki on the 6th. At Nushki 1 made a few days' halt to arrange matters
connected with the carriage of the supplies which were needed for my tour. Leaving Nushki
on 18th December I marched along the caravan route to Koh-i-Malik-Siah, following the old
route as far as Chah Sandan, and from thence the new route, south of the Koh-i-Sultan and
north of the Kacha Koh range to Killa Robat. While on the march to the frontier I made
an inspection of the various thanas, posts, and serais which guard the road throughout its
length, arranged for further wells being sunk where I found that they were required, and
marked out the new aligment which the katcha road was to follow west of Cbah Sandan.
76. From Mashki Chah I paid a visit of inspection to Amir Chah, where I replaced the
Amir Chah thana—the transfer of which to Saindak was necessitated by the realignment of the
roa( j by a Sinjerani levy post consisting of one Daffedar and four sowars. Leaving Amir Chah
on the 22nd January I rejoined the caravan-route near Duzghi the following day. From here 1
marched through Saindak to the frontier, which was reached on the 31st of the mouth without
any incident worthy of record having occurred.
77. I have long been of opinion that the interests of the Indian trade with Persia in
(general, and of the Nushki-Seistan trade-route in particular, would be advanced by establish-
ing direct trade communication between Koh-i-Malik-Siah, the point where the Nushki-
Seistan trade route turns north into Seistan, and Kirmau, the capital of the Persian Province
of that name. When 1 met Major Sykes, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul for Kirmau, in
Seistan in January 1899, where he was then on special deputation, we discussed the question
of openino 1 trade communication between Kirman and Quetta, and it was decided that, on his
return to ^bead-quarters at Kirman, Major Sykes was to arrange to send a test caravan, laden
with Kirman goods, to Koh-i-Malik-Siah, where it was to be met on arrival by my agent and
forwarded to Quetta.
Major Sykes found the Kirman merchants—who, like all Orientals, are conservative to a
^ eo . ree a t first averse to engaging in the enterprize. Eventually, however, he succeeded in
' overcoming their scruples and they agreed to forward a test caravan, laden with Kirman
fronds, to Koh-i-Malik-Siah on receiving a joint guarantee from the two of us that any loss
Their caravan might suffer either en route or when their goods were sold in Quetta would be
made "ood by us. The guarantee the merchants required was handed to them and the test
caravan left Kirman on 14th January and reached Koh-i-Malik-Siah fourteen days later
without mishap. ||
f lhe Krayakashes reported, on their arrival at Killa Robat, that they had bad an
uneventful, but cold, journey and they went on to say that the. track the whole way from
Kirman to Robat was an excellent one, possessing all the requirements m a good trade route
with a very fair water-supply whose improvement offered no serious difficulty, ihe goods
were sold in Quetta, at a fair profit, and the proceeds remitted to the Kirman merchants who
have expressed themselves highly gratified with the result. I think that Major Sykes is to * * * §
* The flour-mill is completed and in working order.
f This well, like all others to the east and west, has been provided with an iron watering trough and windlass
for drawing water.
t Vide paragraph 47, Appendix II, my report for the year 1898-98.
§ This distance is too great for laden camels and a new stage will be made 12 miles north-west of Chah Maho-
II The caravan was laden with carpets, silks, baraks, pistachio, and saffron, to the value of Hs. 8,105. All the
goods, with the exception of the baraks, have sold well.
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