'Military Report of the Nushki-Chagai-Western Sinjarani Country' [‎32v] (69/302)

52
Rns Koh mountain, and in Jallawan and lower Baluchistan are
known all over Baluchistan as Gmir-bastas, and are attributed to
Ihe ancient infidel inhabitants, or Gaurs. These infidels appear to
have been an industrious race more highly civilised than the present
Muhammadan population. In the footnote on page 66 , Gazetteer
of Central Asia, part III, treating of Baluchistan, it is said that these
gaur-baxtas are the handiwork of the ancient people known as
Pelasgi, or the wall-builders of Europe; and the date 1800 B. C.
is assigned to them.
The next trace of the ancient history of the country is found
in the square-shaped tombs, whose interiors still show traces of the
original colours and designs of the glazing, and whose architecture
is somewhat elaborate. The Baluchis say that these are the graves
of a people whom they style Kai-ani, and who were not Musal-
mans. From an examination of bones found in these it appears
that they were a well-grown race, averaging nearly 6 feet in
height. The outside of these buildings are adorned with rude
figures in low relief, representing horses, camels, bullocks, giraffes,
peacocks, tigers or panthers, men on horseback armed with spear
and sword, a representation of a ship, and another of a man on foot
stalking an antelope with bow and arrows on his back and a
weapon like an arquebus held in both hands. The local Baluch
traditions assert that their ancestors found the country depopulat
ed and a wilderness, and colonised it. It seems possible that
these tomb people are they who worked the copper mines, and,
from the immense deposits of slack found, it appears that there
must, in former days, have been a large supply of fuel. It is pos
sible that the now barren hills may then have been well wooded.
Traditions of invasions from the north and north-west still exist;
but these are very vague, and the invaders are always said to have
been Moghals. Mengal, indeed, is probably but a corruption of
Moghal. However this may be, the country being, from its con
figuration, exposed to inroads from the north, and rendered very
unsafe, it was deserted by its former inhabitants, and colonised,
first by the Rinds at the end of the 18th or early in the 17th cen
tury, and, at a later date, by tribes of nomads, who found in it
pasturage for their flocks, and who were the ancestors of the present
tribes of Baluchistan.
In later times parts of the country have been under the
rule of the Khan of Kalat, the 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. of Kharan, and the Amir of
Afghanistan. The Boundary Commission of 1896 defined the
limits of the control of the latter, and in June 1899 an agreement
was entered into between the Government of India and His High
ness the Khan of Kalat under which His Highness the Khan
ceded all rights in Nushki to Government in consideration of a
quit-rent. Previous to this Nushki was in a state of lawlessness
and anarchy, and subject to raids from all directions.
The Boundary Commission of 1896 under Colonel Holdich
fixed the Perso-baluch boundary, but the frontier north of
Ladgasht vvas never demarcated on the spot, and this will now be
done by joint British and Persian Commissioners.
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