‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎134v] (273/722)

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second parallel range, but which is separated at different points by water
courses, whose sides are bounded by precipices 200 to 300 feet high, and
whose beds form the “ Darbands ” through which the road passes. On both
sides of this range, which is a spur of the main watershed between the
drainage of Mashhad and that of the Atrak, valleys run down to the east
and drain out into the Atak plain. According to some authorities, “ Kuran
Dagh-” is the name of the range, “ Kara Dagh ” only being applied to the
easternmost peak, which attains to a height of 7,800 feet.— {MacGregor.)
KARA DASHLI—
A tribe, which in the middle of the last century occupied part of Akhal,
as far as Durun.— {Marvin.)
KARA RIGAN —Lat. , Long. ; Elev.
A village of the Kalat district in Khurasan, outside the stronghold of
Kalat-i-Nadiri.— {MacGregor.)
KARAGIFAN— Lat. 37° 31' 0", Long. 56° 15' 30"; Elev. ' {Napier).
A village in Kurdish Khurasan, situated in the hills to the north of
Chanda Abbas.— {Napier.)
KARAI—
A Turk tribe of Khurasan, inhabiting the districts of Turslffz and Turbat-i-
Haidari, where they are said to have been brought by Timur. The chief
of this tribe in 1875 was Haji Mirza Muhammad Khan. The chiefs of
the Karai, however, appear to have lost their former pretensions to inde
pendence, and it may be assumed that, in common with the rural population
of the interior districts, the Karai would, if no specially unfavourable
influences were at work, be available for defence in the event of invasion.
The Karai are still accounted a warlike race ; and the regiments recruited
from them, one of which is supplied by Turbat-i-Haidari and the other by
Turshiz, bear a high reputation. They are occasionally sent for a tour of
duty in Sistan, which duty is very unpopular on account of the bad climate.
With regard to the history of the Karais, there seems every probability
that they are descendants of the old Tartar tribe of Karait; whose chief,
Ung Khan, is believed to have been the original person referred to in
mediaeval histories as Prester John. There is no doubt that the Karait tribe of
Tartars were largely Christian, and several Karait princesses married Mongol
princes. Haji Mahdi Kuli Khan, son of Isa Khan, the Karai chief, who
built the town of Turbat-i-Haidari, was alive at Sangun in 1882, and was
said to be ninety years of age.
This family has no power now, as governors are appointed from Tihran.
Though the tribal cohesion of the Karais has been broken up, it would
be quite possible to restore it. They are said formerly to have inhabited the
country of, and been lords over, the Mongols ; but were defeated in a great
battle by the latter under Chengiz Khan, who moved them from their
native pastures to the country near Tabriz and Rum.
The Amir Timur, finding them settled in the west, wished to transfer them
back again. They were very unwilling to go ; and when they reached the
neighbourhood of Damghan, they had broken out into revolt, were defeated
again, and a large number slain. The remainder fled in various directions.
Those now in Turbat-i-Haidari went to Ears; but hearing that a considerable
portion of the tribe were settled near Balkh, they attempted to rejoin them,
but never got so far, having settled about Turbat-i-Haidari.
Thomson mentions Karai as one of the districts of Khurasan, extending
from Chashma-i-Khak-i-Lut to Haidari 18 farsakhs and in breadth 12