'Report on Sistan and the Country Between It and Mashad' [‎8v] (21/118)

was here last year, not only gave the Amir a rifle, but showed him a ready
means of making money by trading direct with Russia,
In the same letter I also told him that his Afghan prisoners had peti
tioned me (two of them had bribed their guards and come up to my tent),
but that, as they were not British subjects, it was not for me to interfere.
At the same time I remarked that if he appealed through our Consulate, the
British Government might restrain the Afghans, but could not do so if he
indulged in reprisals.
Ismail Khan acknowledged my letter, and, with reference to the gholam,
replied that the Governor of Khorasan had expressly oideied him to send a
man with me. The Sahib Diwan (Governor of Khorasan) had, previous to
my departure from Mashad, shown himself distinctly averse to my mission.
Regarding the Afghans, he said he was going to the frontier to enquire into
the matter, and would release the prisoners if his own men had not been ill-
treated.
During the day it had been carefully made known to me that the Amir
had already disposed of my presents, giving the rifle to his 4 ‘ mustofi^ and
the watch to this very gholam, so that now there was no doubt of his real
sentiments. I was surprised, however, that the Amin-es-Sultan^s letter had
had no effect.
Next morning I left Birjand. The tops of the Bagheran mountains
were just tipped with snow. The high road to Sistan bends to the east, but I
chose’ the unfrequented track round the western slope of the range. At
Mukhtarun, a large village three marches beyond Birjand, the headman
wanted to stop me, as 1 had no gholam from the Amir. Ghias Beg, instead
of accompanying me, had first g’one off to settle his own affairs in his
village, and had no doubt sent on a man to detain me till he could overtake
us, for the villagers of themselves are never obstructive.
However, I took no notice of the somewhat menacing attitude of the
villagers, and moved off without a disturbance.
On the seventh day Ghias Beg caught me up, but made no excuses for
his absence. The next day also he remained behind, following me some hours
after on a donkey, as his horse was lame. My camp at this place was not
near any village, so I thought this a good opportunity of getting rid of him.
He had openly boasted to my servants that be was sent to take charge of me,
and not to let me go where I liked. Accordingly, next morning I dismissed
him with a letter to the Amir, saying how he had stayed behind, and that
he was of no use bo me. He at first refused to go, declaring he had busi
ness of bis own in Sistan, but, on my insisting, pretended to give in and
started back.
In the evening I arrived at the next stage, Zainulabad, and procured
supplies for the night. Next morning I heard the gholam had arrived during
the night, and the villagers would give no more supplies.
I was in a fix, for I had 60 miles of Uninhabited country in front of me,
without counting a small village a few miles on which had been also warned
not to give me provisions. However, I ordered the muleteers to load up, and
then the villagers collected round to bar the road. I then sent for the gbolam
and ordered him to disperse them, but be said I had dismissed him, and he
could do nothing unless E re-engaged him. This was Sistan territory. %