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'Report on Sistan and the Country Between It and Mashad' [32r] (68/118)
The record is made up of 1 volume (55 folios). It was created in 1894. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
35
This makes a total of 11,600 inhabitants. Taking the remaining 22
villages at an average of 30 houses each, and including the village of Ferai-
man, 500 houses, which also belongs to the Nasrat-ul-Mulk, will give for the
whole valley a total of 16,210 inhabitants, and, say, 1,700 cattle and 31,000
sheep.
I estimate the yearly produce of wheat and barley at 16,150 kharwars.
Allowing 580 lbs. per head per annum, there
Graiu crop. remains a surplus of 1,959 kharwars (566 tons.)
In March 1893 prices at Turbat-i-Sheikh Jam were-—*
11 maunds ( 7 li lbs.) chaff for one kran.
3 , 3 (19"5 lbs.) barley for one kran.
2 „ (13 lbs.) bread for one kran.
On April 30th there were 200 kharwars of grain stored here.
The inhabitants are mostly Persians, those of Ferai-
man being of particularly good physique.
This little district belongs to the Nasrat-ul-Mulk, who is building new
villages here also. The inhabitants are partly Hazaras
and partly Persians.
Inhabitants.
Hashtadan.
Hashtadan.
The Hazaras predominate. Their chief is Sartip Ismail Khan, who is
said to have some thousands of “ khasadars ” under his
Inhabitants. orders. The actual garrison in Taiabad consists of 200
soldiers, 15 gunners, and 50 Hazara sowars. There are also two guns. A
considerable number of nomads, Afghans, Baluchis, Hazaras, and Taimuris,
encamp on the plain near the Afghan border, where there is most excellent
grass, real English turf among the low hills, during spring, and probably
lasting well on into the summer. The soil is light and
Pasture. sandy, and early in March the whole plain was literally
alive with tortoises, so much so that one's horse could not canter along with
out crushing them. Unfortunately there is a scarcity of water.
The following is a list of the villages in Hashtadan
Name of village.
Houses.
Cattle.
Slieep.
Remarks.
Taiabad (Taibat)* ...
400
80
5,000
# Those villages
Mohsinabad* ... ...
200
80
6,000
are marked on the
Karez'^ ...
• ••
200
40
3,000
map—N. W. Trans-
Karat^
20
20
200
Frontier Series.
Parizneh*
• e to
30
30
1,000
3 kanats.
Kubabad* ... ...
• ••
25
20
1,000
Abgameb*
...
30
30
1,000
There are also
JJadiri*
5
8
• • •
25 horses, 100
Parmanabad* ...
50
20
1,000
camels, and 550
Kashk&k ... •••
...
50
20
1,000
donkeys in the
Azizbai
10
4
...
district.
Sarband
20
6
1,000
liuknabad ... **•
10
14
...
Rahnek ...
• ••
15
10
1,000
1,065
382
21,200
About this item
- Content
The volume is Report on Sistan and the Country Between it and Mashad [Mashhad], by Lieutenant H D Napier, Staff Lieutenant, Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Department in India. It was printed at the Government Central Printing Office, Simla, 1894. It consists of two parts, political and military.
The report is largely based on a journey from Mashad to Sistan and back undertaken between 1 November 1892 and 18 March 1893 by the author; his 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 a native of Mashad, Haji Jawad [Haji Javād]; a sub-surveyor of the Queen's Own Corps of Guides, Sher Ali Khan [Shīr ʿAlī Khan]; a 'gholam' [young servant] from the Governor of Khorasan (unnamed); and a Turkoman [Turkmen] 'postal sowar In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman. ' [mounted orderly or guard] (unnamed). It provides information and statistics (often tabulated) on the history, geography, economy, population, resources, roads, and meteorology of the region. The information in the military section reflects concerns with supplies, transport, and development possibilities.
Throughout the volume there are numerous photographs, plans, and sketches. These are of fortifications, landscape features, sites of historical or cultural interest, and notable people. In a pocket at the rear of the volume is a map that illustrates the report.
Near the beginning of the report there is a preface (folio 4) written by Lieutenant-Colonel George Hand More-Molyneux, Assistant Quarter Master General, Intelligence Branch, on 7 May 1894, and guidance for the 'Custody and Disposal of Secret Books, Reports, &c., Issued by the Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Department in India' (folio 3).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (55 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is divided into two parts (Political and Military) and each part then further divided into several chapters on different subjects. At the beginning of the volume (folio 5) is a contents page, with reference to the original pagination.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 57; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
Pagination: An additional printed pagination sequence is also present in parallel between ff 6-53.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Report on Sistan and the Country Between It and Mashad' [32r] (68/118), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/298, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100109261469.0x000045> [accessed 22 June 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/298
- Title
- 'Report on Sistan and the Country Between It and Mashad'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:9r, 10r:10v, 11v:12v, 13v:14v, 15v:18r, 19r:20r, 21r:22r, 23r, 24r:29r, 30r:35r, 36r, 37r:37v, 38v:39r, 40r:41r, 42r, 43r:43v, 44v:45r, 46r:54v, 56r:56v, 58r
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence