"تقرير حول طريق القوافل البلوشية الفارسية ومقاطعات نوشكي وجاغي وسنجراني الغربية" [و‎‎١‎١] (٧٢/٢١)

so putrid and offensive as to compel me to sink another well, 35 feet in depth,
a couple of hundred vards up stream. I was considerably puzzled at first to
rr e f, material for the construetion of the thana. The ground is so impregnated
with sand that as a building material it is quite useless; and yet there was
nothin" else. Hnallv, I was driven to erecting a square stockade of “ Tagaz ”
trunks, against which a five-feet wall of b .uldeis has been piled, while inside
is a room” “ Tagaz ’’-thatched shed, which owing to its coolness is very popular
among the sowars. If only mortar were available, thanks to the numerous
blocks of stone that strew the vicinity of the well, no difficulty in constructing
a suitable building need be anticipated.
12 . Leaving my third thana posted at Amirchah, I directed my march
to Saindak, a distance of 67 miles, which, owing to lack of water, was quite
the moj't trying portion of the journey. List year, Capt. McMahon was
lucky in finding at Dkanah Kon a pool of dirty water. No such luck fell
to my lot. From Amirchah to Saindak, and again from Saindak to
Amirchah, three and two days’ marches, respectively, as I made them,
our camels had to go waterless. For the development of the road across
this stretch, two wells are urgently required. I trust the end of the year will
see both completed. One well—which I hear is over 40 feet deep—has already
been sunk, but work, owing to the heat, has been temporarily suspended, and
this has also been the case in respect to a well now in course of construction to
the north of the Koh-i-Sultan, midway between Amirchah and Manzil,
where there is another long waterless stretch of 42 miles, and the only other
one between Quetta and Nasirabad.
13. While I was halted at Saindak, a local Tomandar, named Ido, much
dreaded of caravans, came iu. Such terror has this iudividual inspired that
no caravan or party, unless well armed, dared of old to pass his lair. Saindak
is so situated that, should he be so inclined, this personage could block the
route and cause great trouble. In old days, Seistan caravans avoided
Saindak, and after leaving Bukj, in Persia, they used to march direct for
Amirchah, skirting the northern shores of the God-t-Zirreh. This track,
lying as it does within Afghan limits, is clearly no longer practicable. To
Ido I gave the choice of Government service or ejection. He accepted the
first alternative—T confess to my relief—, as to root him out of these rocky
retreats would have proved a far from simple task. Of his conduct since
then, I have no cause to complain: he has discharged his duties in carrying
the dak surely, although at times somewhat slowly.
11 *. Of my further journey to Koh-i-Malik Siah, I have little to relate.
On the outward journey I followed the “daman” north of the hills,—a very
rough, circuitous track, cut up every few yards with boulder-strewn nalaks,
and passing north of the line of boundary pillars at a point within a few miles
of Robat. On my return, I tried the southern road via Bogar, Said Langar
and Kirtaka, a preferable route on every account; indeed, its only disad
vantage lies in the fact that, according to the map, it passes between Robat and
Kirtaka outside British limits.
15. At Robat, my fourth and last thana was posted. The position
selected is in close vicinity to the head waters of the Rob at spring. The thana,
as it stands completed, is a rectangular, stone-and-inud built, walled enclosure,
with one side devoted to living rooms. The w ills are raised to such a height
as to afford ample security to the occupants. Had the Perso-Baluch frontier
followed an alignment more southerly than that selected, 1 would, I think, hav'e
chosen another position for the thana, as common report declares that Robat
water towards the close of the hot season becomes charged with deleterious
salts and is unhealthy.
lf>. Leaving the main camp pitched at Robat, my first march into
Seistan took me to Hurmuk, 20 miles distant. Here, I learned the unwelcome
news that it was commonly rumoured that the post which the Amir had intended
should guard his interests at Kou-r- Malik Sr a ft was to take up its quarters