| PAGES | |
| INTRODUCTION. | |
| Appointment of Mission to Sistan and Tehran—Influence of British and Russian civilisation—Historical Associations—The “sick man” of Asia—Physical features of the region traversed—Climate and inhabitants | [1-17] |
| CHAPTER I. | |
| Departure from Multán—The Chenáb and the Indus—Tria juncta in uno—Interesting fact for naturalists—Shikárpúr—Jacobabad—A plundered káfila—Afghan effrontery—Interesting rencontre—Barshori—Sinjarani—Odhána—False alarm—Gandáva—Kotra—Disorderly baggage ponies—Pír Chhatta—Muhammadan credulity | [18-39] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| The Míloh Pass—Nah-langa Tangí—The Khánzai Brahoe—Pír Lákha—The Pír and the dragon—Scene of assassination of Sherdil Khán—Khozdár—Roadside memorials—The Brahoe—Brahoe gratitude—The Záwah defile—Scanty supplies | [40-71] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Súráb to Calát—Reception by the Khán—The Court of Calát—Description of Calát—Mundi Hájí—An efficacious charm—Our hostess and the mirror—Mastung—Military honours—Nishpá Pass—Shál Kot—Native custom | [72-100] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| The Kákarrs—The Náib and the Malik—The Afghan Commissioner—The Peshín valley—The Tarins—A numerous relationship—Kojak Pass—Topographical survey—Barghanah Pass—Sháh Ahmad, Durrani—Wool exports—Sardár Mír Afzal Khán—Afghan chivalry—A startling object—American clocks | [101-132] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Kandahar—Afghan cookery—Visit to a gold-mine—Process of extraction—Antique porphyry bowl—City of Kandahar—Mausoleum of Ahmad Sháh—Discontent of the inhabitants—Oppression of the Government—Pyrotechnical display—Travellers’ notes—The Saggid’s experience—Departure—Sardár Núr Muhammad Khán—Kandahar to Ballakhan | [133-166] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Salt-pits—The Saggid on the English press—Búst—Ancient ruins—The Argandáb—Extensive jangal—Hazárjuft—Afghan stolidity—The Helmand—Khanishín—Abdullah Khán—Colonel Táj Muhammad | [167-202] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Rúdbár—The Garmsel—Ján Beg—Change of post-route—The plain of Sistan—An Afghan welcome—Sardár Ibráhím Khán, the murderer of Dr Forbes—Sardár Ahmad Khán and Mardán Khán—Sharíf Khán—A primitive ferry—Nasírabad—Windmills | [203-236] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Meeting with Sir F. Goldsmid—Banjár—Ruins of Pesháwarán—History of Sistan—Its limits—Watershed—Language | [237-271] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Kol Márút—Mythical inscription—Khyrabad—Lásh—News of Lord Mayo’s death—Calá Koh—Singular acoustic phenomenon—Duroh—Husenabad—The Sarbesha plateau—Birjand—Trade and products—District of Gháyn—Historical sketch | [272-308] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Birjand to Ghíbk—Depopulation of inhabitants—Sihdih—Persian rights of perquisite—Gháyn—The Hájí’s advice—Change of route—A noisy dispute—Precautions against the Turkmans—Dashtí Pyáz—A harmless fright—Bijistan—Widespread suffering—Persian veracity—Persian cruelty | [309-357] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| Mashhad—Procession through the city—Interviews with the Prince-Governor—Gratifying reception—Description of the city—Its industry and trade—Plain of Mashhad—District of Nishabor—Untrustworthiness of Persians—Sabzwár—An old institution—Pilgrims—Motley spectacle—Shahrúd—An old acquaintance | [358-397] |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| Treatment of Persian soldiers—Lásjird—Our Mirakhor—His savoir faire—The “Portals of delight”—Tehran—Destitution of the inhabitants—Arrangements for return—Shukrullah Beg—A retrospect—Interview with the Governor of Kirmánshah—Effects of the famine—Frightful scenes—Hamadán—Kangawár—Besitun—Kirmánshah | [398-439] |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| An enormous caravan—The Khaleva tribe—Karriud—Zuháb—Difficulties as to passport and escort—Their removal—Marauding Khaleva—Turko-Persian frontier—Quarantine—Sad disappointment—Bukhariot pilgrims—Their opinion of Russian influence in Central Asia—Flight of locusts—A captive chief—The hermit and his disciple—Attack by Arab robbers—Their repulse—Baghdad—Down the Tigris | [440-472] |
| APPENDIX. | |
| A.—Synoptical Grammar and Vocabulary of the Brahoe Language | [473-493] |
| B.—Record of Meteorological Observations and Altitudes on the March from the Indus to the Tigris, through Balochistan, Afghanistan, Sistan, Khorassan, and Iran | [494-496] |
FROM THE INDUS TO THE TIGRIS.
INTRODUCTION.
Towards the close of 1871, Major-General F. R. Pollock (now Sir Richard Pollock, K.C.S.I.) was deputed by the Government of India on a political mission to Sistan, and I was selected to accompany him. I left Peshawar on the 12th December, and joined him at Lahore, where our arrangements for the journey were made. In Sistan we joined Sir Frederick Goldsmid’s mission, and proceeded together to the Persian capital. Thence I returned to India with the camp and establishment taken with us.
It is not the purpose of this work to enter into any detail of the objects of the mission, nor in any way to refer to the political events connected with it—preceding or succeeding; and I have been careful in the following pages to avoid allusion to or discussion of the politics of the countries we visited, inasmuch as they are now the subjects of consideration to the several Governments affected by them, and are, besides, questions foreign to the nature of this publication.
But as it is seldom than Europeans have an opportunity of visiting much of the country embraced within the limits of the journey of this mission, I have thought that a popular account of our experiences would not be unacceptable to the British public; particularly since the region covered by our travels, apart from its own special claims upon our interest, is, I believe, destined ere very long to attract the most serious attention of European politicians and statesmen.
And this because the civilisation of the West is advancing with such steady progress towards the East, that it must sooner or later penetrate to the countries that have hitherto successfully excluded its influence. On the Asiatic continent, at least, its advance is from opposite quarters, at different rates of speed, and of very different characters. The highly organised and intricate system of European civilisation introduced into India, and now being consolidated within the limits of the British Empire there, though not without its advantages, has hardly produced a shadow of effect on the bordering countries lying beyond the region of its control. It stops short at, and with as clear a line of definition as, the natural boundaries of the peninsula. Cross the mountain barrier limiting the plains of India, and you pass at once from civilisation to barbarism, from order to anarchy, from security to danger, from justice to oppression. So much from the side of India.
From the opposite quarter advances the growing civilisation of Russia—a civilisation which, notwithstanding its elements of European science and art, is still but little raised in its general character above that of the countries it is so rapidly overspreading, and yet, by consequence, less opposed to the tastes and the requirements of their newly-conquered peoples. The steamer, the telegraph, and the railway add consolidation to the new rule in the annexed countries. Order and security are established within the newly-conquered area by a sharp and decisive though despotic military rule; whilst commercial enterprise is encouraged with the countries lying beyond, and fostered by Government patronage. So much from the side of Russia.
The region lying between the Russian conquests in Central Asia and the British Empire in India is now the barrier that separates these two forms of civilisation. It cannot always remain so. It must sooner or later succumb to the one form or the other; and for this reason it is that the region claims from us a more than ordinary interest, and, I may say, sympathy too, by way of reparation for the wrong we inflicted in the Afghan war—a wrong the fruits of which are yet abundant, as anybody who has served on our north-west frontier can testify.