Unexplored Balūchistan. A survey ... of a route through Mekran, Bashkurd, Persia, Kurdistan, and Turkey ... With ... illustrations and a map

Introduction

. TO those who have studied the politics and geographical position of the countries between Persia and Northern India — countries, a knowledge of which is of the highest importance to Englishmen at the present day — the subject of " unexplored Baluch istan " can scarcely fail to be attractive. To others the very title may require explanation ; for " Baluchistan," known or unknown, is not restricted within universally accepted limits. Roughly stated, we may describe it as the region situated between the longitudinal lines 57 and 67, bounded on the south by the sea, and on the north by a line sufficiently above latitude 28 to take in the Kuh-i-Basman and Kuh-i- Nushadir. This delineation acccords with the Persian way of regarding the Shah's possessions east of Karman and Bandar Abbas ; and British India adopts the same general nomenclature for the Brahui territory west of the Hala Mountains. The point of junction — or line b

INTRODUCTION.

. VI of demarcation — between Western or Persian, and Eastern or the Khan of Kalat's Baluchistan, is north at the Mashkid river, and south at the fishing village of Gwettar. A glance at the most recent map of Persia will show how large a portion of territory comprised within the outlines here indicated needs specific definition, nor can the several blanks which have long characterized tracts such as Bashakard, Rudbar, and Irafshan be disposed of by the term "desert" or "barren rock." So designated, or by the less definite if more significant word " unexplored," they cannot but be an eyesore to the geographer ; while to the student of Oriental politics they convey the impression that if it be not culpable neglect, it must be questionable prudence, which keeps British India so ignorant of the habitat of her immediate neighbours and allies.

More than forty years ago we styled our officers " Political Agents in Sind and Baluchistan " ; and the former of these provinces has been actually in our own hands for little less than that period, while our relations with the latter have been continuous. It is, moreover, just twenty years since we established a line of telegraph for 400 miles along the Makran coast, west of Karachi ; and this was prolonged some six years later to Cape Jask, with a submarine extension to the island of Henjam — a station overlapping the extreme limit of the Baluch country to the westward.

INTRODUCTION.

. VII More recently still, the advance to Kwatta and war with Afghanistan, by strengthening the intimacy of our relations with the country divided between the Shah and the Khan, have afforded us new opportunities of examining its geographical features. But our troops have moved out of Kandahar as they may move out of Kwatta, and the blanks in the map of Baluchistan remain unfilled. Some years ago, I ventured to make a suggestion with regard to the employes in the Government Indo-European Telegraph, of whom it could hardly be said, while exercising their professional duties at Fao, Bushahr, Jask, Chahbar, Gwada, and Pasni — telegraph stations on the coast extending from the mouth of the Shattu-1-Arab to Karachi — that their lines were cast in pleasant places. It was to the effect that they should be encouraged and assisted in carrying out volunteer expeditions into the interior.

Only capable and trustworthy men, it was understood, were contemplated for such occasions ; and this not simply in the sense of scientific acquirement or fitness for geographical exploration, but men who would avoid wounding national susceptibilities and treading upon local prejudices, as carefully as they would observe the sun or the stars, register botanical specimens, or take account of fauna. My ideas were put into shape and submitted in an official letter ; but the practical object aimed at was not favourably considered, and it was

INTRODUCTION.

. VIII ruled unadvisable to give official encouragement to the movement of employes out of their respective spheres of work, even when a holiday had been earned or failing health demanded temporary change of scene. Mr. Ernest Floyer was at this time one of the Government Indo-European Telegraph Staff in the Persian Gulf, and one of those whose tastes, attain ments, and spirit of enterprise would have naturally singled him out as a competent explorer. Had my suggestion been acted on, and the presence of English telegraph clerks at points along the Perso- Baluch coast line, extending from the Shattu-1-Arab to Karachi, been utilized under Government approval, I have no doubt that he would have been one of the first explorers selected ; but he would then have had certain general instructions which haply he might rather have been without, or which he might have been tempted to consider more formal than serious.

As it happened, Mr. Floyer moved away from his dreary residence at Jask into the interior, without any authority from his superiors, but at the same time under no veto to keep within the limits of a telegraph station : and he went unhampered by official directions. How he fulfilled his self-imposed mission, it is left to the reader to judge. It would be impertinent in this place to pass an opinion on the literary merits of his book- — in fact, I have not had the leisure to read it with a critic's attention — but I have great pleasure in bearing

INTRODUCTION.

. IX testimony to its usefulness in giving life and reality to extensive tracts which, if little known, are full of interest, and should have an exceptional charm for Englishmen, owing to their proximity to British India. To myself, the unknown province of Bashakard has always presented attraction. Twice I have crossed the Bampur plains on its northern side : once I skirted it on the westward, passing up from Bandar Abbas to Sistan ; and two journeys from Bampur to seaports of Makran have made me acquainted with the lands bordering upon its eastern frontier. Yet I have had neither time nor opportunity to do more than communi cate with its chief by letter. It was reserved for Mr. Floyer to visit the capital of Saif Oollah. That fierce old Baluch was, at this period, in difficulties, and another functionary had been installed in his seat ; but we are told some stories about him which illus trate his determined character.

Bashakard, however, is not the only part of Western Baluchistan that has been visited by our enterprising traveller. He is to be found camping at places to east, west, and north of that Perso- Baluch province — always accompanied by one or two faithful natives, to whose adventures he pays as much regard as to his own, and whose individuality he brings out by frequent anecdote and example. Later on, he takes a more direct course to the west, enters Persia proper, and traverses the whole breadth of the Shah's kingdom, through

INTRODUCTION.

. X Karman, Yazd, and Ispahan to the Turkish frontier at Khanikin. Thence to Baghdad and Basra, there was little more land-travel to be accomplished, and from Basra to Marseille and London we need feel no surprise that the author has not attempted any narra tive of his journey. Mr. Floyer's removal from the inhospitable shores of the Persian Gulf to the direction of the Egyptian telegraph, and my own official residence in Cairo, have enabled us to renew the associations of bygone years. They explain, moreover, how I have been asked, and have consented, to write these few lines of preface to a book which might otherwise have been introduced under more brilliant auspices. It is not so easy to decline a spoken as a written request, although it be demonstrated that non-compliance is to the clear advantage of the applicant. F. J. GOLDSMID. Cairo, 2,oth March, 1882. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Illness. — Hiring camels. — On march. — Old Jellal. — Jemohad and his family. — We reach Jagin. — The river impassable. — Tajoo. — Baluch salutations. — The impassability of the river is exploded. — An anxious crossing. — Abdulla. — Male camels in the breeding season. — A day's ibex-shooting. — A night march. — Cross the Sadaich river. — We turn north. — Shur hills. — Chamœrops Ritchiana. — We change guides. — Men in buckram. — Camp in the Sartapi ........ Pp. 1-26

Chapter II

Pitching camp. — The bivouac. — Ousted by the rain. — Baluchi powder. — Toby makes trouble. — "Inchruki daru." — The Gidich Valley. — Nerium oleandrum, the poison-bush. — Road-making in its infancy. — Gorgeous colouring of hills. — Irrigation in the Gari river. — Our reception at Bint. — Pitching camp under difficulties. — Bint, its products and inhabitants. — The literary and religious element. — Mir Haji. — The pipe of brotherhood. — Diplomacy in Baluchistan. — Disgust of Salah the orthodox at finding the soi-disant Sunnis to be Sufis ..... Pp. 27-55

Chapter III

Start for Bampur. — Our new companions. — Icy cold wind. — Camels dangerous at night. — Mountain scenery. — The Fanoch pass. — Fish and crabs. — Reception at FanSch. — A Persian slave. — Jellal as doctor. — The last of the donkeys. — The " Pai-i-dulduli-Ali." — AVe emerge from the mountains and open on the desert. — Maskhutan. — Quarrel about the cooking. — Our guide Kuli. — Marri, the valley of desolation. — A grotesque scene. — The IC CONTENTS. XII Bampur desert. — A gentleman on a cow. — Reception at Bampur. — Politics at Bampur. — I am an officer of artillery. — Messing with the Khan. — Barley water. — The position of Persian and Turkish soldiers compared. — A curious mill. — Awkward position on a cow. — Old Jellal. — Leave Bampur. — Jellal's camel wants a breastband. — Small-pox. — A horrible banquet. — Frozen out. — A cold ride. — The Pai-i-duldul-i-Ali renovated. — " Home, sweet home." — Jooji and the fowls . . ■ Pp- 5°~99

Chapter IV

Mehdi, the gay deceiver. — Poor Ghulamshah. — My Prayer-book. — The Sadaich river. — Baggage goes astray. — Asking the way under difficulties. — We get clear of the hills. — River crossing in the Mekran. — A ducking. — A long night ride. — White men. Pp. IOO-I2I

Chapter V

By Sea and Land. Preparations for a fresh journey. — Henjam Island. — Botanizing. — Ruined houses. — The Benoo Yass pearl-fishers. — Salt caves. — Curious well. — " Petrified date-trees." — Intense heat. — " Taking sights." — Transporting camels by water. — Kishm Island. — Sulky camel-men. — Lose my way. — Haji Ahmed's garden. — Old man and bull. — Breakfast. — A delicate question. — Kishm agriculture. — A thirsty walk. — A drink of water. — Sulky camel-men outmarched. — A barren fig-tree. — A late start and a long nightmarch. — Exciting moment. — Arrive at Kishm. — The wreckers. — Unfriendliness of the Sheikh.— Bearded in his majlis. — Difficulties of shipbuilders. — Start at last. — Among the breakers. — "There's many a slip." — Terra firma at last. — Bandar Abbas. — Minab. — A Baluch army. — Left in the lurch. — Government donkeys. — A long march. — On board the steamer. — Curiosities of postal delivery. — Bahrein donkeys. — A race and a bathe. — Pearl-fishing. — Abou Shihr (Bushire). — Jask . Pp. 1 22-151

Chapter VI

Western Baluchistan. Geigen. — The caravan. — Jellal stays behind. — " Marro assuchi." — CONTENTS. XIII Buying camels. — Honesty of the people. — "Great expectations." — The Tang-i-Duhl. — A crisis. — Alishah. — Rain again. — An elderly man. — A bad day's sport. — A swarm of locusts. — Rumours of disaffection. — Difficulty in keeping dead reckoning. — Pitch plaister. — Dazaka .... Pp. 152-179

Chapter VII

On Foot to Anguhran. nln embassy. — A durbar. — An Arab in difficulties. — Guides and the route. — A horrible murder. — Bashakard politics. — Negotiations. — En route for Anguhran. — The Rais Ali's mountain stronghold. — Bashakard scenery. — A homed snake. — A night in a Bashakardi hut. — Demons at last .... Pp. 180-204

Chapter VIII

Seif Allah Khan's fortress. — The river system. — Baluch marriage difficulties. — Nightmare hyænas. — The Kagar Koh and ancient fort. — Leave Rais Ali's. — Watched off the premises. — Fowls and eggs. — Geological researches unappreciated. — Partridge shooting extraordinary. — More murder. — Stealing the guns of the watch. — The demons are bears. — Camels in trouble with bears and snakes. — Start for the spring of oil. — The Khan lectures on botany ........ Pp. 205-229

Chapter IX

We enter Persian Territory. A ruined village. — Welcomed as traders in fish. — Bivouac stories. — Ancient burying-ground. — Telling. — Another postal curiosity. — More doctoring. — Mutiny again. — Successful tactics. — Our new guide Hussein. — We try to become Persians. — The "wide wide world." — Difficult passes. — Manujan. — Quack doctoring. — Bustards. — Bargah. — Red-legged partridges. — Kahnu. Pp. 230-254

Chapter X

Kahnu. — " Your is have some spirits." — A poor slave. — Irrigation. — Difficulties as a doctor. — The Haliri river. — Butter unex- CONTENTS. XIV pectedly. — Washing clothes. — Dosari.— Camp in a graveyard. — Nasir Khan. — His brutish secretary.— Persian tax-collectors. — An indigenous pointer dog. — Our new guide. — The " exalted places " are unable to make good their position. — Thoughts of home. — Dasht-i-Kuch. — Persian carpets . . Pp. 255-278

CHAPTER XL

We cross the Mountains. The climb commenced. — Sagdir. — An inhabitant. — Mountain scenery by starlight. — The Ushteroon Gudar. — The Bag-i-asp-i-Ismail Khan. — We see our way out of the mountains. — The cherub exhausted. — The Mahri's misadventure. — Flat ground again. — Antiquarian discovery. — Our first caravanserai. — The camels too tall for once. — Snugly ensconced. — Poor Ghulamshah duped once more. — A mill. — The cherub gives trouble. — Puzzling the Persian. — The young lieutenant. — No camel-fodder. — Ridiculously large radishes. — " La, hani dilam ha abu." — Hospitable reception at Raiun. — An amusing incident. — The camels break down. — Poison. — A weary delay. — Raiun. — Kirman illuminated in honour of the Shah having purchased Baghdad. — Persian steel-workers. — Glass-blower. — Remove to the old fort. — En route again. — The end of the cherub . . . 4^.279-304

Chapter XII

We reach Kirman. A troop of Persian officers. — Ragged rascals. — Hanaka. — The first ice we saw. — Mahun. — The menagerie. — An obstinate cow. — Al hamdu lillah. — Kirman at last . . . -Z^1. 305-313

Chapter XIII

Life at Kirman. A Persian palace. — Interview with the Wakil-al-Mulk. — His knowledge of English. — Alleged discovery of coal. — I nearly put my foot in it. — Comfortably installed. — Persian carpets. — Daily routine in Kirman. — The Commander-in-chief of the forces. — The box sextant. — Topics of conversation with the Khan. — CONTENTS. XV Irrigation and windmills. — The Bazaars. — The Mint. — Kashmir shawl manufactory. — The College. — The Dungeon. — A prisoner released. — The Hindu colony. — Our mess. — The Khan's treasurer comes over. — Parting with my Baluchis. — Take leave of the Khan ...... . Pp. 314-334

Chapter XIV

En Route for Yezd. Our new caravan. — Muleteers and mules. — Ghulamshah's introduction to a horse. — Our garrulous friend. — He is pounced upon by the Charvadar. — Extraordinary affection of mules for leading pony. — Night in a caravanserai. — " Kum Karda." — The Kashuwelli. — Value of bells on the march. — Commissariat arrangements. — Our soldier escort and his steed. — Night marches. — A dwarf camel. — Persian way of "bitting" a camel. — Bahramabad. — Designs on my Westley- Richards. — A pun in Persian. — Feeding camels. — The wall and the masjid, or two strings to the bow. — Anar Fort, and the deputation of distressed agriculturists. — Annoying curiosity of natives. — The sextant capsized. — We reach Yezd. — Neglected by the authorities. — Our fanatic friends. — Syeds. — Their gold mine discoveries. — Their murders. — Trade and silk manufactures. — The gabrs. — Brobdingnagian beet-root. — The present city getting gradually buried as the former one has been. — The soldier gets my gun for his horse. — We leave Yezd Pp. 335-355

Chapter XV

Yezd to Ispahan. The Haji and his horse. — Our new caravan. — A stirring gallop. — Desertion by the muleteer. — Disaster to the chronometer. — Worst fears confirmed. — Night march back to Yezd. — The Haji at home. — Maibut. — The weaver's beam of the Bible explained. — Minimum thermometers at night. — More Syeds. — Warmer weather. — We part company with the Haji. — Difficulties ahead. — Snowed up. — Mulberries and vinegar as a diet. — Thermometer 180 Fahrenheit and no roof. — Fishark. — Attempt to deceive. — Its consequences.— Triumph on my part. — View CONTENTS. across the Ispahan valley. — More night marching.— " Hinges " upsets the butcha. — Wild fowl on the Ispahan river. — A tire some finish. — Ispahan at last. — Meet a white man. — Bass' beer. Pp. 356-368

Chapter XVI

Ispahan. Sad news of our Baluchis. — Defeat of the Customs authorities. — Ispahan and Yezd. — Destruction by the Affghans. — Chehil Situn. — The shaking minarets. — The governor. — The Ispahan river and bridges. — Persian carpets. — Julfa. — Its cheapness of living, etc. — The Armenians. — Starting for Baghdad. — I buy a new horse. — Get a new groom. — Start for Kirmanshahan. — Ali Akber. — Curious device of caravanserai doors. — Attempt to levy black mail. — Muhammad the ruddy-faced deserts us and returns home. — An old shepherd. — Nearly a row at the village of Husseini. — Deh Hak and the cold. — Slate doors. — Ungrateful ophthalmic patients. — Terrible cold, thermometers below zero. — Durr Kokah. — Heavy snow. — Kokah and the magpies' parliament. — Caravan of wheat from Kirmanshahan. — A miserable march to Khomain. — Hadi turns out a trump. — Difficulties as an amateur charvadar. — Narrow escape of falling into river. — We reach Khomain. Pf- 369-391

Chapter XVII

The charvadar and his best clothes. — We halt. — Deputations from the natives. — Discovery of America. — The house on fire. — Bakhtiaris. — Haft Lang and Chahar Lang. — March to Khurumabad. — Terrible snow pass. — A real hardship. — Icy cold west wind always dead in our teeth. — No caravanserai. — The Kursi. — Difficulties in engaging house room. — The village system. — Persians essentially nomads. — " Please God, we shall capture Baghdad this time." — March to Imaret. — Delightful village. — Our hard times past. — The lake. — The " Ab bazi " and the fish shooter. — A new kind of wall. — Capons. — A new epoch in the journey. — Mysterious horsemen. — We strike the telegraph line. — Dowletabad Pp. 392-408 CONTENTS. XVII

Chapter XVIII

Dowletabad. Dowletabad. — " Sweep your steps, sir ?" — Shuster and Dizful. — Attempted expedition there. — Difficulties. — Hadi and the corkscrew. — The charvadar and the popguns. — The post from Teheran. — The most mendacious man in the country. — The Telegraph office. — Muhammad of the ruddy face once more turns up. — The Shahzada arrives. — Grand reception, illuminations and band. — Load up for Kirmanshahan. — Parrispar. — A useful bridge. — Grinding oppression. — Pilgrims from Karbala. — Summer weather at last. — Mistaken for the post. — A courteous Frenchman (?) in disguise.— " How shall I go outside? Am I not a Darwish?" — A rainy march to Sahna. — Commencement of Kurdistan. — More soldiers going to capture Baghdad. — The little boy whose father was sick. — Bisitun. — Shah Abbas and his 999 caravanserais. — Musuks. — Dogs. — The Kurdi women. — We arrive at Kirmanshahan .... Pp. 409-432

Chapter XIX

Kirmanshahan. The ivory binoculars. — Agha Hassan. — More languages than one. — Spirit rapping. — The little horse distinguishes himself. — Autumn manœuvres. — Water under the grass. — The Hissam as Sultana. — Drives in the Agha's carriages. — Muhammad Khan. — Haji Mulla Hussein. — Kurind.— The graveyards of the Ali Allahi sect. — A Kurind interior.- — Horse-hair veils for ladies. — An old man in difficulties. — From plateau to plain. — A sporting Turkoman telegraphist— A herd of brood mares. — Toby and the cows. — Mahmud Bey, our new master of horse. — We cross the frontier into Turkey. — Difficulties with the Quarantine authorities. — Cavalry escort. — Sunstroke. — A puzzled stork. — The concert interrupted. — Death of the Bey's horse. — Baghdad. — The plague. — Basreh. — Marseilles. — London. .

Pp. 433-464 Appendix A. — Observations on Dialects of Western Baluchistan. 465 Appendix B. — Botany ........ 476 Appendix C. — Geography 480 Appendix D. — Meteorology 486 Appendix E. — Translations, etc. . . . . . . ILLUSTRATIONS. Photograph of the Author and his Baluch Servant. . Frontispiece. Dinner in the Bampur Desert. — The "salt" question arises Page 69 Our Station at Jask ........ 85 Sadaich River ......... 109 The Fort at Jask . . . . .. . . .121 Abdul Nabi ......... 143 Camp at Surag . . . . . . . . .169 The Dazaka Pass. — Night coming on . . . . .179 Baluch Minstrels . . . . . . . .231 Rush Hills. ......... 345 Two of the Expedition who never returned .... 369 The Tree of the Fruit of Good and Evil .... 452 Map of the Author's Route . .. . At end of volume. ERRATA. Page 332, top line, for tasbiah, read tasbih. Page 347, line 11 — at Bairamabad — read as footnote. " Bairam, corraption osbaran, rain." UNEXPLORED BALUCHISTAN.

Chapter I

Illness. — Hiring camels. — On march. — Old Jellal. — Jemohad and his family. — We reach Jagin. — The river impassable.— Tajoo. — Baluch salutations. — The impassability of the river is exploded. — An anxious crossing. — Abdulla. — Male camels in the breeding season. — A day's ibex-shooting. — A night march. — Cross the Sadaich river. — We turn north. — Shur hills. — Chamærops Ritchiana. — We change guides. — Men in buckram. — Camp in the Sartapi. IN January 1876, having suffered severely during some years' hard service in the Persian Gulf, I was granted my long deferred privilege leave by Her Majesty's Government, and cast about for the best way of making the most of it. I was at that time stationed at Jask, opposite Maskat, and I at first sought for some means of joining my friend the Political Agent there, but was com pelled to abandon the idea, as the only bagla or native craft available had recently suffered shipwreck, and a steamer could not be expected in less than a fortnight.

The alternative then was a journey up country, and the Bashakard country seemed to promise best for such a trip as I proposed to make, but I was met at B PREPARATIONS FOR A START. 2 the outset by such fearful accounts of the ice and snow, that I soon saw it would be impossible to get natives to travel through a country which they described in terms which would have been exaggerated even for the arctic regions. There were, moreover, wars and rumours of wars, a full account of which I afterwards heard. My native friends much pressed me to go to Minab, urging that the road was good, much travelled, and everything was easy and straightforward. These con siderations, however, naturally weighed with me in a direction quite contrary to that expected. I had long wanted to see what was on the other side of the range of mountains which runs down this Mekran coast on which I had spent so many years, and, excepting for my illness, this seemed as good an opportunity as I should ever have of crossing them.

In Sir Frederic Goldsmid's map Bint seemed a good place to make for, and it had advantages in that none of my people had ever been there, and I had just as much ground for dilating to my intended com panions on sheltered valleys and sunny gardens as they had for warning me of the horrors of death from freezing. Bint was accordingly fixed upon as our first point, though I privately resolved that if I only par tially regained my health, Bint should not be my limit. Three days were consumed in ransacking the country for camels. The Baluchis are not an enterpris ing race, and, owing to the unknown nature of my destination, and the fear of cold, the seven camels I proposed to load were very difficult to get. It was now also the breeding season for camels, and all the full-grown males were more or less furious with must.

On the afternoon of the 7th of January seven camels THE STAFF. 3 duly arrived, and I congratulated myself that only one seemed very furious. He was a big five year old male, continually roaring and blowing a large bladder out of his mouth ; but, though he fully deserved the epithet of "Old Eblis" which he afterwards acquired, he was much more tractable than he looked. Owing to my illness my baggage and establishment was much more cumbersome than would otherwise have been necessary, and included a hill tent, a bed, a chair, and a portable table. Salah, an Arabic mulla, accompanied me to investigate matters of religion and superstition ; a wooden-headed Goanese was the cook, and a sturdy honest boy, called Ghulamshah, the table servant. Old Jellal, a very Abu Zeid of Surooj* for shrewdness, carried my gun ; while the five camel men, who turned out jovial good-natured fellows, were under contract to pitch the tent and bring the wood and water.

Toby also must not be forgotten, a good pious little dog with a black nose, who travelled on the cook's camel and at night took my bed under his especial protection. After about three hours' wrangling about the loads, the men left for Bint, but as that evening was the feast of K urban I allowed them to make only si.x miles, stipulating that the following night they should get to J agin, about twenty-seven miles away. I may just mention that the Baluchis here had barely sufficient knowledge of their religion to know that * Stories of Abu Zeid of Surooj, the merry arch-rogue and swindler of Basreh, form many of the poems in the celebrated Arabic collection, " Makamat al Hariri," portions of which were translated by Preston, and published at the Cambridge University Press. JELLAL S DOMESTIC DIFFICULTIES. 4 there was a feast, and all who could afford it put on a new shirt.

But of the few we met next day on the march not one could tell me what feast it was, and all were glad to accept my suggestion that it was probably that of Kurban. As Salah and myself intended starting the next morning, I turned in early, after a melancholy attempt to do justice to the princely hospitality of the Jask Lancers, a cavalry corps who, armed with pig spears and mounted on donkeys, scoured the surrounding country for pariah dogs. A violent shower of rain fell during the night, just to warn us that we were not going to have fair weather always. The morning was fine, and, mounting our camels, we plodded off to Jagln across an uninteresting desert, the monotony of which was only broken three times by patches of date trees and wheat. Our road for the first ninety miles lay along the sandy strip between the hills and the sea ; for, though the villagers told us that a pass through the hills would be found nearer than this, I was anxious to meet a friend who was travelling up from Gwadur along the telegraph line.

Leaving Jask about io a.m., we, according to pro mise, made a short detour to pick up Jellal. The old man's second wife had recently died, and Mir Ali, his chief, had provided him with a temporary one until he should get a little money to buy one of his own kindred. The locum tenens was a young negress of violent temper, who had been probably too much for the Mir's household. She had a rooted aversion to the old gentleman's four children, and, as we approached, we heard a hot dispute raging, the lady JELLAL. 5 threatening that if he did not give her another two krans which she suspected him of having kept back she would starve his children. A shout from us brought the old man out of his hut, driving his donkey before him with vehement blows and muttering curses on all women. His pet son — the one by his first wife — followed him crying and entreating him not to go, which wrung the old man's heart, and, added to his other family troubles, made him glad to get safe off.

Old Jellal merits perhaps a somewhat detailed de scription. He was any age from forty-five to sixty, about five feet six inches in height, and of remarkably spare and wiry form. His legs and arms were thin, the same size all the way down, and covered with a coarse, crackly hide, which he greased whenever he could " do " the cook out of any ghee (clarified butter), or with the oil supposed to be devoted to my o-uns. His head was shaved and covered with a close-fitting skull-cap, rendered stiff in the orthodox manner by the grease of years. Huge, bristly, prominent eyebrows sheltered his deep sunken bloodshot grey eyes, with which a thin aquiline nose harmo nized admirably. His short curly white beard was at present plastered up in what looked like a mass of black mud, and, as he trudged along before my camel, he detailed, in tones that would have drawn sympathy from a stone, how, owing to the domestic troubles before alluded to, he had been unable to get the henna for his beard until late last night, and con sequently it could not yet be washed off.