its of the said Pass, and within the land
purchased by the British, were also ceded to the British Government.
The population of the State of Kelat, including Kharan and Makran, was
estimated by Aitchison at about 220,500 souls--the area at 106,000 square
miles.
The Chiefship of Kharan lies along the northern border of the State of
Kelat, roughly from near Nushki, west-south-west to Panjur. The principal
tribes are the Naushirwanis, and their Chiefs have at various epochs
acknowledged the suzerainty of the Khan of Kelat, and the rulers of
Persia and Afghanistan respectively. In 1884 Sardar Azad Khan
acknowledged allegiance to the Khan of Kelat, and in 1885 a settlement
was made with him by which he undertook to do certain tribal services in
consideration of an annual payment of Rs.6,000. Besides Kharan the Sardar
holds lands in Panjgur, and lays claim to Jalk, Dizak, and Kohak, the two
first being within the Persian boundary.
We have other important agreements, such as the one (1861) with the Chief
of Las Bela for the protection of the telegraph, for which he receives a
subsidy of Rs.8,400 a year; and a number of agreements with the various
chiefs of Makran, mostly relating also to the protection of the telegraph
line with subsidies or allowances to each chief.
To the troublesome Marris, a tribe occupying the country from the Nari
river and the outskirts of the Bolan as far as the plain of Sham near the
Punjab boundary to the east, allowances are paid directly for tribal
services and for good behaviour. These people have given considerable
trouble on several occasions, but are now friendly.
A petroleum concession was ceded by Sardar Mehrulla Khan to the British
Government for an annual cash payment.
The affairs of British Beluchistan (Pishin, Sibi and dependencies) are
too well known for me to refer to them again beyond what I have already
mentioned in these pages. Till 1878 British Beluchistan formed part of
the territories of Afghanistan, and was occupied by British troops
during the Afghan war. By the treaty of Gandamak its administration was
put into the hands of British officers, but the surplus revenue was paid
to the Amir at Cabul. The control of the Khyber and Michui Passes was
also retained. In 1887, however, the district was incorporated with
British India, and is now known as the province of British Beluchistan.
[Illustration: Beluch Huts thatched with Palm Leaves and Tamarisk.]
An agreement o
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