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1st. Many words used by the Beloochees, which would at first sight appear to be corruptions from the Persian, are not corruptions, but agree exactly with the ancient forms before the Persian of Iran had been rounded off, and polished to suit more civilized ears. For example, the words " Pít" and "Mád" (father and mother) are not clipped forms of the modern words "Pider" and "Mader," but actually correspond with the original ancient forms.

2ndly. There are a number of words current in Mekran, which have fallen into disuse in Iran, and are seldom met with in modern books. A person addressing a Mekranee in the Persian Ferdos, would, it is thought, have a better chance of being understood than if he used the more modern language.

3rdly. The structure of the modern Belooch language does not seem to warrant belief, that any other than Persian was the parent stem. Probably on comparison Mekran Beloochee will be found considerably to resemble the patois of the Dehatees, or rural population of Persia. Perhaps this, if established, would warrant the conclusion that the Mekranees are of Persian descent. The absence of any Arabic words from this language would seem to show that there was never any permanent settlement of Arabs in Mekran. The Beloochees and Arabs have many characteristics in common, but so have all pastoral people.

There seems but little likelihood of any definite information being forthcoming regarding the ancient history of this country, but there will be no harm in assuming as a theory that having originally been a Persian province, remote and scarcely known, it gradually acquired an independent position under Native or other rulers. A State was formed somewhat on the model of the great empire. Its districts became provinces, each having its hereditary Governor, a member of the dominant family. These Chiefs, then, in time, acquired almost the power of independent rulers, but the whole formed a Federation united under one supreme and sovereign Prince, who received tribute, and to whom all disputes were referable. The head of the Federation was the ruler of the Central Province of Kej. Subordinate powers were further vested in the petty Chief of districts and dependencies.

Such a Federation seems specially adapted to the character of the Beloochees, and it is affirmed that such an arrangement actually

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obtained in Mekran under the Maliks whose rule seems to have terminated in the latter part of the 17th century. There is no local account to be had of Mekran history previous to this overthrow, nor does it seem to be known whether they were of Belooch extract, nor whether Malik was their title, or family name.

The foregoing suggestions, which will be taken for what they are worth, are meant to be introductory, the object in view being to bring forward the local version of the history of Mekran, subsequently to the time of the Maliks, which is preserved in the ballads and traditions of the Natives. Few sources of further investigation being at hand, few corrections are attempted. It is, however asserted that works on Mekran exist, and are to be found in Kerman; if so, the information contained in them would no doubt be interesting, and a history otherwise irretrievably lost might be brought to light.

I will now endeavour to throw into somewhat connected form, such accounts of the history of Mekran for the past two centuries or so, as are still preserved in tradition, and have been communicated by the best informed Natives I have had opportunities of conversing with ; availing myself of a few reliable facts from contemporaneous Persian history, to make some corrections.

II. Notes on Mekran History.

Native tradition goes back to a period when Mekran, as an united independent country, was ruled throughout its extent by a dominant family known as Maliks. Under them it was constitutionally a single State, but divided into several general governments or provinces, each held by a Malik, having absolute power in his own province. These again were sub-divided into districts and dependencies, immediately governed by hereditary petty Chiefs.

These provinces composed a Belooch Federation united under one supreme authority (always the Ruler of the Province of Kej), who received homage and tribute from the rest, and to whom all quarrels amongst members of the Federation were referred, and under whom they all united their forces to repel attacks from without, or invade the territory of common foes. It is not, however, asserted that all the provinces were members of this Federation in the latter days of Malik rule. Some may have seceded earlier. One of these Princes is said to have erected a large pillar, a little to the eastward of Minab in Persia,

or in about 58° East longitude, to mark the boundary of Mekran and

*Cheedar means Hadd or boundary.

Persia. This place is known as Malik Cheedar,"* and the pillar is said to be standing. The chief provinces were, according to Native account, the following :-Bunpoor, Kej, Punjgoor, Toomp, Dizak, Gaih, Sirbaz, and Kussurkund. Mekran has further been divided into two geographical divisions: "Kej Mekran" comprising the eastern provinces, and "Ruhana or Rodkhana Mekran," which takes in all to the westward of Kej, so called from the abundance of irrigation it possesses compared to the dry

eastern tract.

The Maliks were ousted by a family named Boleidee, probably in the latter part of the 17th century. From that time there was little attempt at union of provinces, and as their fortunes were dissimilar it will be convenient to sketch those of the two geographical divisions separately, dwelling principally on the Eastern or "Kej Mekran.”

The provinces were Kej, Punjgoor, and Toomp; the capital of the first, Kej, where is a large fort called the Miri, being the seat of supreme authority. The two latter provinces having participated in the changes which followed the downfall of the Maliks need not be specially alluded to. The province of Kej was the largest, as well as most important; amongst its dependencies were Gwadur, Pussnee, Ormara, Kolwa, and Kolanch. Its ruler resided at Kej, and occasionally at Gwadur. The family of Boleidees acquired great influence in this province in the days of the later Maliks, who are said to have been surrounded by a staff of Wuzeers of that family. The Malik of Punjgoor drew the attention of the Malik of Kej to their growing insolence, and a plan being arranged, a member of the principal Boleidees was murdered. The remainder, indignant, raised a revolt, which had a successful result. The Maliks were driven out of "Kej Mekran," and many of the western provinces. The Boleidees usurped their places, and exercised authority in the acquired provinces, preserving the same system, and acknowledging the Chief of Kej as their head. The Boleidees seem to have ruled under the title of Ameers.

The duration of the rule of the Boleidee Ameers in Kej, must have been limited to about three generations. It is at least certain that they were no longer in power there till the year 1739. A peculiar reli

gious faith took rise, and spread over all Mekran, about the era of the Boleidees, and the majority of the inhabitants, including the Ameers, embraced this new faith, whose followers style themselves Zikrees. The name is derived from their habit of repeating a set formula, "Hadi Mehdi' [Mehdi is our guide] which serves for all devotional observance : they believe that this last and greatest of prophets, Mehdi, appeared in Kej, and having brought a new dispensation, abolished all older forms of religion. At the present time this sect is tolerably numerous in some parts of Mekran, but the most respectable portion of the inhabitants have returned to Islam, and the Zikrees, though unmolested, are no longer held in good repute.

In the latter part of this period Poordil Khan, a Nowsherwanee Belooch, and native of Kharan, acquired great notoriety in Mekran. He is the favorite hero of the Mekranees, and his exploits form the burden of most of their ballads. His achievements have little to do with Mekran history, but the Mekranees mix his name up so with it in their somewhat confused accounts, that it is well to assign him his proper position, which may be likened to that of Rob Roy Macgregor, of Highland renown. His life was spent in raiding, and not content with looting the adjacent Mekran districts, he boldly entered Persian territory, and much to the approval of all Beloochees, succeeded in carrying off large booty from Minab in Persia. His forays at length attracted the attention of Nadir Shah, who took measures to effectually crush him. Reduced to extremities Poordil Khan fled first to Khelat, and then to Sind, but obtaining no aid from the rulers, resolved to throw himself on Nadir's mercy. His bold avowal of all his hostile deeds so took that monarch's fancy, that he was not only forgiven, but a force placed at his disposal to enable him to make himself master of Kej Mekran, of which he was promised the government; he is said to have set out on this expedition, but ere reaching Kej was seized with small-pox and died, on which the expedition was broken up. Much of all this is probably fabulous, but an expedition later against the Kharan Beloochees, and their chasVide appended Extract, No. 2. tisement are mentioned in the Life of Nadir. The present Azan Khan of Kharan is a descendant of Poordi Khan, and seemed recently to have a notion of emulating the deeds of his renowned ancestor.

Some time between the years 1730 and 1740, Sheik Bilar Boleidee

was Chief of Kej. He was accustomed to reside much at Gwadur, where he was induced to throw off the Zikree faith, and embrace ElIslam. This act appears to have given offence to the majority of his subjects, and Malik Deenar Gaitchkee, who was the spiritual leader of the Zikree sect, incited the people to revolt, and wrested the principal fort of Kej from Sheik Kasim Boleidee, the nephew and representative of Sheik Bilar. The latter, on this news reaching him, hastened to Kej, but was ill received, and fled to Toomp. There also the people were against him, and he was attacked and wounded. Taking the road towards Gwadur he was pursued, and finally murdered by the side of a fountain, since known as "Sirdar Al."

Kej, Punjgoor, and Toomp then fell into the hands of the Gaitchkees, and Malik Deenar assumed the chief authority. Struggles ensued in the western provinces also between the two families, with varying success; but most in that quarter finally remained in the hands of the Boleidees. In this manner another split took place.

The only descendant in direct line from Sheik Bilar now living, is a female, named Miriam, who resides in Kej, and is allowed a pension of some six Rupees a month by the Muscat Sultan, which is a charge on the Gwadur revenues. It was probably originally granted as charity, in consideration of the loss sustained by the Boleidee family, when the Charbar territory was seized by the Sultan of Muscat.

History of Nadir.

It is a

We have now Malik Dinar Gaitchkee established at Kej. comfort to have a date at last, and we know he was ruling in Kej in the year 1739 A.D. The Gaitchkee family is reported of Rajpoot descent, and their appearance confirms the account, which is, indeed, not disputed by themselves. Probably they were connected with the Rajpoots who immigrated to Sind, and entering Mekran from thence settled in a small village named Gaitch, near Punjgoor, from which their name is derived.

The Gaitchkees had adopted the Zikree religion, which under Malik Dinar reached the height of its prevalence and influence. According to the popular belief, on the murder of Sheik Bilar, his nephew, Sheik Kasim, repaired to Nadir's Court, who agreed to re-instate him, and sent a large army under Tahi Khan to depose Malik Dinar. Kej was

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