IMPORTANCE OF JACOBABAD. 171 



never handled any tiling but weapons of war, have 

 now settled down to agricultural pursuits in the 

 most satisfactory manner. Of these tribes there 

 are about 2000 adult males at present living on 

 the British Border, the scene of their former 

 warlike deeds and predatory forays, which still 

 form the theme of their songs. Yet they resist 

 the many temptations offered to lead them to a 

 renewal of their former practices, for in no 

 single instance has such an event occurred. 

 Some of the Bhoogtees indeed have been taken 

 into our service amongst the Belooch Guides, 

 and have given entire satisfaction. 



The importance of Jacobabad, in a political, 

 military, and commercial point of view, is very 

 great, being situated on the road to the Bolan 

 Pass, which is the highway to Central Asia. 

 The most recently published returns show that 

 under present circumstances even the trade 

 from Klielat and Afghanistan into Sindh far 

 exceeds that from the countries to the north or 

 eastward, and, were all impediments removed 

 in Afghanistan, it might be exj^ected very 

 rapidly to increase. Upon our inland frontier 

 all duties have been discontinued, and on the 

 north-western border arrangements have been 



