334 A HISTORY OF PERSIA. chistan, from whence he passed to the south. He did not again attempt, by means of his spiritual authority, to win for himself an earthly crown, but turned his attention to the safer employment of horse-racing in Western India. The chief of Bunpoor in Beloochistan had taken advantage of the rising of Agha Khan to make hostile incursions into the province of Kerman. Over all the ancient country of Gedrosia the modern Shahs lay claim to possess a vague right of dominion. The whole of the vast tract comprehended between the latitudes 24 50' and 30 40' north, and longitudes 58 55' and 67 30' east, in addition to two provinces stretching far to the east and west, was bestowed by Nadir Shah, in the year 1739, on Nasser Khan, who at the same time received the title of Begler-Beg of Beloochistan.* Founding" its pretensions on the conquests of Nadir, the Persian Government considers itself to have a seigneurial right over this country, in spite of the cir- cumstance that for a hundred years that right has been in no way recognized by the chiefs of the tribes of Beloochistan. In the first years of the reign of Mahomed Shah, this country included the region of Kohistan, in which lies the town of Bunpoor. Habeebullah Khan, the commandant of the Shah's artillery, who had been sent to the assistance of the governor of Kerman in his struggle with Agha Khan, was now directed to undertake the task of punishing the chief of Bunpoor. He accordingly marched against that place, which was yielded up to him. But on one of his soldiers attempting to carry off a Belooch woman, the
- Travels in Beloochistan, >j Lieut. HENRY POTTINGEB.
