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Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 22, p. 99.

AGRIG'UL TUBE 99 The Sarawan country formed part of the Ghaznivid and Ghorid empires, and fell into the hands of the Arghuns towards the end of the fifteenth century. From them it passed to the History. Mughals until, towards the end of the seventeenth century, Mir Ahmad of Kalat acquired Mastung from Agha Jafar, the Mughal governor. Henceforth Mastung remained under Kalat and was the scene of an engagement between Ahmad Shah Durrani and Nasir Khan I in 1758, in which the Afghans were at first defeated, but Ahmad Shah afterwards advanced and assaulted Kalat. During the first Afghan War, the country was one of the districts assigned by the British in 1840 to Shah Shuja-ul-mulk, but it was restored to Kalat in 1842. During r84o the Sarawan tribesmen revolted and placed Nasir Khan II on the throne. In 1871 another rebellion occurred, and the Brahuis received a crushing defeat from Mir Khudadad Khan at Khad near Mastung. In 1876 the latter place was the scene of the memor- able settlement effected by Sir Robert Sandeman between Khudadad Khan and his rebellious chiefs. Curious mounds situated in the centre of the valleys occur through- out the country. Two of the largest are Sampur in Mastung and Karbukha in Mungachar. They are artificial, being composed of layers of soil, ashes, and broken pottery. KALAT TOWN, and Mastung, the head-quarters of the Political Agent, are the only towns., The country possesses 298 permanent villages. The population in 1901 was 65,549 Most of the population. people make their way to Kachhi in the winter. The centre of the country is inhabited by the cultivating classes known as Dehwars, Khorasanis, and Johanis, most of whom are sub- jects of the Khan of Kalat. In the surrounding hills and vales live the tribesmen composing the Sarawan division of the Brahui con- federacy. They include the Lahris (5,400), Bangulzais (9,000), Kurds (3,100), Shahwanis (6,300), Muhammad Shahis (2,8oo), Rai- sanis (2,4oo), and Sarparras (goo), all of whom are cultivators and flock-owners. In this category must also be included the numerous Langav cultivators of Mungachar (17,ooo). All the Muhammadans are of the Sunni sect. A few Hindu traders are scattered here and there. Most of the wealthier men possess servile dependants. Artisans' work is done by Loris. The prevailing language is Brahui ; but the Langvs, some of the Bangulzais, and a few other clans speak Baluchi, and the Dehwars a corrupted form of Persian. Cultivation is carried on in the centre of the valleys, which possess flat plains of a reddish clay soil, highly fertile when irrigated. This is the best soil and is known as matt, nzatmdl, or hanaina. Agriculture. Dark loam is known as siydhzamin. The greater part of the cultivable area is `dry crop' (khushkdba). Owing to the scanty