Reports on Ghilzi Country

8/2/2019 Reports on Ghilzi Country

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Afghanistan: The Arthur Paul Afghanistan Collection

at the University of Nebraska-Omaha Digitized Afghanistan Materials in English

from the Arthur Paul Afghanistan Collection

University of Nebraska - Lincoln Year

Reports on parts of the Ghilzi country - -(1885)James Sutherland Broadfoot,

This paper is posted at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/afghanenglish/15


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R O YA L G E O G R A P H I C A L S O C I E T Y.

PUIJLISEIED U N D E R TE E AUTHORITY OF THE COUNCIII, AN D EDITED BY

THE ASSISTANT SECBETARP, I, SAVILB now.

Vol. I . P a r t 3.

CONTENTS.

L O N D O N :

J0IT.N RIUXltAIr, AIJBETUIARLE 8!l.'.R8EET.1885.


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ON

PhBTS OF THE G H I L Z I COUNTRY,

i!,N 1) ON SOXE OF THE TRIBES IN 'l'B11:

A N D O N TllE

IiOUTE 3?1tON GHAZNI TO Dl3128 ISMAIL KHAN .* 'I':Y THE G H ~ T h L A . R J ASS.

BY LIEUT. A N E S SUTHERLAND BROADFOOT,

UE.XGAL x o ~ x ~ n n s ,S3D.

E ~ m e u Y 3 h ~ o nWILLIAN 13ROADFOOT, R.E.


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ROUTE PROM GEIAZNI TO UEBh ISXAIL RI-IANU P 'I'l-IE GEIWALAEL PASS.

Map, p. 439.

Tn~sr ; cports having recently conlc into mypossession, I' was s t ruck on reading.them w i t h their iutcrcst, geogrnphicnlly; nodescription of thcsc pnr ts of th ecountry, csccpt a somewhat short accor~i~tr th e route dcscribcd in l lcport 11. byMr. C. '1'. Vignc, having bccu publisl~cd.

As L icnt . Croatlfoot's rcports had :~l\vnys ~ cc n onaidcrcd conficlcntinl,I npplicilfor sanction to lwsent tllcm to tlic Eoynl Gcogrnphicnl Socicty, which was accorclrdby the Sccrctnry of Stntc.

As I had L icn t. Croa~lfo ut's original journal, I h a w in placcs acldcd to, nnd cor-rcctcd o r clim i~ra tccl nrts ol' Lhc r cp orkas printcd in Calcutta in 1870.

TVith rcspcct to the spelling of tlm names of peoplo and plnccs,I hnve gcncrally~ollow cd th e ~ n o d c cloptccl in Sis (.:l~arlcsNacgrego~: '~ompilation or Gazcttcer ofCcntrnl Asia, esccpt whcrc I lmve had rcason to t h ink that tho transliteration wasincorrect,, or not: intelligible to ordinary Ihglish rcndcrs. I make 110 prctcucc tonccnmcy in tho ma tter of spclling Afgha n n imc s, an d will be more than satisficili l I cau ~nn lrc licnl gcnclnlly intclligiblc.

Lic ut. C rondfuot nccompnnicd tllc arm y from I!hz.,pr~r, across the In dus a t

Sl~liliur,u Iia nd :~ hn r nd Gllazni. ITewns cnga,ycd with tho otbcr Engineer ofiiccrsjn blowing in th c gntc, and took his parl; in thc storm nnd capture. H e wns thcnleft in Gllazrti to rcpnir oild strongtlml t11c place, nnd this hc describes as sixw e l d h a rd work.

Froin Gl~axnirc was scnt to Soin Cnptain Ontram's force a~ n i n s the Gllilzis nnclothcr rel 'rnctory Af~liansn the noighbourhood. Ho ~ ~ en ~n in cdilh this force whilsti t was in thc field, a nd marched 340 milcs in s month , surveying t he c o ~ d x y ,assisting a t tho occnsionnl fig l~ ts, ndcollecting informntion regnrding thc tribcs 01t lwt u i~kn own ountry. Th is infornlation is given in lieport I.

I V h n th is espcdition mas over, Licut. Broadfoot wns dlomed to explore theroute dcscribcd in Rcport 11. Prom his journal I cstrnct the following :--'L'l'l~c~roposnl o csldorc this pass had been stnrtcd, I henrd nt Kabul, b y O~utmm,whomthc! C o ~ n ~ ~ l n i ~ t l c r - i l l - c h i c fro u ld ot allow to yo. Out,ram ~ ss is tc dm e by asking Sir

2 e 2


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W. htncnaugl~tcn'spermissiou; and Nnjor Blaclnrcn nllowcd me to goin anticipn-t,ion of si~uclion." I n n lclter home,written jns t nftcr Lhc journey was accon~plishccl,h o says, ' I Bct\\~ccnAf$nnistan nud Iudin r o w thc grcat S~ rlioia nnngc of rnolul-tains from C: to E. Kurn:~ l ,whcncc thoarmy stnrted, is D ; t l ~ crmy Lnd mnrchcdro un d by t l ~ cinc D R F to Ghnxni ntA, ncnrly 9 00 n d cs ont of t11cstr:~ight inc!;i t

roturnctl b y A I3 C D, 000 miles round nboui,. The strnighL lincA. D from Gbnxnit o India lies through an ~nexplorcd ountry, ofhio oh th e mountains wcrc stated t obc so high, nnd thc people so wild, th a t nothing wns linomn of the route. I t wnsm uc h desired t.hat t6 c road sho111d be surveyed, bu t the at te m ptwas considercddangerous. 1 madc agveemcnts with unt,ivcs, p u t on their drcss:ml went amongase t of murderers~lnhnrmcd,bccnllsea guest, nltllongl~ 00 of t hc m en ofm y partywore ltillcd one night."

Liout. Broadfoot was trmelling wi th a c n ~ m n n f mcrcllents, hc gocs on to say'L l ic b en d and dressqoita lecl them to th in k me a good Mohrrmmcrl:m, and noEnglishman. For twenty dnysI pa~ sccl hrough n range of stupcndons m ol~ntninswith out a house,n dog, a crow, or an y sign of life,bu t tkc nightly plunderers wh o

wnitcd to surprise th o caravan. A t las tI

came into tho plains of thc Pnqjnl, andcrossed th cm as nn Afgh an flying beforc thc English. Th e pcople of thc Panjnb,late ly ollr fi rm allies, are now bitter enem ies; nucl as nn Englishm nn1 hould hm e beeniusulted, if no t stripped and killed. 'J'hough thcrc ar c no mo unh ius, ye tI passoclfivc rivcrs, Inlgcr than the Thnm es six or sevenfold; and 100 miles of descrt. A tlast I renchcd Lnliorc,n nagni6cent loolting town, an d in three days urns in Piroz-p r on tlic S~ ltl ej , xactly one ycay (29thNovember, 1839) from tllc d:~ywhen 1entercd i L proceeding with thc army, and whcmI s:nv the interview with Rnujit


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S ~ I I ~ I I ,ow dead. Tllco I was all csl)cct:ltion :~ nd m p , nowI canlo I,ncli wcarywill1 ft~tig oe, l'tcr sccing the n m t curious raccof robbers aucl n~ ~~ rtl cr cr s,ud per-

11 n pthe

\\,ildcst co ~~ iitrie sl ~

sin.I

wcnl inlo llrcRrsL

11out;c Ibuud, m tl met anold fi*icl~(lf TVillinni's,"' 2nd had nly bcnrcl cu t off, tlnd ntc: will1 a k u ik :~ n dCorlc,and sat on n chair in an J5nglish drcss."

I,icllt. nro:dSoot tllcn weut to KU~TXLI,l~erc lc wrolc tlrcr re110rt nnddrew outtllo ~l nu s. They mere snbmittcd to TAortl Auckland, who wns l~ lcns c~ lu csprcsvgrci~t tistiictionwit11 then^, aucl \vllo pcrm itlcd Licu t. I!roadhot, a t his spccinlrc-quost, to return t o ilfgllnniatnn. Hc \\ws liillcd at .l'm v:r ~id nrnl~u tllc 2nd.sovcmbcr, 1s-10, wlicn thc N ntivc Cnv:llry re h~ se tl o chnrgc, and nllo\vcd Llrci~:&cers, nccompauicd by Dr. Lortl :~ ndLicut. l3ro:dfoot, to cliargc tho hfgllnucnvnlry nlonc. OC the fiva ofliccrs who cllnrged tl~reowcrc liillctl, :~u d ho otllcr twodcslm&ely woundcd.

\\Tit11 this introduction I bcg t o prcscul; Rcports I. nnd1'1.

to tho I.'rcsidout :milMcmbcrs of the Eoyd Geographical Socicty.T > ~ ~ ~ ~ , ~ . 4 ~ ~1 : 0 h ~ 1 ~ 0 0 ' 1 ' , Ii~jor.

112, ~ ~ o u c e s ~ r l ? ~m n A CE, - l ~ ~,\n~i, \'.,illst 3 k y, 1SS4.

REPORT I.

'l'jrrs r ep or l; w a s ~ u a d c n d c r t h o f o ll ow i u g c ir c ur u st nn c c s:-A c c o m p a ny i ng t h c n r iu y of t h c Iu clns f ~ o mts fu r inn t ion at; K u r n n l

t o i t s l u a r c h f r o m G - h az u i, I: h a d s e iz c d c v c r y o p p o r t u n i t y ofexaminingt h e l > c o p l c m c l c ou ntr y. I n c o ~ nl na u do f t h o p io n e e r s, i i u o n g w ll o mw c r c ln c n o f a l l t r ib e s ,I h a d n ~ n u ga c i li ti e s f o r d o i n g s o ; a s G a r ri so n .E u g i n c c r o f G l ~ a z n i , e m pl oy cd e v e ry s p a r e m o m e n t i n s u r v e y i n g t h es n r r o u n c li ~ i g o u u tr y, i u ~ i s i t i n g h e I I a z o r a P a ss es , :in din l w o c u r i n gd a t a fo r t h e s t a t i st i c s o f t h c c lis tlic t. I n t w o m o n t h sI w a s w i t h dr a w nt o a c t a s fie ld e n g i u c e r t o t h e c u p ed it io u ga gain stt h e G ll il zi s ; as f i i r asm y Geld dut ies a l loweclI s u r v e y ed t h e m n r c h c s; o n t h e L rc a ki ng 1 i p oft h c f or ce I g o t p e n u i s s i o n t o c ro ss t h o S u l i l u a n M o u n t a i n s , a n d s1.1 rvcy eclt h e c o u n t r y f r o m G h a z n i t o t h o 1:uclus.

N y n l y i n s t r u m e n t was o p r i sm a t i c c o m pn ss , w i t h w h i c hI toolc t h oa n gl es . T h r e e s t e a d y m e n c o u n h c l t h c i r p a ce s,which, co lnpnrec l w i t ht h e r a t e s of h o rs c s a n d c a ~ n o l s ,E L Y C ho c l i s l ; ance , r p re t ty i~ccmotc ly.W h i l c w i t h C a p ta i n O u t r a m 1 u sc d h i s ~ ~ e r n m h u l a t o rr o m K o l nl gm t oK ill a- i- Sh ah ab x~ c li n. W i t h t h c r oll t o t h u s l a i d d o w n o sn basc , f r c p e ~ l t' be a ri ng s w c r c ta lc en t o l;hc p c a k s a d xtremities of hills, a n d by t h e s ot h c ranges were f ixed . F o r t s Ilea+ t h o r o a d v e r o c l ct e rm i m d i n t h oi is u al m s n n c r , b u t when R ccn f ro m a d i s t a n c e o f s o v e m l m i lc s , b y o n l yo n c n n g lc , a n d t h o i li st an c c c s ti ln a tc d b y t h e e y c; t bc ing iml>oss ib lo

* IIiu broll~er,L i d . William Brondfootof tho Bcngnl Eu ro pc n~ ~{cgi~nont.-Nu.Or G11i1,li.-En.


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to rccogi-lisc thcm aft cr g oin ga s n t l i c i c ~ ~ tlist,allcc to :~ ll o l\a clilTcrcntl~cn r ing . E v c n thcsc,it, i s 11opec1, w il l nR'orc1 use ful m ili ta ry in fo ~w lc~ tio n.

S uc h a m pi d s urv cy m us t 11:1\7c s o ~ n c rrors, and l)c 111c:~gron clctails ;for 6his I can only npologiso, th at i t wa s mt~clca t m y ow11 c s l ~ n s c ,w i thou t any assistance, cd ca vo ur in g to supply by litbour th e p lucc ofins t run ~c nts , unds , m i l survey ing cstab li shn leu t. Bu t tl lc e r rors a rono t considcrnble , as is shownby t h e n c : l r ~ ~ c s sith \vIlich m y survcycdplncc of D cra Isruail K l~ m i grccs w ith tl1a.t (lctcrluinod ast1~01iomical1-y.D ur in g t l l c Ghi lx i campaign ,I lost 1)y f ro st ancl p l ~ n d c r ~ r ~lm wholc01' m y c:~me ls, a11d w it h thcln n1y Gh az ni fieid-books, on \vhic hI L I I I C ~l abour had becu bcs to \vcd . T l ~ com ai i~s f m y papers a rc c~nl~oc l iednthc p1n .u~mltl rc11ort.s. I sha ll trc nt of:-1st. IIaz t~rn sm ~ dWarrlaks.3 id . r h b l c - l n ~ ~ df Gh:cxni 2nd the Ghilzis. 3rd. Th o G hm als ri Pass.

1 l i c t r ian gu lar spacc I )e t \vccn l lcra' i, Xandnl lar, an11 Gh azniis.closcly fil lcil \vitl l niountnins, i l ~ l~ r~ b itc cln t he ~ vc s t y A i~nn lc s, nd ont l ~ cn st b y 1 h z : u n s .

Fro111G hn zni th rc c d is tin ct rnngcs nl:c ~ J O ~ C ~ ~ V F L ~ ,11~111ingorth-onstin onc nn lno kcn c h i n . T hc h ig llcs t poak i s Gulkol t, i n thc c le f ts ofw l~ ic h now l ies tho m~holcyc:ur. IYithi~l16 milcs or the c i ty are s ix1) as xs , al l Icarling into tllc valle y of tllc Rod-i-Uhnzni; thc ir nnlucs rel h l < r it k , r l l ~ ~ rg i m ,hlb ari , Robn., Barakrrt,m ~ l \ l ; l r I ~ ~ ~ l .cinp n l i k ~ n

c l ~ u m c t c rm ~ r lappeari~ncc, clescription of Gu lbar i 1\41 scrvc for a l l.Tt is a raviue, a t f irst500 ynrds wiclc , cncloscd b y rugge d hi l ls . T h eI - ~ o t t o ~ nf good soil scattcrcil w ith fallen rocks; l i t t lc r ivu lcts r l inthrough i t s wl io lo leng th a n d w:~tc r thc 1 :ml ofnine for ts . AfterG ~ n i l c s f gcv tlo nsccnt, i t uan.o\vs to YO ynrds , wa te r i u ~ d u l t i va t i on ,ccasc, and a. sh o rt stec p slopc lcnds t o tllc to p of t h c first rallgc. T1.10v i c ~ v ow embm ccs Inrgc barrcn roclcs, w ith n fcw grccn spcc:ks in t h en m m w ravines, and t h e h igh rnounbnin of Knrcsuf

*

bonncls tho 1-icnr.I nc vc r saw :ingth ing wildcr or morc c1csol:~tc. A s tccp foo tpa th no\vtlcsccl~ils he fac e of t h c l li ll , an d cn ds i n t l le vallcy of Jarm ntii , a ra vin eb c t \ v c c ~ ~w~r rcnhi l ls w i th a fe w ynrds of s o il a t t l ~ cot tom; r ivulctsar c fi.cqucnt,, imil tllc sc an ty soil is c u t in to tcrracc s liltc? tliosc of th oH i m a l a y a n villages. 13nrlay an d mhcnt, a l i t t l c tobacco, c lo~ vx ,ariatu rn ips , a re cn l t ivn tcd . Tho corn sown in a utunm is rcnpcd ncstA ug us t. '.L1hc w int or is most scvcrc; frost con tinuin g in th c sh;& fromYcp tcml~ er o A pril , an d snonr fro111U cc cn ~b cr o tllc niidcllc of Ilarcli.T h e Eaznr:ls ar c of n~icldlc sizc, bu t sto ut ly mn dc; sll lall gre y eyes,hig h chcclr-boncs, nnd th e n-ant ofa beard, show n T ar ta r origin. 'I.lhcfievcrc cli lln te and bamcn coun try i~ ~c rcn sch c harshness of tlicir tlspcct.

Their clothcs, mado by t l~cmselvcs,urc of conrsc 11airclotl1 thcir boots~ o n g h oat-skin, and t lic ir gircllc a rope. Tl lcy l i rc i l l l i t t l c to~verscollttcining iivc or S ~ S ml l il i e~ , l l p l~o r t c~ ly scanty cll l t ivntion andfloclts of shccp. In nutnlun, : ~ tlw z~ li , hcy cschnilgc l'1u.s mlcl ] lai r-c loth for grain mil floiir ; somciimcs 811iall 11111lli1.11~cn.clt tllc boys to

"

Prnbnllly the contrecti~,mf I \ ' : L ~ ~ : L: I~ I IP ;~ c t . ::15.-1'1).


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read tho Koran, hu t th cir 1:lngunge ix much uor rnlh xl from t h c Persian.Tlleir ignornllco corrcspo~ ldswi th thc i r pover ty. IIy T T ~ ew a a l)ourers

wcrc a light-l lcartc d, cnrclcss sot. They worlcecl nrc~ll, u t w er c so ficklot ha t, a s soon a s t h y g o t :L rullcc, th ey stopped work ti l l the! pressu rc ofIlullgcr brou gh t thcn1 back.

'.pile wornon nrc ]lot alw ays veilccl; thc y h av e oftcn Lluc eye s; aI'C\V, nhurn ha i r am1 rcci ~hec lcs . The y a rc g e n e d l y iigly, b u t no t\-cr y clinstc. TTowever, tll c custom cnllcd

"

Koruhistan," by which the&zar:ls :Ire said to 1e1d t l ~ c i rwivcs to a. guest , i n t h e p a r t s I visitccl,i s r e r t n i i ~ l yL fabrication. T11e-j all clcnicd i t w it h incliguatiou, a s anin\ .cnt ion of tho Afg hans; yet i t i s ~ c ln tc d n good ant l ior i ty. Across

J ~ r i n a t i is ano thcr val ley of similar chnract cr, a ~ l dl lcn th e prec ipi tousl l n l ~ e nidg e of X a r p YUSU (Joscpli 's rock), wh i ell rn n s fro111 Sir-i-nbto t h c T'fardak cou ntry , :~iid s passd)le for horscmcnst oach cstremity.13cyoncl is th e ~ i lonnt it inousdis t r ic t of A hd an i , and to tlm wes t thodistrict of Xiwar.*' Tllis is a plain inh nbitcd b y tl ic i \Iulmrnma,lKhn-ajas, and mid to bc 90 rides in cs tcn t , wi thout t rces , hilt wellcultivated. W at er Lcing found mitli in a foot o r tw oof thc surface, i tis perhaps th c bed of an ancie nt mountain lnlre. T h c grasses aro so; tbunclsn t, tha t i t ha s alwnys bccn a fnvour ito l h c c for t hc roya l s tn d .

S t i l l morc t o th e n or th i s B c s d , o r Gesut , tho cap i tid of a PoliiclehSu l tan ; th e cl iicf is said to posscss a town of a fcw hu ndr cd h ouses, andio keep up 300 horse , t l ~ o u g h c coulcl ra ise m any morc . T h e w an t of:~ rti fic ers 11r111ccs solno to tl.i~v c1rom G hax ni. T h y spoke ~ vc l l f t hcSultan, 1)raising li is justice aud libernlit j-- . Thcse wnnclcring artisans]night givc valunblo inibrmntion, but i t i s reuclcrccl worthless by tho~ lc s i r e ,o na tnml in ,z tmvc l l c r, t o c sa l t t ho ooun~ t~yc a l om has sccn .'l'lley spolcc of shawls, gold, and silver in Besiicl, wllcrcI eoulcl find no

. traces of weights m c l mmsurcs.T l ~ chicf hex re t: hc cl his inclcpcndencc, th ou gh soinetimcs sttaclrcd

1)y th e Afghans, who possess t h c dis t r ic t extend ing from G ulkol ltoNiiwnr, a nd From t l m c e to t11c Ban d-i-Sultan. I I L i i~mabagh thoT-Inzards :uid Afghans arc: niiscd, in Niinrar a i d S ir -i -ab i s t hc t ~ i b cfNuhammad IUi~ \ - a j a ,u Jo lga an d Jan ns tn a r e t r ibc s of J aghori s. 111t hc va ll cys of S o l i h t~ ~hoy arc l~i iscr lwi th th e Wnril:d;s. T h c culti-vatcd passcs of tho first rnngc a rc givcn to a few fnniilics of Pors ian'13alchtiyaris, I z n o n ~ ~ iy t h c i l n ~ l ~ ef Rnzzilbnshcs. Na dir Sh ah sctt l edt l i e ~ nn Kabul, :uld tho Afghalls eniploy bnt clistrnst them. Tlla youngul~icfs trcated me \-cry hospitably, an d secincd t o bo lilredby the i r

ryots. T he c l~ ic l 'of thc whole 1Inzara dis l r ic t is Gulis tml Khan ofIcarabagh, who is answ cr:~blc or t l ~ cributc. Eta bears a good chi~rnc tcr,and jo ined ihc K ing ncn r Chnzni . T he ru l c of t he h f g l~ n n ss nlcrcly~loiuinal. T11c IIazxilhnshcs and 1Iaznr:ls uscci to fight without inter-

*Sn spclt in rricut.~rontlfoot's31s. Sliol~ldpossildy hc Snw&l~,hich ruoans a

phin, or tr;wt.-En.


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6 or feet. 11 1 autunut , W ~ L C I I tllc ploughing is over aucl mator 110longer \\qn tecl, t h c o n t lc t is d n ~ tnnd n Inkc fills the vallcy G O O

yards \\riclc: wit.h :L g r~ u tc s t dc1)Lli of : ~ 1 ~ 1 t t0 feet). In spr iup\vhcil cnl t ivnt ion begins , th c ori fico (a ~ n c r c olo i n n rock, s t~~Rccdw i th bru d~\v ood nd ear th) i s o l m od , ;mil tha s tronm rushes o u t inscvcr:rl cascatles, th u s gi si n g th e \\.Ilolu wntcr of tho yc ar in tho seasoni t i s rcp i rc i l . T he lns t,ing bc~rcf i t sof thiy nwrlc a.tone i n pa rt forNalmiud's religious cruelties. !Phc l)riiicipnl of the rivulets which fccai t r ises on th o n or th cr n slopc of Sir-i-ah, a d u l m i n g t o t h e n o r t h fo r20 ~u i l c s h rough a, nnrrow valley. I;urns I;o th c righ t b y Solrhtain thedirection of t h c dmu. 111 ts coni.so to Ghxzni, for th o iir st fo ur lrlilcst h c rive r is confined b y 1imcsl;ono rocks, op cn ing occasionnlly, eno nghfor a for t nml a patch of con1 ; af ter this i l sends off nu mero us irr iga tioncanals to : l iim of vil lages on cach of i ts ba rks . On th c west a re thobar e spu rs of th o IZaxara Nountains, an d to t .hc cast n sti l l Bnrcr tractt h in ly sp r i~d i l cdwi th can101 s l~r~ lbs ,l i d sloping u p to thc clefilr, ofTang-i-Shcr.

G I I A Z X I S U '1'111: GLIII,ZI OUNTRY.

Th e co untry from U fibki ir t o Ghaxn i may be considered a sor t of lcblc-lan d, boundcd o n th e north-w cst b y tho J3ez:u.a M ountains an d on t h e castby thc JadrRn mnge . S ix milts nor th of Ghazni th e p la in a t ta in s i l sg rca t es t c l c r a t i o~ i nd c lecliucs t o \ r ~ a ~ ~ l snbu l. So uth of Mfilrlriirit, s inks1.al~ii1lynto t11c vallcy of tl~c?L'nrnali. Bot\vccii tho tw o g re at rn ng esn low chain of h il ls coltducts tho cllainogo from bo th siclcs in to t l lcAb-i-1stacl:rh LnIic . Elevntecl fro in 7000 to SO00 fect abo ve t h e sea,, Ihoc1irn:rtc: is 8cvcrc. I t freezes evory cvo nin g i l l Octobcr, an d th o ice las tsti ll luidclny ; n Ro\ -cmber i t I lcvcr tliaws ; 11 Dccenlbcr th o cou nf ly iscovered with three feet of snow, wl~iclim c l h i n t ho m idd lc of J Imuh .T he peoplo t l lcn issue froiu ih ci r l o i ~ g on~ uicm ent , n d f incl th o f ie lds

grecn wit11 corn, an d th o pl ain eovcrcd w il h flo\vclr: w hich last onlya,few days. T ho cl i~ na tc s tho11 gcni;ll ,11utcvcn in J n ly t he hca t i s not,oppress ive. Except th e pc r io c l id snow, ra in sc ldo n~ a ll s. T h is hasretarded t h e dccornposition of th o ioclcsmil th o fo l*lua tio~if sni l ; butthe t ime may confidcn t ly bc prcd ic tc il , w h c ~ l n c l ~f tho l im ~s ton c , l atc,an d t ray, sha l l have c l~ imh lcd o powilc r, and tho bar ren p h iu s tn rncc iin to forest or ~neaclows.

Theso ideas a re confiril~crl1 )y i l ~ oact th at tho Jaclri in range, whosohe igh t and s i t ua t i on i n t c r ccp t ~nnchf the moistnro dcst iuei l for thoplnins , th u s contr ibu t ing to t h e dryucss of th cir c l i~ net e , s wel l covercilw i th so i l and spri ll lr led n i t h t rees; while hil l s of t h e sam c formation,but plnccd i n it s lec, havc scarcoly soil cnon gh for sh ru bsa foot high.Thc rocks 11cre splinter by frost , not crnmblo by ra in ; the i r gonera iapyearancc i s a precipitous crest , w it h a, basc of ang uln r dhbris , a t Gistwaving i n l~i l loclts , nd thcn s i r lkir~gn a long gent lo dopc to th e p la in .


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Thcso slopcs are scattered with :I thin, low, cuncl sl ~ r u l ~ allcd " Tirlch,"a i d 1 1 % ~ ~ any subtcrmncan springs. By solm str:lngc lnethod thoAfghans cliscovcrccl where thc springs wcrc s i tua td , and d igging downto tholu for~ned wclls : but wells are ernpticil by iucchanical labour, a dthe Afghans by grcat labour hnvc dng subtcrrance~i alleries from thospr ings to t h e valley lowcr clown ; llcsc gallcries having a small slopc,th o water pours tllrol~gh hem, and the walls thus cmptying themselvesarc called I


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for 1)0\\~s h e " Admrn:~ g ives ou t a pungcut o i l; bu t t he " Nanzeh "pillo, l\~\.hose f r u i t i s the c h i l g o ~ a ,s t ho m ost i~ uy or t a nt , s ~ h o hribes

live on tho r ~ u t , \lhich is like an ulmoncl tnintcil w it h tar. Tlicllrincil>al rock is clay slate, dipping 45' to th o easl. I 'arallcl t o thi sgrcat m ountain is th e Haznrnow or Chari l ioh,n r idgc about 2600 fectabove tho plain, bnro anil nlgg ed in i ts aspect.

hla-Boll is th o poak of n mountnin simillzr to t h o Raza ruow ,onw h i ~ b l lt n b l ~ tso th o cost,, ru nn in g wc st ,w~rt l o Ghneni and crossed bythe R a b d road a t th e dofilc of 'l'ang-i-Sher. 011 a ow spu r o f i t , the1Zoh-i -Takht , homc th o ~ ~ s a i dhilzis wcrc p u t to fligllC th e day llcforcwc look Glmzni.

Bctwecm th o la st tw o rangcs is l ihar\\-ar, au clevntcd barren clistrict ,thi nl y inl labi tcd by Andcr s and Solloks. T o tho no r th Rh a rw ar opc~ l son tho ferti lc vnliey of Lo gn s; to t l lc west i t comniands the Kabnlroad ; t o t h o cn st i t i s c ~ ~ t c r o dw ~ n l lc D r ; \ n yI 'ass fro111 ZUnui11; ando n tho s ou th b y tlic I :o h t r d s s f rom S h i l g ~ r. T h c % i nt ig h s s isbctwcen th e two. Of thesc I nndc rs t and t l ~ e )r ang i s t lic best, bc i ~ l gpassab le for ca~ncls . Th e ccn t rn l s i tunt ion of lKl ia r \~a r m a l m i t nfm~our i t eha un t of robbers, a s t h y have on a l l sic les a snre rot ren t .' rh o c o un tr y i s c l ~ yand lwor, p n s c011ld no t easi ly c ross i t , an i l troopswould f ind l i t t le foragc. T ak ri is a rocl ip r id ge abo ut1000 fcet abovo

t h o p l a i ~ i i t is 18 ~u iIc s o~ lg , tcep in tho centre , bn t easi ly p:lssed titc i thcr end. Tl ic rnngc co~ i t inu cswil l1 intcrvals t l i rough Spinsnk andJarak-knna, t l lc hil ls bc ing of precisclly tho sam e chnrnctcr, nnd th cn m ayl,c trnced i n th e rocky isolateel pealts o lX;mni Glln nd, Zizhgni, Xll\\.aj:~TIilul, nud 110 Kui. On tho wc stc nl bnsc of Jar&-kana, is a ~ O W Xr idge, avidcnt ly of co nt c~ nl )o ru y r ig iu; aucl on i ts cnstern siclo achain of roundcd 11illocLs fo r~ n c d f i t s d6bris, an d onllcd in th a nort hX ha rh in , i n tll e tiou 111 Gazdnrn. T h is is continrlecl onB larg er scale inZh cra, a rocky l)o:~lc, u n ol~u dctly miles uf l~ill oclc smil finnlly sinkin giu to thc hb- i -1s tad ;~ l lI d i ~ . Girdnnai is i l lc las t of n r angc ruun ingfrom nc ar Kanclnhnr along t hc south-east bank of the T arnal;; it IMP,nsnsucd, a roc ky to p :u:d Lasc of Ililloclcs, w it h n pa ss e v c ~ yivc or d s miles.Beforc i t is hicl b y tho hig h 1,lncl of Gh azni, its csontinl~atiou m ay bctraced in t h c ditijoiilcil 1i1lg.c of liarghnn a,, \\~l lic hhas a few pe:tBs ofrock ris in g abovc a lo ng asc cn t of moorlnncl.

'Yhe rivc r of Ghazni 1 1 ~ sccn traced to thc city. I t passcs betwcenShilgar an d Nnni , sending of't' l llalljT rrigati on cnts, t i l l th c wate r, aftertc u or tnrelve miles, becunlcs ~ n uc lloss, a i d i t s b an ks to o stcop. I t ~ t c s tr u n s west of P a n n i ~ l ~nd Klnvajn Hilnl bctwecn Do Kni a n d All-Land ;i n t hi s d e ~ o l a t cr ac t i t i s ~ l r o n g l ytnprcgnn tccl w i th s a l t , and f ~ l l sntoth e hb-i-JstnilaL L ake. A c i ~ r i o u sircnnlsLance occu rs : tllc fish, bro ug hthy th e s tr ca m h o ~ uhe u p l m pa r ts , on cn t c r ing t l l c sa l t pa r t s ic li en andclie ; h e y 111ay b e t ~ l r e n y t h e ha nd i n a ll s l a pof illncss.

' I ' h ~ c s t'ocdcr of tho 1,dw is l l ~ cJilga or Surl; l~rud,wllich, rising


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in C4ardcz nnc lMichclgn , flows t11r011gll h o who10 of Zi rm ii l,i111cl p s s i n gth ro ugh Sa rd ih joins tho G h a m i r ive r oppos it c Xoshnk i. A t Sa rd ihi tTias l ) c rp ~ id i cn l : a unks 16 fcct doep, c ut inlo I~arcl lay; ho strctlm \\-us1 foot dccp and 30 fcc t wi3 0; ill spr in g i t i s b :~r r ly forc ln~lc .111 the.l ow e r p m t uf i ts courbc i t is notused for i r r igat ion . A t l h d b trc:~ ln s t11cP nl tu , wll ic ll r iscs i n tho pnssof t h n t II:LIUO, and runs thron gh Kat law: l/t o t h c l a k e ; in i t s colu.so i t becomes s l ig ht ly brackish; i t s l ~ d n k sm.cbncvc r above fuuri'co l h igh , i ts d i~ n e u s io ~ ~ sl~osuof tho Jilgn. A v e r ysu la l l s t r cam runs in to t ll o lake f rom th c Tnr l cm ~iN : L \ \ ~ I , few miles ofw h ic h i t c h i n s .

T11c Afg hans i~ls is tc d h l h e wa ter ru ns out of tho ldco lhrongh th ihs t r eam ; h e y m u s t 11avobecu try in g to docci rc me, ns t ho s tr cam w o d dr n n f u r t h e r to thc south or clsc form n ncw lalic, n d lso sa c h n c1rni11won ld p rc w n t t hc ln ltc r i s ing in i ts lcvel during spring, t l lc proofs ol 'w h i c l ~ r c w r y c vid cn t i n t l ~ c c w ly ilrictl b , ~ n k sf c l ay d l ro un d i lsch nru ~e l . A s nrc passed tho grcntcst pnrt or lhc Ab-i-Icitadah 11)- i ~ i g l ~ t ,canuol answ cr for i t s csac t f igure , bu l:m n o t f ir \vrong i n cst inlat ing i ta t 17 miles broad ancl 15 long ; t s dcpt ll , I un~lcrbtilnil , s v ery trifl ing,prohrzbly n o t ahovc 12 f cc t i n t ho cen tw ; l i s l ) o ~ u ~ i l c d,y .L g c ~ l t l ~ .shc lvin g m ar gi n of nnlrccl cla y; n o ta tr cc i s in s i g l ~ t , r o l h d cof g l a s r,

a n d 11ardly a for1; h e Lluo hills i u l ic i l istaucc ru:~l;o i l look morc l o n c l ~s till. T h c r c w cro s c ~ ~ c r a large f l ights oS chi l ior and rock pigcon,t ~ u t c lo o ke d i n v a in for t h o m y r ia d s o f w a tc r- fo w l w h i ch t h c E m p e r o r+Btl.l)cr cclarcs g i n \its bluc \\&em a red ap pc arn im ; hc on ly in s tancc1 ha ve detcctctl of oriontal cxaggc ration i n his book. I t s wntcrs arc a ss a lt a s h i n c : I th ink , wi th soda, b u t I~ n d o tcs ts .

S l d g a r i s i n c l u c l c d l ~ c t n w mho Ala-lroh nncl T d i r i ranges aud t llcr iv cr of Ghaeni . Th o populat ion arc Anders , w ith tho uscoption of th c,Tujilr villages, R a l i ~ ~ a l inil E o ba t, cacll of about 160 houses. It con-t a i n s abont 310 squorc ~n i l c s , nd I ~ a t i r n ~ ~ l ct s l ~ u p u l a ti o n t 20,000,T h o w e s t c r n pn rt, ~ v c l l d t i v n t e d w i thwheat, l~n r l cy,ucc rnc, nnil clovcr,pa r t l y supp l i c s Ghazn i ; l lc c o ~ m t qs flnl aud easi ly pas sed in d ldirections ; \ ater is nlmndant , mid t roops wonld Lo wcll s ~ ~ p p l ic d .I'hcscest imntcs of popnlntiol i mcre lnarlc f rom l is ts of thc ~ m m b o r f the for tsancl wator-illills 3s givcn b y th e d[qhan s, 311d :LI'C to hc loolccd on asmere npproximations . % I? ~* m ils J vnllcy 40 l u i l c ~ong and 20 h o : d :in i t s no r the rn pa r t is t hc Tajilc v illn gc of C : : L ~ ~ C Z ,n l m b c r i n ~erhal~:,250 houses. B et w ce ~l h n t placc mlcl Kolalgn th e idr:lbll , t~lts alctA h u le d zn is m d h l i K h cls . T h c u o u n t a i ii s on eitcll ~ i d ounlihh mmi\rIinrezes, ancl occasioll:dly a linc of f or ts pnr:dlcl Lo th ei r bnscs, a tllirtlli n e fo llo w s for do1110 lnilcs thc cou isc of th e rivcr ,by which iis l icldsa r e wvatored ; Kolalgu is n Tajili vil lage of 200 Ilonscs. Fr om thc1lcc tl low e s te r n l i n e o ff or ts a s h ~ rs Sardeh belongs tothc And ers, an d t1lc cas tern ,wh ich i s moro nu m cr ou ~ , o t ho Sn l iman Kho ls. T h c r no ts o r s p u r sof t l lo Jaclriin hro ~iu tnins hc ltcr :I Ec\\- ~nndi+rc li~mil iesof \\.andcrinji


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sl~ephcrds nd rol:,bcl-s ; tllc popiilntioi~ s al~ont 0,000. Il'roul Gardez agood road gocs by Logar to 1I:~bnl mil a more dificnlt onc by Nichelga

to Jalalabad ; hc valley is passal~lc or artillcry in n u directions ; watcr,tiuxge, ancl gr ai n a1~11nd:xnt. Tho r o d from Gllnzni to Rolalgn is vcry~ x s yzs f : ,~r s 1Tilln Di~111nt llnn, frolu thcnce i t crclsscs two low l d h , andwinils :~inong onm s ~ ~ r a l l avilrcs caused by t,ho water fro111 th e east ofSl~i lg nr i1.1ling intu Zfi r~u il. Thesc would givo iL littlo \vorlc to tlicliioi~ccrs, ut I t hi nk t h y l uigl~l; ~ c voirlccl by Iceoping to tho no rth ofmy rontc. ' I . h wide spacc mi~ rke d nrra is a plai~i i~~lzabi ted y Soh&x,:111tl hc cntrnilcc -to the pnss oC the Kura~u ivcr and to thc country of'ihc Jajis. Tho Pass O F tho Pnltu issaid to 110 clifficult, and leads among

cwggy ~nou ntai ~is o t l ~ c haroti country slid t hc source of tho DWO "h n a l a t Shorkncha : tho conntry is impreguatsd wi th salt. Sarilihis :L 11:1rro\v stri p b c t \ ~ c ~ n he lowcr oncl of tho Ti ~l tr i and thohil l Spiasnk. I:t 11as scvcn or eight for ts of Anders ' comprising: ~ l ~ o n t 000 souls. The ground is covcrccl wi th tamarisk bushos, andcut 1111 by ravines running illto tho J ilga. :lIere ilro tho remains of adam wectcrl by Mahmucl, bnt now columonly ascribcd to tho prophet.ili ; ts objcck was to in ignto t l ~ c anc11)y lucnns or thc Ji lga . OppositoMursnl t,hcrc is casy pnss into Slzilgnr ovor tllc low end nf Ta kri ;there are others lowcr clo\\w ; a gnicle can show scvcral cnsy passages11irongll ltc r;t.vii~cs.

Mcln~lai :~ncl Toga :Ire clnstors of forts of Andors inchiclod in thoS11ilga.r listrict . 'I'hi roads from thcm to P:mni11 are over an easy plain.

:L'ann;ill ;nii Na.il,olngh are litt lo districts of Antlcrs, .togctller con-hilling izlm~it, 1000 souls. The road I~ cr e winds anlong hillocks, b ~ tIms I I O serious difric~hty. Supplics for a slllnll fi)l.ce c0211d bc obtaineditt .L'auildl. Among the Iiillocks ar c cc~~ups f shel~~1.0rds nd Lohxnii~~erchants ho cnzigrate in winter. Nulle Khcl, A.lislicr Rlzel, andZizhgai, aro inlial~itccl 9- Andcrs :~nd Taralikis nlixcd. %'he counti-y isi ~ o w ven baler than ?xl'orc, :und is n scries of low swclls and hollows ;water is fonnd ncur Lhe forts, b u t snpplics arc scnrcc. At Shiilbuti a,spring of watcr issues frolu a hillodc, and is t l ~ c 1sizn1 eat of : pnstoralkllul; a t Ashlan thero arc two fo rk wit11 twoilty- f h i l i ~ s . Tho groi11zdis 11ow coml~letc ly wit1 of brushwood, : i ~ d al t ; 110 s i~p l~ l i e s ould beobt&wd ; he road is easy, :lncl pnm.llcl to tho Gliazni sk rc;~ innon~ lowingxlnggidily botwccn stccp lianlis. l1il:l is : I Tork of li11nd:~zaiu with u fom.f:~milies, 2 strip of ci~ lti v:~ tio i~, nd o ~voll f good nfatcr; :ulotlzer fortof tlic ssnlc triho i s ncarcr the lalcc. I)ui-i~rg hc night march to I\lansur

Kares, th o shopherds' firm were :dl xvc saw. Tlwy tant:~liscil s grontlyus fim an 1 5 nlilcs-they seemed always closc iu front. At that place

.

we saw tho la st of t ho Taraldtis' Gvo or six :Torts of th e Shibc Khcl.F r o n ~ hencc mc merchccl ~iizo ilg 1dlocl;s to Bcromi, the boundaxy

Th o S l e i Gu1n[11 S 311.. ri,rrnc. Thc o l , l l o ~ lnnoh is onllcd T h ~ n Shci nicauing~igllt? 1u1 KCIIII v~t,-l?~).


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of bhc To lih is ; nu supp li cs c sccp t wa tc r and ca~nc l o ~ ~ g cilulclbcprocured.

(Fro m thi s place to Bari l; I i l ic l' I was constantly occnpied by m ySold antics, aucl coulcl only tnlcc occnsion:~lobservations ; h i s p a r t n m s tbe taken ~ v i t l t ess confidence, b n t tho Bombay army h avin g passedleisurely along, can correct me \vllorc1 a m wrong.)

F o r nino ~ili le s ho road lics am ong clificnlt li il loclis a s fnr as a s pr ingof m atcr, fro m thencc wc got iuto the Tu rl ian i Nawiiltt ( L L N ~ w i i hisa plain), a n opeu plain, wc ll cu1ti.c-atccl b y the Tolrhis an d Eotalris int h e south, a n d thc Tarnlali is in tho north-east .

Af tcr pass ing five forts, mc arrivccl a t li il la Abdiiraliinan, th e fort of

t h e I ihnn of thc Tol ih is; th i s wus a sqnarcof 120

yards wi t h n m u d w a l lli Fcet t l~ ic li nd 24 fcct hig h, w ith lnrgc towe rs a t cacll a liglo, and in th eccn trc of ca ch facca ditch had bccn d ug an d part ia l ly f il lcd. Somc yearsbcforc , th i s for t l l ac l snccc~sf~i l lycsistcd a11 t h e troop s of tho king .A f tc r Mowing up tho place wc marcllcd 20 lnilcs tllrongh a tolerablywell-cultivated p ar t of t h e 1iiwa11, or L plain," :ml p as si ng m a r t h e f o r tof the K h a n of the Taralilais, a d vil lagc c dlc d Lalcxaiof thc sam e t ribc ,w e eached Ba rik Tillel. T h e nawa li has on tho wcst, tlie Rozanai andSarr inl Solcht :~1. "Sa l i l~ tn"hills, cli\+ling i t from S irnlag h:~, nlinbitcdby th e 3lulian1i11adzai To lil~ is,mil fro111 th c plain of th e Tarn ltkis.Tlicsu hills arc about 1 0 0 0 fect l ~ i g h ,mt no t vcry steep. I n t h o l as t t h rprolongniion of Shink ai divii lcs i t from IV t~ zi l~ hm al ~ ,hi l ly dis tr ic t oft h e S u l i n ~ a nKhels, and from Aliingh, n fino vullcy of thc Shnm alzai-Toltliis. T o tllo sonth i s s he N n r S a11d t h c valley of th e Argltcsan.

From Earik Khel to N i r Ghazzab, th e boginning of ~Vaeilrhwnh, snbont 30 rui lcs, the r o d ly in g among bar rcn h i l ls , bu t ,I bclicvc, paes-ab lc fo r gu ns . N i r C+li:~zzab las Ihnr fumilics and a spying of' w ater.Th o inhab i t an t s a rc Xassir Sn l i~ na nKh els. 'I 'hc chief was usu allycnllccl tllc " ~ I ~ I I I I ~ , "ecause lic was both father-in-law and uncle toK oha n D il K ha n. EIe llad a fort ni tl l good thi ck walls, large towers,an d a ditch, yc t hc would no t stmlcl an assaul t, bu t flcd a t o w approach,t a k i n g w i t h h i m t w o U u s h ir s$ of hi s tri l x.

R e t u r n i n g f r o m Nansur Rarez , wo passed an open plain to Kil laAr zbeg i. .'l'hc A rzb cgi was said t o b c good and liincl, ye t evc ry onc lancwh i m t o bc a notorious robbcr. Gilan, UG kkur, an d Oba arc fcrti lo dis-t r ic ts , inhabited b y Tnralrli is an d a few D uranis. W atc r \\.as cvery-w h e ru a b un d an t, a n d t h c r o d a lore1 plain. E etw cc ~lNnhmiid anclI iozanai d l th e for t s a re ru ined cxccpt Lalam P i p i K h e l a n d n a b i b -

ul ln. T h re o miles to th e west wcrc m an y forts, w l~ic l l pass ovcr,bccausc they have been closely eurwyccl b y L ieutenants Andcrson an dD ur an d of t h e Ihginoe rs . From Bozanai lo Jainrncl ar c f if tcel l for ts

* 13nrik in Licut. Droadfuot's notes: Cnra Khel on so111cof (110 maps.i. "Nuwnr " in !\lncgrcgo.or's' Ccutrnl i 1 b i i 1 ' ; nn crlor, I Ilrcsulllc, for Nirwih, which

nlcnns n truct or district.-ISD.$ >Iu~hirlcnils cldcr, co1111cilIo~~.-1~1~.


17/65

with c .ccc llcnt cu l tiva tion , the ro ,d good, nncl w t c r an d mppl iesal~u ncla nt. Riirtcbugli h as bccn previously mcntionecl; DIoshaki and

Nnni alo liltc 1Ioz:mai and Jamrncl; M u s l ~ a l ~ is i nhab i t ed by Anders .Gl1,~zni as 000 inhabitccl houses, w l~ ic h , 1 five to each ho nsr, willgive ;I pop nlntion of 4500 persons. To tlris ma,y bc nilcleil 1000 forgarr ison an d camp followers . Th erc a rc gcnern l ly about200 I Iazaras ,w l ~ o ome to go t Iubour, or t o sell tl lc ir wool ancl h a ir c loths: nlsoabout 150 JI incIu famil ies , the money-le~~clcrsncl banlrcrs of th e placc.Tlrey ar c rcrpirccl t o wea r t ig h t trousers, instead of looso oncs, andn.black cap for n turban , and to pay a mla l l t n s :ISinfidels. For thcscconcessions t h y r cccivc p ro tec tion and cvcn co~~s ic lcmt ion ,nd arc:cllo\\~ccl o pra clis c tlrcir iclolntrics i n sccrc t; their s t rango clrcss andd i rl y l la li ts a rc v er y n nlik c t h e H in du s of In d ia , b ~ th c y a r c s t i l lth c s :~mequiet, moncy-mnlting pcoplv.

T he rest of the inl~ ab itnn ts re T:~j il is , sam d s o tho pcople of t l rctrac l bounded on th o no rth b y t h e Wa'arclalis a n d on th o south b y Nani ,an d iucluclccl betweon t l ~ cGb nzn i r ive r and 1T;warn No nntain s. T h eorigin of thc Taj iks i s doubt fu l , bccm~scLlwy n m dcr ivcd f rom sev wa lsources. Th ose of Kanclnhar an d Girisllli, w ith flowing bcarcls an d la rg eblaclc cgcs, ar e pro ba bly of Persia11 dcsccnt,. Af Ghazni , thc small andsomctimcs grey cycs , and t l ~ ca r d generally scml ty, ind ica te a T ar ta rlace , and w hcn wc rcflect 011 th o dy11;1sty of hIalimucl, an d th e T u rk snml hloguls c stabl is lml l lerc l )y Dabor, we m ust cxp ccl tofind th eromains of t l ~ c o ~ ~ c r l 'u lr i lxs wlliu ll oilcc ru led i l ~ e ount ry. T o th iscl:~ytlleyarc often called No gn ls; : t ~ d llc proverb of " Tn rlr au d ' l 'a j ik"i~ co~ilinou n Asia. Exc lusive of L l w c 1 1 e ~ ~ rlm eni, t hc d l a g c s o rIrhknl:ilr, l lol~i~t,nlalgu, r~nclC im lcz, n u ~ n b c r i n g e ~ l i : ~ p s000 souls,have h e n a lr eady men tiono il.

Be tween them a nd tho Afg ll ans c s i s t s a lr cn n~ i t~ y,er111c~s h c cffcctof ancien t mars, ancl te n d in s m uc ht o diminibll the ir nnm bcrs. Tllirly

years ago there were scven for t s ncar Kani snr roundci l b y cr~l t iva l iona n d gardens, w hic h were ent ircly clestroycrlby i he Gh il zis d w in g tl lct r o u lh s ending in t he espulh ion of S lla ll S l iu ja l~ Naui ancl Karabaghiescnpccl w it h th e tot aldestruction of their viney ards a nd orcha rds wliirl ll i d been misecl by the labour of gc~ lcr~i t ion s ,n d l m r c ne ve r l m uattem1,ted to be replaccrl. T h e old luen told11112 with regret ol' thc c1iy.sw h eil c m r y nlan s a t u ~ d c r i s o wn v i m . T h i s f c l d ]ins m ~ t e r i a l l yinfluenced t h i r c l~ am clc r. F inc ling t l l a l t hcy cmmot oppose fwcctothe i r cncmics, ihc y sc ldo ~ncarry arii ls, HI^ a re iinh abita ots of cities,because t h y clnre no t venturc ou t in to th c country : Sce ing a lso t h o i ~land c i rc~~mscr ibcc ly constant, cncronchrnen t, t hc y h a ~ cu a r l elic mostof t l lc rc~uainclcrb y slrilE111 cn lti \~ n tio n , nn kin g in ig :~ ti o n c:u~:ilsancllaborious 1;arczcs. I11 tho bnzaar bhey a~ro ct ivc, cnergotic w o fi ~ n e i lI Lnll th e 11sua1 t r d c s of t lw c i ty. T hc y c&ct b y franc101. po licy 7vlldtim Afgltnn wo~dc l at t cm ptby opcn force, nnil Irnving something of the

.' Or RnI~mnl;.-En.


18/65

Persimi wit ant1 ~ O ~ ~ ~ C I ~ C S S ,11~y . c i 1 ~ tlicir ~pleei1 n R t h o l l ~ ~ l l d 01~39on thcir h f g l ~ a n ppressors.

Whilo J was a t C+l~nani l ~ c i c ~ o r c everal instances of nicn ltillcd inth ci r ficlds within view of their xal ls . This sta tc of things 1nn1;cb t hepeoplc of th e town ignorctnt of the very hills they see fro111 thci r citaclcl;thcy always spolre of their immecliatu neighbours, tho ilndcrs, as a s ~ tof murderous villains instead of thc quictcst Ghilzis J cwr saw.During spring they arc clonstantlp occ ~~ pi cd n thcir ficlcls ai d prclcns,a succession of good crops mid finc frui t is thc resnlt. Tn N ay imclJune t ho peoplo almost liro on mulborrics; they evcn dry tlicin an dgri nd them into flow for wintor. Then apricots, peacl~cs, plums,grapes, niclons, pcnrs and :~pples, of good quality, come in by t wns .I thin); th a t a prcl cn a t Gh ami is luorc uscful illan n f;irn~, o exceed-ingly cheap is tho fruit; and for sis ~nontlw bread and fruit is theirprincipal foocl. Towards A I I ~ I I I U I I cvcry 0110 is 1111s~ alting long st ri psof mutton, and i n making chccse and Itfirfit,' or h y i n g h i t ; largestaclts of bnlshwoocl arc collcctccl for firewood, and of lucerne hay forthe cattle . Thcsc prcparntions :ire llnrilly coinl~letecl when snow f d sa i d c o n h c s ere ry man to his 11011s~. '1'huy rel)rcsent thi s sta te as

miserable. tlleir only amuscmcnt s it ti ng in the sun on thc top of t hchouse, or crawling to tho nlosquc to lienr the news. I t may bc casilyconccivecl that i n a co11ntl-y without g l a s ~ indows, and whcro the fiiclgives out mnch smoico and but l itt lo h e i~ t, ho timc of frost isunpleasent.To them a. coal-mine would bc u o r c vahi:d~lo han diamoncls. I n i \ la ~chtho thaw sencls them back to thcir gnrclcus ancl fiolds.

Dost i7Xuhammad formcrly protcctctl the l'ajiks wcll, til l of lato years~rcsse rl y tho Sikhs hc kcpt u p an army 1:lrgcr than his rcvonucs c od dbear; to eEect this ho crnctccl to th c utmost from t hc Tajiks, a1111 tho

tri bcs wh o obeyed him. On th e n o w of the approach of onr army thomen of Ghazni had to work at thc Sortifictl-tions, ndwithout pay ; p i 1 1nncl forage for tlio country nrom tirken whcrovcr they c o n 1 be found,and tllc ~uihappy wners had to cttrry them to the store-rooms on th ci rbacks ; t h c tribute of thrco yenrs was loviccl at once; and th e fruit-trees too m a r the walls mcrc cu t down. Enlightcnccl poople repell ing nnational eiielny would grumble a t s u c l ~ ucasures; bu t the Ttijiks sawnothing bu t Dost Uuharnmacl's ambition to beep th e throne at theircspenso ; hcir constant praycr wls, " 011 God ! ninkc Dost Nnhamma~l

poor, for 110 has ruined us." Wl~i lo hc Ghileis wcrc arming to opposeus, thc Tajiks from Nani to G hami wisllecl us Gocl spcecl. They nro~ome\vllat unfort~inate, on w w , i n their now friends, as i~bou t 00 ofthe m were nnavoidably ltillcd in t he storming, leaving a l~lanlr n many a

fanlily: a t first they grieved bitterly, for tbcir affectious arc st rong ;bu t ill a few days they wiped their cycs, came out of their hidi~lgplaces, thronged the bazaar, a i d wcrc a s mcrry as ever.

*

I r l U l i l t , ~ l r i c d milk or curd. .;w ~rotc~. ). 336.-En.


19/65

T I I C GIIU,ZIS.*

'The Gliilzis nix ilividcd in to seven grcnt tribes: the no ta ki s andTokhis living in the districl from AInrfi to th c north e ~ i d f T~~rlrllni-nawah ; he Taral~lciu rom Gilan and Lalczai to Rnrnbagh ; th e Anilers,inliahiting SHilgnr, Dihsai, part of Ziirmd and P n n n 3 , thc Sohaks, inHh:~rwar, Darra, ancl P:lghman, the Ali Rhcl scttlccl i n tho north-eastof ZinnC.1 and thc snrrounding pastures, an d lastly tho Suliman Khcl1)oswssing half of Zi irmd, a ll Kattawaz, Molnmai nncl Wazilchwnh,wl~i lc heil- shcphercls arc founcl from Kattnwaz to near Glwnlari ; thi slast tribc is not ovoirntcd a t c w n 40,000 families, bu l tho rest m ay beL,~kcn t Xr. Elphiustono's cstimatc bringing th e wholo Gliilzi race tonbont 100,000 Ilo~rses.

They are first heard of as inhabitiug the Suliman range, liv ing u or o11y 11astt~m ha n agriculture. Tho Duranis arc probably from theIIazara Nountains. I n the beginning of th c eighteenth centmy theGhilzis ovcrran Persia and took the capital ; but not enlightenedmil combined, th ey could not keep thei r couqucsts, and wcrc driven byNadir, first out of Persia, and t hen from Bandahar to nea r th cir prescntseats. Ahmed Shah completed what Nadir had bcgnn, and csc cpt ing at~imnl tuous ttcmpt to m c s t t h e crown from Dost i\Iuhammad, the y have

bec11 pret ty quiet though not obedient.ShaliaLniclin Khan of th e To lh i s establibhcd twcnty-fivc years ago a

kind of r d o froln Iiolat-i-Ghilzi to Kattawaz ; ]lo lcvieil taxes ontravellers aiicl merchants, ancl l~lundercd hc tri bes who opposed him.II e i s reprersenteil as a tal l, s tcnt man, ldnd a d ospitable a t homc, butI~ ar sh nd oppressive abroad. After his death, his son hbdurahman,i l l conlicction wi th Cul &Inhammad Khan of i h c IIol,akis, and he ir of'th c Ghilai monarch, carried on tho s ~ m c ystein. The Name ofI\'aeilrhwah ti~nidly oincd the m; thc K h m of the Ta r~ l ik i s was thequiotest and Best of the Ghilzi ohicfs. T hc Sulirnml Hhel have norcgulnr Ilcacl, but Nchtar Musa Khan I d nfliienco enough to leadforinidnblo partics to a foray. The Aildcrs a d Tarnldcis generallybubmitted to Dost 3Iulnnlmnd and sclcloiu plundclecl.

Tho Ghilzis nci ther dwell in cities not practise any hanilicraft t rade,but procuro thcir living by agriculturc or as s l ~ e p l ~ e d s . Thci r country,without tho llcnl and rnins of Inclia, re tp ir es more for a harvcst thanxcratching the soil ancl scattoring tho wed. Xccessity has furcccl then1to makc irrigation canals from tho rivcrs, and Barezes from evory\p ing . Tliey are rewarded for their toil by good crops a r d ncat farms;11nlike ho Tajilcs, they cnltivate no fini t, but occnsiolially ~ n d o n s ; nttho w l m t for the ir own food, and barley, lucernc, an d dovur fur thovnttlu, arc, oS cscellcnt ynality. Thcse arc g r o ~ 1 1 d y for homo con-

* Or C;hiU ED.

I O L . I. 2 c


20/65

suinpl ion ; undclcr i s mu ch produced t o ba rter for clot11 to th e Lradiiigtribes.

T he Gclds 1d o1 1g o the henil of t h e fami ly, who w i t h scven or c igh th o n s c s o f r c l n t i o ~ ~ snhab i t s a li tt le fo rt above th is c111ti1-ation. T h efor t i s 311 enclos~iro f 40 or 50 yards square ; th o m ud v d l i s th re efee t tb iok below iincl one a t to p ; t cnch angle is a round towcr \villiloop-holes. Tl1r1 houses are gon orally nin c feet high a nd n l~ on t2 fee tsq uw c, t l lc \ d l s of inud, ancl th e roofs of brushwoocl hnrdles covercclw i t h c l ay. The doors wc wry small , as mood to ma ke t llcin is scarce.T h o h o us es b ~ i n g e ue ra ll y h i l l r o u n d t h e fo rt, t h o roofs s c rv e iis3ra m p m t from mllence a loop-lmle firo i s broughtto bear o il the cou ntry ;t h c space in tho bcntrc serves fo r cattle, and th e towe rs for s torehousesof for i tgo a id gr :~i~i .Th cse fo rts nro intendcd to kcep off ene m icswi thou t cannon u r scal in g laclclers , an d the y auswcr t hopurpose s in lp ly:mcl w el l. Tlic chicfs alre ad y nlcutionccl ha d thickonccl tlicir w al lst o8 o r 10 fe et wid clng clitolics, am on g Afg ha nsa surc indica t ion tha t th eymcnut t o rebel .

A la r ge lwol~or t ion of t l ~ e u lini iin K hcl and so111c o thers arcpas tora l ; hey l ivc in rude tcnls , inndo of two rough pol r~s uppor ted byha i r ropcs , on which the y h u g conrso b lanke ts o f thc i rO W I I mnlcinq.Iu iheso tllc Allmaclzais slowly iujgrnte from ncar J:~la1;111:1illl i l ~ cw i n t c r t o Spcg n an d AllCmfir in s pr in g an d Ziirmiil i n snlnnicr, alwtlyse l l joying a tcinpcrate c l i~ i ia te oil lcw go parnl lcl to t hc course of theGomnl a s Snr as Wan a a r ~ dh c l 'r i rok. Eac h f i~rni l j- osscsscs i t s ow nflock a i d a fcw camrls, tllc tont nlreacly clcscriherl,a n d t v n o r tl ir eccooking pots a nd wooden bow ls, wit11a few sac ks of flour. IYh cn so\.cralfamil ies nmvc an d l ivoin aonccr t, th c y form n " Hhel." W hi le th e menw r t o l ~h o f locks wi th arms b y t lic ir s idcs, tho rn o~ ne ~ialic?i k i r i ~ t * n dclieetje for w inter, bulter-milk an d broad for th e da i ly consu~nption. Ont h e ~ u a r c h h c y h e lp t o load t h e o am c ls ancl p ac k t h o t c n l s ; t h c y a r ede ce ntly dressed in n brown petticoat nucl vcil , b ut selrlo~n cm r tlici rfa ca u n l e s s i i q ~ u d e n t l y t ar cd a t . T h e i r f ea tu re s a r c r e g n la r b n tsome-what nmscu l ine , nil11 t l ~ e i r i g nr cs h I l and good ; th ey ma r ry lnto andkeoy th e i r looks n lon g t ime. Tlic fath cr of a jou ug man who wa ntsnwifc, proposes fb r his s on to th o bridc's fnthcr, provic>usly feeling h isma y ca ~e fu lly , s a refusal nlay c:uisc nfeud ; hen cnsuc? n long sccneof bargaining, a t l es t en de d b y a n a gr e em e n t t h a t t h e h i d e g r o o m s h a l lg ivc n fea st, .nld cer tnin prcsonts of cluthcs, shecp, nntl ca ttl e; l ~ i ssn o t a bargain for tlw girl , bnt to satisSy the 1ioi~11bo1u.sl ~ a t~ c rrioiiclsw i l l n o t g i v c h e r t o a b e g g a r : t h o o xp en so of n n ~ a r r i o p s al) ou l.100 upees in t l l u poor classcs, hcncc m en ar e oftc n35 c1r4O lnd ;;ciicr.:lly26 or 30 p a r s o ld I ~ e f o xhc y can afford th e money. Tl ic ob s t i i~ toy ftho cus tom l~ re vc nts ho pr icc b e ing lonwrccl, t l io ug l~ nnnj- f>t t l ic rs


21/65

nronld be I inppy to give their da ug l~ te rsfo r no th ing , wore t he~ rn o t:~hhmncd. T he dcs iro to ge t mar r ied m akes th o Afghan sometimes t~ ac leaud of tcn plunder. W he n al l i s arrangccl , ho is ad mit ted to sec h is fiancboonco or twice (alono and a t n ig ht) before th e cerenlony; C t l lc youngcouple forget themselves, it i s uo t iuqn i red a f tc r b y ] lo r f r iends , bn t thoniot l lcrra tes t hc gi r l souncl ly ancl calls h c ra " badea t " ; : b u t s h o d d t h omalc re ldions l icar of i t , a bloody foucl i s tho result . T ho fear ofr len tl~ , be lievc , makcs them chas te in p n o r a l . Th is cur ious cus tom i suo t inteudcc l to p rovcn t pcoplo m a r r ~ i n g ho d id no t l ik e each o ther,as t l ic I~nr gaiu s f iscd before th e lover i s aclmittccl, b u t soonlsa childishespcr imcnt on tho s t reng t l l of v i r tuc un de r t em pta t ion . T he Afgbmls,onco ~narriocl, re ve ry ha pp y ; t h c ~ v o m e r iw o rarc ly beaten arrcloften

consulted ; h cy a r c Soncl of th ci r husballcls, kiiid to th oi r chilclron, a n de r c c l l e ~ t ouscwivcs. 'L1Iieir marriccl l if c is t l ~ c 11oat aniiaLlo part ofthe Afghan chamcte r. *

On the approach of clangel: th o mcn has ti l y g:rthcr th ci r flocks, t a k epost on thc hi l ls ancl behincl s tones , and i ig ht nwll [or t l ~ c i r ives an dch ildrcn . T h e women br in g th em nnun uui t io~ i , ood, an d wate r, anc lf rcqucn t ly f igh t by thcir s ides . 111 ha rg in g soruc R1iw;Ljiclrs u p ;L hi l l ,t h c wo incn and ch ilc lrcu t h r cw do wn ince s san t shower s o f~ to u c s ,t lcnst;is formidnldo as th c i l ro l~p ingiro of the nlcn : wlloi l lxok en into diEcrcn tpar li es thcy 6 tiek b y the i r husbands uud cr n c losc f ire, l ~a nc l i ng hc mpowclcr an d bnll w it h t h c g rca tes t coo1ncr;s; n0 or two wero unfor tun a te lyhi t . Ev cn wh cn nia ilc pr isoners , tl lc wou lcn eshor tc i l t l ~ cn e n t o ~ l i olikc Af gh an s, ani l maclc a chiel' wh o Lac1 promiscclIU C t o poin t on tColouel Herring's rnurclcrcr, ashamocl to I x c p liis worcl.

These Kh n-a jicks wcrc chicfly Alnnadz:ris , mcn oCruinccl forl~ unc sm i lbroken clans, w ith ou t lailds or f locks: w a n t nlaclc thcin plunclorcrs, midrcnilerccl thcm SO n ctiv c a n d c n t c rp r is in g , t l m t t l ~ c y c rc t h o p c st o r t h ccountry. I f tho f ir s t b low bc fo llowcd u p , t ll cy w i l l novcr r c i i ~ ~ i t c .

T h e l ~ n s t o r a lG ld z i s a r c a l l r obbc rs w l~c r l t in lu la le il 1 ) ~ 'illoncss or

hunger. l1 hc y sal ly unt on foot aucl ca rry OK tho ca t t l e o f somc wea ktribes, or look o ut for n trs vc llcr 011 n, road . 'I'herc i s nu ca lcu latin g onhalf barbar ians ; somet imes tha y sp i l l h i s b lood l ike watc r, a t o thcrf i th cyonly rob h im. I f hc i s we l l d rcsscc l, Lhcy csc .houge h i s h oclotllcs fo rtheir f i lthy mg s, nnrl scnd him aw ay in t l lc chessof a l q g a r ; h i s i st hough t no th ing 01. Ocmsiona l ly they g ive h im a, 1 ~ 1 : ~ u k c t, hen t hc yf ind h im naked . Unloss s t i ~n ul a t cd y c lcspa ir01- to clcl 'cd th ei r fnmilics,tho pastoral Glii lzis sclclom show much courage, h u t i igh t a t 1o11gshots and aga ins t wcakcr part ics . I f t h y rc tu rn l adc l l \ \r it ll spo il , t ll c irwives leccivs them w ith now affection, ancl th e c hi lc l rc l~Lrc clocliod nrithth c plunclcr. I n tho Sul i inan m ng e I s a w s c ve r al ~ x f i r n l s , il ll t ll c irchildron a nd thcir l lorscs dcckcd ou t w i t l ~eclrlnccs of thc uc nr Compnnylsrupecs ,wbich as w el l a s th e

"

Butlci " of Bolrhnra a r c admirccl for tho ima ge;*

1;nscnl.-ED.2 c 2


22/65

thcrc was no ~n istal iing ow thcy had got thcm. Tllcy sclclom cnltivnto

crops, lmt procnrc flour by bnrtcriug their surplus wool nu 1 g h ~ otlley have 110 11-cigl;llts or mcawircs ; one shephcrcl settles with anci11cr ~ I U Wmany of his hands fu l l eqnal a Kabul seer, or how mnny C ~ H O ~ Gecnliul-wooclen bowl.

If questioned as to thc internal govcn~rnent of his tribe, n Ghilzimould perhaps statc tha t cach family should o h y i ts own nntnrnl heail.Al l the fanlilies of a Khcl shoulcl obey a malik, and all. 110 obcclicnt -I;oIdlen, who lcacls tho Uliisi troops, and is answerable for the revonuo, bllt

s h od d not ac t on important business without tho sanction of a U j i r g a"

or convocxtion of tho clders of a tiibe. Th is has bcon generally considwecl.thc! coi~nterpart f ou r own fcudal institutions, and Mr. Elphinstone h a sskctchcd a plcasing vision b y which the Afghans might bc civilisccl by aprocess IiIcc thc fornlation of our own constitution. Looking on t h i sopinion as crroneons nnd liablc to producc bail oKects if actcd on, 1 w i l lbriefly s ta te what seems the difference. Tho north of Europe w a sm~c icn tly ovcrccl wit11 forests, s~ipporl ing set of Iluntcrs who mus t h a wbcon tl~inly cntterecl and withotit civil institut ions. Cfisnr and Tncitnsdescrilx tllcn~ when t l~c orests had been partially cleared and unrulysocicties cstnblishcd ; bnt t,he interchnnge of lanrls evcry te n years ancl t h cfrequent migration show how recently t h y hi d ceased to be Ininters, a n dhow they st i l l cllmg to tho roving life. While Romo remained st rong,t l ~ c nrl~arians V C I C u11:~blc o cs tend s ~ ~ t h \ v i ~ r d ~ . t last, taught to 130soldiers by m m y defcats, they overwlielniecl the Empire as soon as it w :i sinternally convnlscd, but not withont inilny struggles, which obligcil t h ellorcles to s i ib ~ui t o :a Icing, and to inl'erior loaders armccl with consiclcr-ablc powcrs.

17-11on succcss was co~uplcto, wliole Iiing~loms were partctl amnong t h cm c ~ l -ho ha d conquered th e~ u, ho ancient inhabi tants bccaule r;lnvcsattachcd to the soil, mid gmdually from these, alld from the poore~.

barbmimw, thc dasses of serfs aud infcrior vassals wcro f'ormccl. Thorcmnrcls of lands were given with the condition of nlil itary service, anclwcrc frcqucntly nltcrccl in their clist ribution,l~ut hey grxtlunlly becarnchcrcclitnry, ancl strong tics mcrc naturally formccl betnreen the nolllcsnucl thcir vassals ; but ml enormous dist i~ nce ti ll septlr,zted them.barons werc loolrcd on as supcrior beings, and sometimes as cntitlcc1 it,thc power of lifc ancl ilcnth: tho k i n g hacl lost ~llu ch >o\\rcr, bu tgcncrallj- wa s ablc t o control thc state.

Tn Central Asia it has bccn cliifcrent. Thc e:~rlicst accounts s13cnkof shepherds, rometimes prcclatory, wnnclc~ing ver wiclc plaills in scnrcIL

of pasture, a nd obeying no fixccl governmcllt. The Ambs nllcl artarsar c to this clay smrcely altcrcd, aud tho Afghans I I O ~ n111cll so. Lilrc a l lnomacle tribes, they h 7 c ong gencalogies. They say t l ~ ~ ~,lllntthcy wcrc sucien tly dcsccnrlecl from one m an ; at a11 cvcllts tfieTc is

little d o ~ b t hnt they were ouce two fnini~ics, not very Ialge, callccl


23/65

Tnrnns anil Durhans. The iiicreasc of old iged thcin to sub-diviclo, thc f om e r illto lIotaIcis and Tolrliis, tho l a t t e r into Ali Rhel,Anilors, Tdmlrs, Snhalrs, and Suliiusn Khul. Thi s l a t t e r tribe i s now so

large that i t h:ls spli t in to scvcral other tribcs, of which tho Ahmaelmiis thc prillcipal. Thc names of Tu ran an d il u r l l a r ~ ro now scarcclybcnrcl. Thc Il otak is am thc olclest branch of th o Cl~ilejs, nil the cl~icfof th c eldest family of Hotalris is considcrecl t ho k i n g of th c wholc.II is uamo is Gul Muhammad; IN is ouLlamed b y tli c'k ing allil a pricc isscl on his ]led. Each of tho t ~i bc s s now divided into 'i~nmcrouslihcls, a i d each Rhcl into a few families ; he na tura l lieacl of cach fmuilyis implicitly obcyocl; t l ~ c ldcst by desccnt of th es e lieacls of familicx ismually, not always, tho malilc of the Khel, with o powor b u t lit110

abcyecl.It

is u~ldcrstood hat t he Lead of t ho senior" T k l

ischief

oftho tribe, and t hc ki ng often grants h im th e ti tl o of Irhtiii. ZIc daresnot collcct any incornc from h i s frihc, bu t li ve s 011 tho prodiwo of hisown lands; mid by app~opriating y fraud 1x11-L of th o dntics 011 infidelsand inerchnnrlisc, and in the obedicllt, tribes, 1~~1.1l' t h royal tascs.Auioug t ho &stern tribcs (I&O me alwa ys i n rcbel lioli or rather i n astate of indcpenilcnco) 110 uses his influence to Load p l~ uu do ri l~ g spcditioneand procu~c good sham i n h c spoil. H i s seniority i n 1~i1'tll nalres th cAfgllans pay him the 1ws110ct of all elder brotlie l-, bu t ~l ot ll in g more.If his c1v~i;~ctcr s ilislilccd, 110 has not even t h a t ; t h o Ionrest of liis tribc(oat, drink, and slnoko ~ v i t h iill. 111 urgent ilangor t ho Ithm is of'tcn sut:rujcle, :u1d ii

"

Toelwasl~tco or lcndcr is choscn, a n d wliilu tho dangwli~uts s prct ty well obeyed. Tho senior faiuily of th o Anrlurx is thoi\lwjan Iihcl ; there arc adults in it, yot tllerc is no lrhnn to t l ~ c ribe.All this is very tlifl'ccrent from a feudal baron fol lowo~l mplicitly by liisvrrsuals, nnd with despotic powers. Thc instit ntio lls or t l ~ c fghans arcin fact patrinrchal. Under fe~tdalibin, cgisl:ttiou w a s only for tho gooilof tlm yontry (IIsgna Charta, for iilstailco, to givo tho barons ~aibty);inlong Afghans thc Icing and khan have littlc influcnco, nncl muasnrcs

will hc good or bad as they act on thc pooplo a t large.To tho king an adherent of the court ascribes lu ~l im it ud owcr ovcr

the liCo nnil pro] m t y of h is sul?jects. A country A fgh an only approvcsof a Icing provided hc ncr er raises ta ses or i nter fores \-vitll fcncls. 'J'howhole pooplo look on rcsistance to tases not as a crinlo but as a virtue,

.to 110 atlmircd aucl iniitatccl if possible, lik e th o sy mpstlly tho lo\\lcr

ordws in England huvo with poachers a d ~igllw ayiuon. lnilccd, I

su~pec t hat kings arc a n inno~ration among Afghans. Th c Saclclw~~i stho sonior tribc of Popalzni, and therefor0 of t h e Abi lal is, themsolvcsare tho older branch of tho offsspring of Samban, tho elllest son ofKais Abdul Basliid, desccudcd from Saul, Abr,zl laa~, anil Adnnl.r lI l ~ i s ciicnlogy, homcvcr absurcl, has proc~u~ccl h e h ea d of tlie Saildozais

grea t respect, which Ahmad Shah turned i nto a ti tl e t o the throne. IIisforlnucs and abilities brought hiin followers; llis victories nbronil en-


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3 60 KE~OI:TS p.\~:rs OF THE G I I I L Z I COUNTRY, E'rC

richer1 tllclll, and oi~ablcclhim t o consolidate hi s influence at ]lomeg iv in g ~ I ~ a r l ynghirs. T ho Dnran is , t h r iv in g uncbr th e ncm sys tem andnever fcolin g tllc weight of tho t ,ax c~ , eauuo rapid conver ts to i t ; th eC:hilzis ,11111 othcr Afghans ncvcr lilted it.

JTad l l c remained a t home levying lnseri, 110 wonld 11nwfailed. 'l'heinfluoncc of his nnmo nnd tho hal l its formcd b y a long ruign npheldsys tcm th rough tho t ime of h is son Tain inr ; tho th i r ty yuars of anarchyaro w ell k ~ ~ o n which tlcstroyccl h i s i~is ti tutio ns, foreign .lo th opat r iarc hal govcrnrncnt of the Afg hans a nd t o tho genins of the peol~lc.T h e y w cro also -vicious ill t l lem solrcs, l)ccs i~sercs t ing on fore ignplundcl. . A t the f irs t conqucst of the Pun ja b and Knshmir, t h c hfgh:~ us,lilrc t h c E n g l i s l l m e ~ ~n Tnclia under Clivc, :~cquircclgreat we:llth.W lion th e proviuccs wcre p ut ul lder Afghicn rulers, the y m igh t beg m s p i n g t l ~ c n ~ s e l v c s ,ut moulcl not allow the pooplc wllom Ihoygoverned t o bo sqi~cczcrla1 t ho ple:~suru of tho ir c oim lryiuc n. Theysceniccl oftcn to losc the lovo of their soil m c l finally xcttlc in theirprovince, rc f~ w in g o p ay tthc k in g t r ibute, dcfcating his troops, a ndI d l i n g h i s t ax -g at he re rs i n t ho m o d , a l y r o ~ e i l f gh an n l ct l~ o d .

T h c Ghilais ha d Icings also whon the y woro conquering l 'ersia, andw cr c not tnscd for thoi r snppor t . 'I 'l~ey say thcy had thc in bc ibrc; f

so, 1 i ~ s p e u th e y w cro m c rc ly ~ l o ~ u i n n lnes. Th o Afghans th cn nppcnrt o b c il ~l n t i on f f a~n i l i c sor a l it ll c h ~ l c r n t i o n f n lc n c o ~ ~ n c c t c t lyblood, ~noro01. ess snbjcct to t l lcir n aturn l hcnds, :md h a ~ i n g l ~ o~ at r i a r c l l a l ns t i tn tions ncnr ly co ~nplc tc . T ho only bond of nniouam on g tlicsc! societ ies is thci r co m no n language, ancl clcscent fro111 onestock; thcy rrro in t ransi t ion from lm to rd l to :~g ricu lturn l ife, :mcl lowin tho scale of civi1is:~tion. T h e y 11am llot yet nsscmblccl i n cities, th e yp a c t i s c no tmdes , and the t ie s L in c l i ~~ ghem to tho so il a re still sligllt.L a s t F ea r w a s a dry 0110, and th o Soh& of Khar\var, disgnstecl w ith

sc an ty crops, in g rc at inumbers q uitted tl leir ficlcls : ind re tur nc d .lonpastom1 l i fo : evcn :I set t led Afg han p u ts h is whole iclcn of ~ vc al thaflocks ant1 llcrcls. Those rem m ks a p pl y chicfly to th o G hih is, b u tw i t h d i g l l t alterations to al l th o Afghans. T l ~ e nrauis , r:early onc-th i rd of tho \v l~ole ,are a l i t t l c morc aclvnncccl; their con stitntio ll , nsg i v e n b y MI-. lph ins tono, i s w ha t was cstablixhed by Ahmad Shal l, nn Jis called '. Ahmad Shah i " ; t ncv cr to ok root anlong th c ot he r t ribes,a n d n o t completely a m o n g t h e D ~ i r m i s ,who , eve11 .c\.hon they (10 n otP ? R C ~ ~ S ~t, a r c bud in i ts 'praise, loolring o n '. Ahm ad Slla ki a s llallace:b

Sor a ll evils. I m ay nlcntion hero tha t, tho11gL I bacll solllctiulcaol>liged to [lilrer from Mr. Elpliinstonc, th e coilrso of m y illqlliricsh a s lei1 m c to a thousnncl proofs of th c g r a ~ tuclgnlcnt ill combiningeviclencc and s implo m~ostcntn t io i~scarch for tnlth, Trrhichc l~ar :Lctc~isot h a t w r i tc r.

The on ly genn inc iu s t ih i t i on of th c A fgl~ nn s s Pashtl lnIIra]i , thocod0 of tho tTd i t ional ~ l l s to m s1' 1Iivir ;mcestors. Tl1o grnnc l prccal> ts


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arc l~ospit ality o strangers, obcclienco to parents and clclcrs, and r c v e n pf'ur tllo illjuries of liiudrcd. NO allnsion is maclc to paying t ~ w s url

fbllon,iug kings. Thei r injuncl ions clearly point back t o a nomatle stateof society, \\r]lon n, n ~ n n lcpcndccl on his iminccliatc rclntions, 1101 on laws,for llrOtwtion, m c l when to refuse hospitality was cquivdc11t to i ~~ wc le r.'rll,esc prcccpts ar c nlost closcly followed by t h e more barbnrons tribes..\lnong tllo Dumnis I have heard of a lchnn clcstroying his guests a t aieast ; llis \vas luokcd on with horror. A~noiig he Waziris a little child\vould bc suflicient escort t l ~ ro ugh he lauds o f the tribe, and they n,r(+hrli,I to pro~cc t ulcn who h:wc ltillccl their l~rother fi , f they comc asg ~ cs t s . Tho iilethocl of insnring safety is to si t b y n man's fircsidc and

~lcithcr , ~ t or drink till hc promiscs to convey you safely to ally placuyon wish to reach; by tho A f + m custom he nu s1 comply, and oithcrgo him ~ol f or sciicl t~ m a r rcl:~tion o prevenl clanger. I f t l h C C I ' C I U O U ~ba naglected, hocl anel a pipc will he f ~ e e l y ivcn, bnt i t \ d l clepcnd onthe clmxk cr of th o host wvhetlior he does not rob and m i d o r his gucstthc mo~ncnt c loavcs tho thrcsllolcl. J\ 'l ~e n hoy wish to rob o straiiger,tlley either try to civilly hinder h is entcr ing t he house, or make him eatbefore hc ;tslcs for protection. Tho Achilczais ar c saicl to consider thcm-sclvcs as 1cliewvd from all obligation to hospi tality when a g ~ i c s t aseaten his full, and to h m c a r ig ht to rob him or innrcler him whcn t heyl~l(:nso. I , Lo\\~cycr, nly Icnow o m instance of t l ~ z t ccling : unciviliscdIWII arc w-ory :\pt i o olmy tho le tt er an d cvade t h e sp ir it of a plwccpt,lmt thcnafi ~ral ri~lclncss f the Afghans gcncwl ly mnkcs tlwir hospitulitysinccre, : L U ~ his r11c1c w6rtue r ~ l ~ ~ l ~1110ws ally t r , ~ \ d h g n tho couutry ;it is, however, a bad system, and sl1011ld bc replaced by laws ilncl antr~mccl orce.

On a visi t of importance a sheep i s killccl, nlaclc in to " rababs " on aramrod, :ud strvc11 en C&CS of lcavc~led brcn~l. The guest aid hisfollon~crs it on tho 11cst carpets, ut d cnt according to th ei r station out

of ilishcs-pcwtcr or wooclcn bowls. Thc host s t a n d ~ ehind, prcssingthcla respc~M~ilLy o cat. After washing thc hands and s~nolting hechillnm, a hortic or camel is brongh t for the guest's nccoptnncc. Tholtorscs of t he strangcr arc a ll amply fed. I11 this manner I have bccnclhxtniucd scveral timcs (of course not ta king an y present, which i scusily wvaivcd): th c wn ~mon coplc confine thc ir atlentions to LL l l ~ a r t ywelcomc a i d a profusion of tlleir own cotu'se food.

Tho revenging wrongs is thc worst part of Ptisht~mwnli, nd cn-coilrages fo'cnds more th an i t pnnishcs aggrostiioils. Two nlcn quarrel iu

n ficld, nncl o m st likes UL' J \ ~ I ~ ~ C I She other; the rclntious take it up.Thcy nlect on sonic occasion, figh t and kil l a ma n; from th at ~non:enttho qilnrrcl is ~leaclly i f of diff'crent tribes and the cli~arrcl mportant,tho wvholc tribes go to fcud. Sem i-b arb wia n~ onsta~ ltly umrclling,Iiaw :~lmays ouds cln tl ici r Lancls.

A t l ' i t111l>l1 t l ~c ru no t w o forts of relations n h o a m a t loggerheads.


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'rho distniicc bctwccn tlicin is only 200 p r d s , and on that space no onevcnturcs. T h y go out at opposile gates me1 wall; sta~igllt ro111 hoirown fort, in a line protccled by it s walls fro111 ho Are of tho other, t i l lp t t i n g ou t of nn~sk et-s hot hey tun1 round to thoir Gelds. 11 1 Z i i r ~ n i lI sa w :L fo rt shn t by rolling n stonc againsl tho door il~stcacl f tho nsunlhcavy c ha in ; on inqui ry as to t he causc of such carelessllcss, th e mn li k,a fiue old man, wit11 a pliuiip, good-liun101iroil ace, strotchccl his arm 0111,towards t h e linc of rlisti~nt orts and said,

' '

I Llavc not an cncmy." It wasa pleasing cxception to t l ~ c ul e : feuds are a systo~n of potty n ~ i % i . ecarried on by long shots, stc:ding cattle , and burniug crops. S a l i l s o ~ ~burning his ncighl~ours' corn nctcd just lilcc nn Afghnii. W hc u t h charvcst is nearly ripo, ~ i c it hcr ar ty clarc slccp. TVhou the cnculics arc>distant, t h c feud often lasts for gcucwtious ; but mhcn thcy arencighbours i t bccornes an intolerable nuisance. Pashtu~~wali leviscs aron~ccly, which the Afghans estol as the a c m of their civil coclc. T h i s i sto l o t both par tics fight t il l tho same nlmnlbcr arc lcillcd on cach side, t h e ntlioir ncjghbours stop in and effect a reconciliation callccl " Nmnawatt."T h c party wllo first clraws bloocl i s loolicd on as tho aggressor, whateverma y havc bccn h is provocation ; hc pays th c espcnso of : feast and givessome shccp a i d cloth as a n atonement to thc otlicrs. Bn l in case th i sheal6 ic7iaZ of cqnnl justicc cannot be procurcd by ouo ptli-ty l iming morekillccl t han thc others, th e price of the reconciliation is much higher , b n ti t ncvcr esccods n feust mil a fern virgins. l'hcsc girls arc not gi ve n a sconcubiilcs (which the country Ai'ghnns sclclom or ncvcr I~ave), ut arclunrried nncl wcll trentcil. T l ~ c spensc of mnrriagc bcing so herc\yy, to g e tso inmy of tlieir young iiicii well married withont cspclisc is n g r e : ~ tobject, :mil a r d 1oncy ~ ~~ i i p e ~ i s i ~ t i o n . he otlicr part y do not li ke i thowcver, a s to give Afghan virgins wi tl ~o ut otting prcsonts is t l l o ug l ~ tto show want uf spirit.

A fcrtilc sourcc of disputcs is tho r i g l ~ t o water. 111 Knttn\\-uz is :spot callcd Khlni Karcz, or tho bloody spring. I t hafi bccn clniruecl anclstout ly contcstccl by two trihcs. One party mould occupy i l am1 b r ingCrOlJS nearly to pcrfcclion. Thcn n constant skirmishiug bognn, on oncsidc to dcst roy th c grain, on the o ther to preserve it ; but the fisst i s morcci ~s il y lonc tha n thc lnttcr, a i d th c cultivation \\.as always l aid 71-astc.Tnthesc c on ih ts thc watcr u r n s o h m utni~lcil wi th blood, hcuco it s n am e.It now has not n tracc of cultivntion, and the water r u ~ ~ s o ~vastc n the!plain.

Thc rcspect for olders is easily accountecl for. Anlong civ ili sedpop lo , young inen havc tho advantages the esporicncc of nges has givc~li n hooks ; and bette r still, they aro ear ly obliged to ac t for thclnsclvcsand form tlioir on- character. Bcfore thc body lhils with agc, t h e yacquirc perl1nps al l they mill ever l e a n . Tho young Afghans, on t h cco ~i tr ar y, aro as ignorant as bcnsts, t hcy know notliingr h u t t h e i rgcncnlogies and t he confession of faith. TVithont nuy 111c:~ils f eilnc at ion


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b11t thcir individual cspcrience, t h y for lually ycnrs plough the ea rth ,a n d then comlniL the criucs ancl cscesscsI Ilavc clescribcd. By dcgrceslh ei r wild illclo1)cudent life malccs then1 rcly011 thc i r own judgment, andgjvcs tlleln an :tcquaintancc w i t h hu111an ua turc , a t leas t in it s Afghanfornl. A s th c y gc t old th cy ar e constai it ly employed bout reconcilingf en & o r a r rt u tg i n g m a ~ ~ i a g c s ,n which the y lmvc to reason w i th some,.Riittcr others, ancl Lrowbcata t h i r d ; h eir fin o d i u n t o aucl t e ~ n l ~ r a t cllabits preserve thc i r fhcult ics for a lo ~ i gim e. T h y RI'C lnuch snper iorto thc young or middlc-aged men, and are respcctcd accordingly. I n al lItalf-lr~url~arousountr ics th c sam e rcspect for th o old inen is obscrvccl.Spar t :~ ,which was about the A fghan s tandard ,preserved t l lc feeling nluclt? o l l g ~ rh a n A th cn s, ~ v l ~ c r e;lucation, asscmblics, and clcbatcs lnaclo thcn ~ il iil C cluiclrcr formccl. P as ht u n\ v di , a codc good eno ug h for wancler-i n g d q h e r d s , wLcn laid anil water were nbimdnut for al l , tcnded tohs tcr thc bes t v i r tucs of bar l )ar ians ,and probably prodnccd a s implc,hospitable, mil spir i tcd racc; i t has not Impt pncc w ith th o increasc ofpop ~lrction, nd I,he chan ge fro m a p astoral to a settlcd lifc; hav ing con-t luctcd th e Afgh ans to a cer ta in p i tch , i t should no w be thro wn usidc fora 11ntBr s y s te m Its prcseut inf luencc on t h e Afglinn clm nc tcr is bad.Thc sc feuds cann ot be carried on witllont falsehood,treachery, a n d m c m -~ie ss , nd the i r s l in l k i~ lg ue r i ll a war f i~ res no t f~ vo ur sb lc o cou iuge .T ho ho spi tality claily tcnds to a mere mort l l lcss forn~. All thisis veryobscrva1)lc in t h e G hilzi co untry.

Zfirnlfil and Kattawnz, beyond the power of Dost I1IuIximn1ac1, paytnscs n e i t l~ cr o h im nor to an y one c lse. Th ey gnvc Dost 1111hammaan few camels , bu t no taxcs l ike thc Anders . So ~u ct in ~e sh c y l d l le d t h epcoplc m l ~ o m l e f or t110 C C I I U ~ ~ X . h c ~v1101e r o d ~ ~ c ef t l ~ c i ra n d w astu rned to the i r o n n suppor t, and i t mas no to rious tha t , i n th eintervalsof cul tivation, t h y scoured the ncigh1)onring cou ntry, l ivin g fornothing, nud bring ing ba d< horses, camels , S~~ ~ll oc lcs ,nil cloth, toiucrcasc the ir s toc k; t l lc i r n r y i~nple lucuts f husbmldry w cren t r ibutein some cases from th e Kh arotis. Th o soilis f c rt il c a i d wa ter p l en ty.

According to t h e nlost appro vcd Pnsh tuum ali, every nmn defendecll~irusolf nd cleficd hi s ncighb ours. A country esc iuplcd horn tho tnscswhich impcde tho increase of capital, nncl g et tin g so mu ch nc w stockfor noth ing, m ig ht be espcctei i to be f lourishing. B u tI S o ~ ~ n c lo r t s i nrnins, Imarezes dr yi ng up, lan d ceasing to be cultivated , null trib es re-tu rn ing to pns tnmgc . Ev ery man d i st rus ted h is ne igh bow , o r was a t

open fend with h im. I t i s t h e cus tom of the coun t ly t o th row a heap o fstones ovcr a u m r d c r c d t r a ~ e l l e r. I n t11c ra vi uc leitiling from Sliilgarto ZfirnlGl th e freqi~ cncy f these h eaps w as s iclccning. I n mnny casesthcy wore at the closccl cnd of the ravines, showing how tho poortrnvel lers had r un as far as possiblc and thc n becu he w n down. Suc h wasZurlufil and Kaltnwaz. Th o Andcrs and Tnralckis h a w not so fine ao o~ uitry . T he y c ~ r n p ~ ~ i n c ditterly th at Dost Mi~hnrnmarlhad raised thc


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p i c a fiom 10 to 22 rnpecs on every kherwar of rusad (SO0 lbs.) (rasadis supplies for troops often co~nmuted or money), and tha t hc took clothst only 1 0 yards for a, rupee, tho marlrot price. Yet their Gelds wc rcmoro thriving, and tholusdves moro co~nfortablo, han thc Suliman R i d .

Thc y acconntecl for thi s every may but tho ri ght onc-that in re tn rn fort l ~ sribu te they had been part ly protecte:l, and fcnds mnchl cli~ninishecl;thesc cornplaints of tlw ii s mnst bc tnlrcn i n part, as Afghans will cryo11t when &ey pay tams. Nothing bu t t h e bend of an armed forceever makes th em subuiit.

I n Ii at ta ~r az , kh tar Xu ha mm d, chief of tho Jalalzais, told m e 110\\.as ahaid to ride across the valley illonc. 1Tis story illustrates thos~lbject. lIis father Tn.j Khan hcaded tho whole tribcs, an d par t ly byllis own huiicl, part ly by plunder, inadc hi~nself a I I I : ~ ~f .gr eat iu -l>ortarlcc. JVhcn lie Ilicd, his son, who is :L good-lookins you ng manlr i th ra ther a good character, attcn~ptec l o carry on thc, fsptern, bu t hi syoungcr broth ers clainlcd the ir share i n t hc pnt rimo~lial estate, andwi th tho land took mnny of tho Uliisi. Akh ta r ?~Iul l:~in~nacl ould notthen wi thst and his cnomics, an d is in great poverty. Tllough respectedI,y his t r i l ~c , ie rscarccly gets 300 rupees a p a r .

Tho people of Hattamaz, wi th al l thcir clisoord, have un ited nlorethan oncc. Solno years ago, a son of Dost Xuhomrnad, ATznl Khixn, tricclto rcducc %Grnid; his troops penotlated

byRolnlgu

dongthe wcslorn

lino of f i ~ t s f tho Alders. SOIUC IC destroyed, othcrs he pnssecl ; bu ta t Xashkel he was ~ u e t y ncnrly all Battami~z, ~ond as dcf'eatcd. Again,whcn onr army approached Glinzni the Sulilnall IChcl, allurccl by ropor tsof our wcalth and effeminacy (they said wo merc IIincl~~slstani heepconling for slaughte r) and escitocl by Dost Muhammad spcnking of theS a n g -da - Pushtonch (Afghan hononr) and tho m~~llahs romisinghcnvcn t o thosc I d e e l b y inficlcls, th ey cnmc in n t ~ ~ m i ~ l l n o u s ~ ~ s hfrom all quartcrs ; but thc head of the t h ou g k i n g p ~ o ~ i l ~ t l y harged,tho wholo ilispcrscd. Agaiu, when thc forcc with Cuptnin Outran

a r r i ~ c ~ lt X i sh Kid, many of thc tribcs burncd their p i n and forageto prcvent 11s cntcring Battnwnz, i ~ drc llacl to go rcunil by Pallnahnud Ashhn.

AR an inst ancc of a foray, I extract fro111 my jourlllll an account ofMihtar Uusn's chnl~uo.

Nihtar Nusa is the son of Ynhia, I


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tho Waxiris, smprisiug tlioir floclis and ca~ncls l l great nu~nl~cru.'l'hc Waziris occ~ipied hc gorges nnd crcsts of t he ir mountains, nnct sawthcir country ravC~ge;l. But al, night. signal Brcs were lighted on tliehil ls , ; ~ n d hc whole tribc came, tolerably a1 iiiccl : I I I ~ cagci, for ~e ng ,~ ~a il co .

Tho Suliman I C l d had attained thcir oljc ct ; soinc carried theirplnndor Ilomc, n r d I believe pa rt , nnclcr Mihtar Mnsx, passcdin to Dmtrnuto colloct a little more. Tho Woxiris formed a bolcl resolotion. Theyrrosscd the hills by paths lrnown only to themsclves, and ponnced onKatt;~nraz whilo thcir encn~ics were abseut, guiclecl to t l ~ e locks ant1llcrds l ~ y ne of tho Snlimnn Khcl, and thcn returned hoino richer thanlwfora. Tho Sidiman U e l was grcatly vcsecl at bcing so outwitted,a ~ d~ncl no resource l ~ t ego ti at io i~ , s c n t rq ~ l ~ i ng he TVmi~is wice\\-as l~opclcss. Aftcr much swcnrillg on Korans nilel giving to each othc rsouie i~rlfortun~to yads :is plcclgesool' tlicir fait h, al l th c cattle werercstorecl on Loth sidcs, esccpt those Low? j i d e eaten or ovcr-driven on thomarch. Th e Sul iman Khel made up for lost timc by pluudeiing a~rwalter tribc, and th e Waziris by attnclriiig tlic Lohanis. .Thcscnnccclotes havo beon introduced t o illustr ate the subjec t; t h y arccharactoristic, an d ht ~v o cen conf i~mc d y iuoro th an onc pcrson, but I

do not plcdge mysolf to th ei r exactness except wherc I personally saw

tho fact8 rclatccl.In gcncrnl, fbrags arc on a smalle r scale, sometimes they are mere

thefts. T11c-y sc1do111 lui~dor car thcir o w n houses, and ha rc anuuclcr-standing wi th other predatory tribes, by which tllc cattle talcen arcl~assed a lo~lg y secret. paihs. T\%e11 Afghans arc robbed and caniiotI d p t l~omsolvcs by forco, t h y negotiate. Ten or fifteen rupccs willgencrolly rcdecrn a camel worth 40 or 50. I 11:tve becn tmnsed byseeing a thief, who had h l c n s e i n e Lohnni camels, come (wi th a ~ a f cconduct) quie tly in to thu camp, aucl af ter a, great many compliments,

bit down to ~ c t t l e lic rcdeinption of tho camcls; he wantcd 12 rrtpccsfor cacl~, aying t l x y were finc ;~n ima ls as th e owner well knew), andwhcn t h y otkrecl 10, ]lo :~skecl ind ignantl y if the y moant t o cheat him.Evcn t l ~ c aziri chic, Jan gi Khan, between whom an d t hc Lohanis a

war o f eslenninatiou. hncl for a, Il~~nrlrecl c:irs bcen going on, came intothcir camp about fion~c camels 11c Imcl stolen. Eacl tho snfo conductLeen info r~ua l, he y would ha vc spilled his blood like water.

Tho hl'ghans ale go~icrally raised among Asidics fox love of truth.This n u s t bc rcacivcil wilh some lilnitation. T l q r hnr c no abstrncl lovo

for tho irloial bcanty of tro tll , But theirscattc i-ed simplc liiic, wlloro e w q -thiug about tz Inml is la ~o wn o all, and wllero thero i~ litt lc h y i n g orselling, tdax awn;). liiang of t h c indncemei~tx o clcceit, which inhnl~i l nisof to\vnu IJosrcss; b u l to a bt.raugcr, or -where an yt hi ng may be got by it,1 1111st oonfe~s hc Afghans i~ ~a lcc o scruplo a t ftdsohood: I 11c:ird n

birnilur acco11 ~ t f some hill tribes in Indi a wh cn firsf, secn by Etwopems.AII Al+llm~ wore hy id1 t l ~ l as holy Ilc 1i:d 11c\~cr ired n yo~nr:; mml


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a s h i s s c rvau t no r o \w d kill]n yenr'r, wag es ; bu t no soouer did h c f indth a t t ho case was f ai r ly go iug aga ins t h im, t han h c b rough ta mass of

evicleucc to prow IL Chacl pnid him.T h c co uragc of th e B fgllalls mu st not bc compared wit11 our ow n, t l lc

rc su l l of organisation in ono of the fincst l~co ple f tho globe. Juclginxt l lcnl 1)y a faircr s tandnrcl , that of thcir ncighbours , they appear ton~l\.autagc. T h e y be at olf th e Persialls a t JIe mt, a113 once couilucrcclt h c i r c o u n t r y ; hcy kept .L prov ince ncrobs IT inin li u s h t:tl


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w it l i cn ~t g ic u l t nr c , bccausc t ll c shcph crds c:in eas i ly lwocuro gra in c l icnpin 1 n ~ s n , n d h a w n o nc cd t o b n y from t h c s et t le d tr ib es , a n d t lu ls b ot :~suc l inc l ircc t ly. Aga in , thc ro i s acaruc ly an y lnollcy i n th c co un t ry ;t h c c a s t c r n t r i l ~ c sr af fic e ntir cl ly b ~ -~ n r t c r . I f p a ym c n t w r c b e qu ir edin spccir. , t l lc pcoplo wou ld br in g the ir procl~irea l l i n to t ho n i a rkc t a toncc. mlrl sell thcni t o Go\-ernmcnt wlion t h o ii lar lrot w as glu t ted, :~11dc o n s c r p c n t l y to t l ic i r own loss . I t h i n k it might be i i~ t roc lucc[ lg rw lna l ly, a t f i r s t tw en ty ini lc s rou nd cach town , and the ci rc le o x tend inga s m o n cy becmo i ~ i o r cplentiful :ind tl ie traffic of b ar te r lcss. T h ero t t e n sh ccy t111d toot li lcss camel a p t s i n is I io~mloss, nd tak in g i tiii grnin ,o v c n w c ro i t : ~ d v i s n l~ l c ,s i r n l ~ r a c t i ~ n b l co m m a n y t r i lm .

A bot tc r taxa t ion mid a s t r o n g g o ~ c r ~ l n i c n t~ u l d , i ~ n i o nv in ce d,& o r t h o c o n n t r y i n n g c n c r n t i o ~ ~ .T h o 1 ,m d i s n o t r i c l ~ , u t c a l x ~b l o fgoor l c rops mhcr i . wntor i s p rocnrcd , a nd th o anpp ly n l igh t bo incrcasccl.Tho pcop le , I t h i~ r lr , a w t h c s cc ds of ni:iny ~ i r t ~ ~ c s ,h i ch n rc ou lyobstructed by n m r e t c l m l s y s t c n ~ . T h i s is t ho g rcn t c r i s i s i n Afghanh i s t o r y . X r o ~ ~ q h f ;or t llv f irht t i i n r into contact wi th :I c i d i s c r l n a t i o i~ ,they a l r e a d y i'wl t l i o i r i i ~ i b r i ~ ~ r i t yn t l ~ c t cr li ~i gq u :~ l it ic s . T l ~ c i rIu xrL ar ou s v i r t u e s of r q l c c t f ur (tldcwi, t h e i r ~ u d e~ o s l ~ i t > ~ l i t y ,I I I I ~ l lcir

Srnnk iildcpcncloiit manner, \\.ill pr01~iLl~lyi s i i p p c : ~ ;mid ~ho u lc l he i rl )arb ero us vicc s of ruveng c, t rcacl lcry, an d murclcrbe iuorcly c11:tngcd inform, b u t n o t r ca lly altered, t l icn tho vonscqnences of onr i i(1v:incc willl w dop lo rnb lc i~ idccd . h t ho conr sc of cvcn t s i n p l acing ou r t roopssoi w d i l c r ~ l yn lKand:iliar, mid o m nfluencec~t Tcmt, h a w aIrc:idy ni:do a11~ m o p h c s y i i ~ gh o i ' n t u r o i t l ~ s o l ~ ~ t o l y11tlicl.011~; nd I 11upc wo 11 awseent h o fi r s t s to p t o ra is in g th o A i ' g l i ~ ~ ~ i ~igh an~011g110 peol'lo of Asin.

T h s e , , p in i o n s a r c g i v e n w i t h diffid riicc,3.1 I nril :imarc liow 11:11d i ti s t o comc t o r ig l i t conc lusions n b o ~ i t hv f (>c l ing s f n wholc pcoplc ,

cspcc ia l ly w h e re t lloso fec l ings x-cro nnde rgoing;I

constant c41:rngci ~ n d e r s to ~ l i s h iu g voilf s. B u t even i f fowid tobe orroiicous, t l ic y w a ys o r v c n u s e f u l p ~ l r p o s c ,by s l i o w i ~ ~ glie imlnwsion producccl by

co ns id cra l~ lc n tc rc o ~ us o i t h tho pooplc i lu r ii ig n s to rmy pcriotl . i\Iyo p in i on s w u r c 8 10 W 1~ n d c a r ~ ~ f u l l yornlccl, a1111 1i:ivo IJCPII cnndirllystntecl.

.J. S. GI:O.\III0 ,KGIINAI,?9th J ~ i n i m r y,18-10. 2tfd Licufmmf. ? n f t i w / ~ r s .


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011 l c R O Z L ~ L~ ; V I ~ I l m m ' t o Dein Isl~~ail hcuc b!g fhe Gl~z~aTc~~v 'ass.First, illy own route.T l ~ c o ~ m t ry innl Ql~nzni o Pnitnih l t


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a l ung i t a rban , a l o ag i L a m r l m d , n clrnplinrl or v er y loose, lon g, camcl's-l lair gown, trousers stuffed into boots which come above tho knce.

\Vllcn I r ide, thcsc arc pu t into a pair of grccn shoes, wh ich kecpthel~ o o ts ncl fcct \ 'iarm. h pistol a n d dagger in the bo lt and my sword by

Sib. 111 r iding, O V C ~ll1 a poshteen.


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1:I:PORTS O N P.\RTS O F THE GIIIL%[ COLIMI:Y, W C . 571

S ev er al c h i c k c a m e a t a s t,a fr ai d to ~ e n t u r eo Rt i lx~l nd af ra id o f tlloconscquenccs of no t going. A m on g others , th e Brother of M eh tw i\ Iiisa

Khan. I folulcl o u t n p l o t t o c a tc h S a rm a r K l ~ a n~ n d e its a host:lgc orpe rhaps f rom re wn gc . T l ~ chiefs 1 ould in a fcw days br in g in. Tllrrpeople ar c cliffcrcnt. Exc ep t the Mian Khe l who t r adc:L l i t t le , thcg a rc al lthieves an d good cul t iv ators . T h o peoplo have ncvcr pnid t r ibuto,a i l t i]late ub f o r ~ u a l < i i ~ ghe111 do so. T h g hate t lio Sh ah asit, Dnrani .

23rd.-Shillcha, prono unced S h in tm ,133 miles.--Tho first 3,; lililcsa rc t h r o i ~ g hlie cu ltiva tion an d fixllom of Lan gar, a i d tho rlcserted fieldsof R hu ni Rarcz , w l~i c l i i r o a good s~ ip p ly f wa tc r ; hcn thc g roundgen t ly r ise s towards the h i ll s, wh ich a re seen m a r t lm pass in seve ra l

para l le l r idges spr in l t led w i th t rees . A t 11 miles a re tw o ru inedforts , whose wa ter s 11we now dried up, one of the m mas cal ledtho

"

G hlo k:x1lan (thieves' fo rt) : the i r feuds dcs troycd ca c l ~other.F rom th i s po in t mo en tc r t l i c S a ~ g o ass. I t is :L ravine cnt bymatcr through the Rolmctk range, rtnd winds in cnsy cnrves. I t s nricllh,ncvcr lcsg than 30 yarcls, is cftcu 100. T hc ascen t i~ scarcely visible,and thc li i l ls on ei th er fiii lc co sily ascended; tho bottoin is soluetimcsrough and heavy, b ut tw o hours' w ork could inake it an csccl lent road.A t 13 ~ u i l c s s th e cu l t iva tion of S l ~ i n t sa ; he re a rc no houscs, t h e

cul tiva tors be in g 1nign~to1.y bu t a l i t t le watch- tower c o m ln a ~ ~ d sh c fiold,an d show s b y i t s inac1:hicoulis defence and i ts gate, scarcely to Bemached, ] low l i t t l e c er tn in th e ow ner mns of mo ping w ha t h e sowcil.Th is sccms an csa inple of tho neth hod by which th o A fghans changefrom pastur c to a gricul tnro. T h e sma l l Xhel had eked ou t the livcl ihooagained by tlicir flocks hy a l i t t lo cul t ivat ion, irrigated by tho water oftlie s p r i n g w h i c h r u n s a l on g t h e v al lo y. T h e ~ i e c e s ~ i t yf lcvcl l ing th oground for in. ig at ion , a i d of orect ing t l le wltt

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Reports on Ghilzi Country