as the geology, of Affghanistan, is but little | and dried, in large quantities, &c. This trade is known; but enough is known to render it pro- increasing, and will probably continue to do so, bable that the mineral riches of its mountains are provided tranquillity and security of property great. Gold, copper, iron, and antimony have been be established in the country, and the present already produced. Burnes tells us of two sorts moderate scale of duties levied at Caubul be not of sulphur, of wells of petroleum or naphtha; increased: and the expected opening of the river and, above all, of what may prove still more valu- Indus for trade, a channel which, with the Cauable, of coal, which exists in the district of Cohat, bul river, will enable goods to be conveyed into below Peshawur. This, with the discovery of the heart of Asia, cannot fail to stimulate the the same mineral in Cutch, may, by facilitating commercial propensities of the people, and give steam navigation, have a powerful effect on the rise to a vast increase of civilisation as well as condition of Central Asia. traffic. Agriculture is in the same rude state as in Population. There are no data on which to Persia and most Asiatic countries. The soil is ground a tolerably accurate estimate of the pobroken by a crooked log of wood, sometimes shod pulation of this country. It must vary greatly with iron, which is generally dragged by oxen; in different districts. The rich tracts bordering and irrigation is resorted to wherever rain does the Caubul river, and the fertile glens that penenot fall in sufficient abundance to bring forward trate the Hindoo-Coosh, are certainly more the crops. Only the richest and most promising densely peopled than the high and bleak pastoral tracts are thus employed; so that, as the seasons countries to the west. Mr. Elphinstone, from are usually regular, the harvest afforded, even by the best information he could obtain, has menso rude a process, is for the most part abundant. tioned the supposed numbers of several of the Wheat, barley, rice, maize, form the produce of principal clans; but it is to be feared that these the more temperate regions; while in the warmer, are not to be depended on. Thus the Eussufthe smaller grains common to India, as moongy, zehees, who occupy a very small district at the chunna, joar, dál, &c., with the sugar-cane, cotton, extreme N. E. corner of the country, are set tobacco, indigo, madder, &c., reward the farmer's down as 700,000 souls at least; and the whole of labours. Horticulture is carried to a considerable the Berdoorânees, a collection of tribes including extent in the neighbourhood of the principal the Eussufzehees, who inhabit a country of about towns; and to the fruits of Europe, in high per-15,000 squ. m., are estimated at nearly 1,400,000, fection, are added grapes, pomegranates, figs, the mango, orange, lemon, guavas, plantains, and other fruits of India. Vegetables are also reared in great abundance, and of excellent quality; of these two, the rhubarb (ruwaish) and the assafoetida plant, deserve mention: the former is used when young and tender, blanched artificially, and is eaten both raw and dressed in great quantities, as a very wholesome delicacy; the latter is not only cultivated for its valuable gum, but is eaten roasted, when it springs young from the earth, like the flower of a cauliflower in appearance. It is esteemed a great delicacy; but it smells so strong, that to those unaccustomed to its odour, one head of it, while being cooked, is enough to poison the air of a whole camp. Manufactures are confined to home-made stuffs of cotton and wool, and a little silk, which serve for the dress of the inhabitants: little or nothing is manufactured for export. Commerce. The disturbed state of the country for a succession of years has been unfavourable to trade; and the large and valuable caravans which formerly carried the rich productions of India and Cashmere to Caubul and Herât, for the consumption of the courts at these cities, or for transit, by Yez, into Persia, now no longer venture to traverse lands where robbery and extortion combine to ruin the merchant. There is still, however, a less extensive traffic carried on, chiefly by a pastoral tribe called the Lohânees, occupying much of the country between the Indus and Ghiznee, who at certain periods of the year repair to India to make their purchases, or receive goods from those who have brought them from thence, at the ferry of Kaheree. With these they return, carrying them on their own camels, through their own country, by the Golairee pass, and the valley of the Goomul, not only to Ghiznee and Caubul, but northward, across the mountains, to Berkhara. Captain Burnes tells us, that a thousand camel-loads of English and Indian chintzes, calicoes and muslins, brocades, shawls, Punjab turbans, spices, &c. are yearly consumed in Caubul; in return for which are sent back horses in great numbers, madder, saffron, assafoetida, and fruit, both fresh or 90 to the square mile. The Doorânees, on the contrary, who occupy at least 52,000 squ. m., are said to amount to only 800,000 or a million, being from 17 to 19 per square mile. The Ghiljees, in like manner, from 500,000 to 600,000 souls, are spread over 1,500 squ. m., or about 40 per square mile. This is on a calculation of five individuals to a family, which is too little in these countries. Now the whole of Affghanistan as here defined does not quite amount to 170,000 sq. m. of surface, of which suppose the richer parts, such as, and including the, Berdoorânee country, to be Poor high land, such as The remainder, taken at a sq. m. per sq. m. - 20,000 40 60,000 18 Pop. 2,700,000 800,000 1,080,000 1,200,000 5,780,000 1,500,000 7,280,000 And this is independent of Hindoos, &c., who are stated to be numerous. This estimate, founded on the vague numbers stated above, would give to Affghanistan a population of more than 7 millions, or nearly 43 to the sq. m., which, taking into account the vast tracts of high and unproductive lands on the west of the Suleiman range, and north of Kundahar and Zemeendawur, is undoubtedly far beyond the truth. The rate of population in Persia does not most probably exceed 10 per sq. m.; and if double be assigned to Affghanistan, it may be received as an ample rate for that country, notwithstanding the large extent of desert in the former and the many fertile districts in the latter. Upon grounds of analogy and probability, therefore, rather than from any existing data, the population of Affghanistan may, perhaps, be regarded as little exceeding four millions. Tribes. The Affghan nation is composed and rapine-to the deceit and fraud which are the vices necessarily engendered by the lawless freedom in which they exult. of a great number of tribes, who claim a com- or overlooked by strangers. Thus an English mon origin, and assuredly differ intrinsically very stranger might regard their wild freedom as but much from all their neighbours. This origin is a savage mixture of anarchy and arbitrary power. very obscure: a lately translated history derives Alarmed at the absence of any organised gothem from Saul* the king of Israel, whose pro- vernment, or regular courts of justice, and witgeny was carried away in the time of the cap- nessing the summary inflictions of retributive tivity; but no proof of this is adduced, and Mr. and customary law ||, he might fancy that vioElphinstone classes this among other fabulous lence and revenge entirely usurped the place genealogies. The name Afghan is not known of justice and equity; while the rude hospitality, to the people, who call themselves Pooshtoon, in the bold and simple manners, and martial and the plural Pooshtaunch, from whence, by corrup- lofty spirit of the people, would scarcely in his tion, Peitan or Patán, the name they have ob-mind compensate for their proneness to violence tained in India; and of their great antiquity there is no reasonable doubt. The tribes of Soor and Lodi, from both of which kings have sprung, are mentioned as owing their origin to the union of The traveller from India, on the other hand, an Arab chief, Khaled ibn Abdoolla, with the sickened with the servile vices of its pliant, timid, daughter of an Affghan chief, in a. D. 682; and and indolent inhabitants, would probably be faMahmood of Ghiznee, though sprung from an-vourably impressed, not less with the bold and other race, ruled over the Afghans in the ninth independent bearing of his new acquaintance, century. According to their own traditions, the than with their sobriety, their superíor energy, whole of the tribes descended from the sons of their strong and active forms, their fair complexone Kyse or Kais Abdor-resheed, who, whether ions, and features marked and striking even to a real or imaginary character, is the person to harshness; and he might view, in the stormy inwhom all their genealogies refer; but as it would dependence of their mode of life, a favourable be impossible to examine all these, the follow-contrast to the apathy of that which he had left. ing classification must suffice to enumerate the principal tribes, with their habitats, as they at present exist: Booran. Alikheil. Under. Turrukee. Wurducks. Baraitehes. National Character. This aggregation of tribes, though exhibiting considerable diversity in customs, dress, and appearance, among themselves, form, taken together, a nation singularly homogeneous; yet Mr. Elphinstone remarks, that amidst the contrasts which are apparent in the government, manners, dress, and habits of the different tribes, I find it difficult to select those great features which all possess in common, and which give a marked national character to the whole of the Affghauns." And this becomes the more perplexing, because even the virtues and attributes on which they most value themselves, and which separate them mest from their neighbours, are apt to be misunderstood Burnes says, the Afghauns call themselves "Bin-i-Israd, or children of Israel: but consider the term of " Yahoodee," or Jew, to be one of reproach. ↑ The termination zehee corresponds exactly to the Scotch Fich or Mac, or the Arab Ben; thus Eussuffzchce means "the sons of Eussuff," Kheil mezus Clan, or subdivision of a tribe, Both the Suddooze hee and Baurikzehee, the first the tribe The result in both cases might be, that, mingled with many a vice and failing, he would find the germ of many a virtue and noble quality; and that however much he might lament their great failings, he would not be able to deny them a portion of his esteem. One of the strongest characteristics of this people, according to all travellers, is their hospitality, which is founded on national feeling, and there are some usages connected with this principle which deserve mention. The first is that of Nannawautee (two Affghaun words, signifying, "I have come in"), by which a person having a favour to entreat goes to the house of the individual on whom it depends, but refuses to sit on his carpet or partake of his food until the boon be granted; and this, if in the power of the party besought, custom makes it imperative on him to concede. A still stronger appeal is the second, being made by a woman, when she sends a person her veil, and implores assistance for herself or for her family. All persons, even a man's bitterest enemy, is safe under the protection of his roof; but this protection extends not beyond the lands of the village, or at most of the tribe; and it is not uncommon for the stranger who has benefited by it, and experienced the kindest treatment, to be robbed and plundered when once beyond its influence. "There is no point in the Affghaun character," remarks Mr. Elphinstone, "of which it is more difficult to get a clear idea, than the mixture of sympathy and indifference, of generosity and rapacity, which is observable in their conduct to strangers.. So much more do they attend to granting favours than to respecting rights, that the same Affghaun who would plunder a traveller of his cloak if he had one, would give him a cloak if he had none.” In this, as well as in their regard for hospitality, their customs much rescible those of the Desert Arabs. The pastoral tribes in the west are more addicted to robbery and theft than the agricultural ones; but, in general, a previous understanding with the chiefs, confirmed by the presence of a single man, ensures safety; and the Afghans, it of the kings, the second that of their ministers and of Fute khan - are divisions of the Popul hee. A striking instance of this is given by Captain Purnes, who saw on a dung hill the mangled and hardly dead bodies of a woman, caught in an act of infidelity by her hund, and of her parcour both of whom had fallen victims to the sanguinary, but bere justifiable rage of the injured party. Travels, ii. p. 80. C is said, are less prone to add murder to plunder | Women, Marriage. Their customs with rethan most other rapacious tribes. They are gard to their females are nearly those of most reproached with ignorance, barbarism, and stu- Mohammedan countries; those in towns are jeapidity, by the Persians, but on no sufficient lously secluded, those in the country have greater grounds. They are less polished, it is true, and liberty. They purchase their wives, who therehave less of worldly knowledge than their re-fore are regarded as property. The husband can proachers; but are in general prudent, sensible, divorce at pleasure; a man marries the widow of and observant, and are less indifferent to truth a deceased brother*, and it is a mortal affront than most of their neighbours. Like most moun- for any other man to take her without his containeers, they are proud of their lineage, and will sent; but she is not forced to marry at all. The hardly acknowledge one who cannot prove six age for marriage is twenty among men, sixteen or seven descents. Like Highlanders too, they for women. In towns, courtships resemble those are highly national. Love of individual freedom, in Persia, &c. In the country, matches are made strong though it be, is exceeded by devotion to more according to the liking of the parties. If family and clan, and this seems by no means to a lover can cut off a lock of his mistress's hair, prejudice their love of country at large; for the or snatch away her veil, and in doing so proclaim "Nung du Poosh tauneh," or, honour of the her his affianced wife, no other will approach Affghan name, which is one of the feelings warm- her with these views, and he generally obtains est in their breasts, appears to be equalled by the consent of her parents on payment of her local attachments, so strong in all mountaineers. price; if not, they elope; and this offence, which A native of the wild valley of Speiga, who for ranks not less gravely than a murder, is settled by some offence had been forced to wander abroad, intervention of parties. Among some tribes the declared, on his return, that he had "seen all bridegroom earns his wife by service, as Jacob Persia, India, Georgia, Tartary, and Beloo- did Rachel; some permit not the least familiachistan, but in all my travels I have seen no such rity before marriage, others an excessive and peplace as Speiga." To sum up their character rilous degree of it. Polygamy is permitted, as in a few words," says Mr. Elphinstone, "their in other Mohammedan countries, but less pracvices are, revenge, envy, avarice, rapacity, and tised; the poor content themselves with one, obstinacy; on the other hand, they are fond of those of middle rank with two wives, and perhaps liberty, faithful to their friends, kind to their de- as many concubines. The wives of the rich live pendants, hospitable, brave, hardy, frugal, labo- in luxury and indolence; the poor not only emrious, and prudent; and they are less disposed ploy themselves in household, but in field labour. than the nations in their neighbourhood to false- In towns they go about, as in Persia, veiled from hood, intrigue, and deceit.' top to toe; in the country they only veil in the presence of strangers, and that more from decency than obligation. The Afghan women are said to be correct in conduct and deportment; but adultery or incontinence is punished with death to both parties upon the spot, by the injured relative. (See ante, p. 17. note.) Education is conducted much as in the conterminous countries. A village moollah, or schoolmaster, teaches the children of the poor to say their prayers and to read the Korân; the rich keep lallas, or private tutors, in their houses; the village schoolmasters are paid in allotments of land and some small fees. Those intended for the learned professions go to towns, and live in colleges instituted for the purpose of instruction. Literature is at a very low ebb. The Pooshtoo language is an original stock, embracing a good deal of Persian, with some Zend and Sanscreet words: they use, in writing it, the Niskee character of the Persian alphabet; but there are few or no works of much repute in the language. Customs, Manners.-The former of these heads comprehends the internal government of the tribes. This is patriarchal. Tribes are subdivided into branches, which are termed ooloos, and each of these are commonwealths, which have their chief or speen-zherah (literally white beard), or mullik (master), if small; or if large, a khan, who is always chosen from the oldest family, and is sometimes selected by the king, sometimes by the people. These carry on the internal government, in conjunction with certain assemblies of heads of divisions, which are called Jeerga, and which determine all matters of consequence. In civil actions the statutes of Mahomet are generally adhered to; but criminal justice is administered according to Pooshtunwullee, or Affghan usage, a system sufficiently rude, and founded on the law of retaliation. This, however, as tending to perpetuate feuds and quarrels, is modified by judicial jeergas composed of khans, elders, and moollahs, who inflict suitable penalties on offenders; and in fact this whole system is subject to various and considerable modifications. Religion.-The Affghans are all Mohammedans A family forced or induced to quit its ooloos of the Soonee persuasion, and are superstitious may be received into another; and once re- enough, believing in alchemy, astrology, and ceived, it is treated with peculiar attention, and magic; but are far from being intolerant to placed in all respects on an equality with the others. Hindoos remain unmolested, on payoriginal members of the community. Everying a slight tax. Christians sustain neither perooloos, moreover, has many persons called Hum-secution nor reproach; they are called people sayahs (or companions), who are not Affghans, of the book, as deriving their tenets from a written and who are regarded with consideration, but not source, which they themselves respect, instead of permitted to share in the administration of affairs. being pagans, as the Hindoos. Sheahs are deOf such kheils oolooses and tribes the nation is tested more than any sect: yet the country is composed; and when placed under one sovereign, full of Persian sheahs, many of whom held imhas seldom yielded him a full or implicit obe- portant oflices under the crown, and now do so dience. Mr. Elphinstone has compared it to under the several chiefs. Sooffeeism (or freethat yielded by Scotland of old to its kings, who thinking), though denounced by the moollahs, is ruled pretty absolutely over the principal towns common, and gains ground among the higher and country in their vicinity, but whose authority orders. The priests and moollahs, like those of diminished as it extended to the extremities of Persia, are avaricious, hypocritical, and bigoted, the kingdom; whose court nobles were inordi- as well as arrogant and overbearing, and they nately proud, and whose more distant chiefs were nearly independent. *This looks like a relic of Jewish custom, and tends, pro tanto, to indicate the Israelitish descent they claim. exert a very absolute and dangerous power over | tribes and subdivisions called Goondees, which the people. This is strengthened by the oc- were held more binding than tics of blood. casional exercise of good offices, and by the in- From these Goondees, however, were excepted fluence of some rare examples of wisdom and the Eussuffzehees, the most powerful and nuvirtue, evinced in repressing bloodshed and merous, as well as most haughty, insolent, and violence. But the blind regard of the Affghans turbulent tribe of the Berdooranees, who are for these holy impostors is chiefly attributable said to number 700,000 souls. They now occupy to their ignorance and superstition, which lead Swaut, Bunere, Punjecora, &c., and are notothem almost to adore all dervishes and other rious for the anarchy which reigns among their ascetics, and to visit their tombs as those of ca- oolooses. Though an agricultural people, they nonised saints. do not themselves labour; this is left to their fakîrs, a species of villains or servants, consisting of strangers or individuals of conquered tribes of other nations, reduced to serve these invaders, and protected by them for their services. Their masters, or khawunds, can beat or kill them at pleasure, but are bound by custom to protect them; and provided they pay the customary tax, and do their work, they may engage otherwise in trade as they please, and are commonly treated mildly. The Khyberees, who possess the upper branches of the Rajgul or Speengur mountain, and derive their name from the formidable pass of Khyber, are the most rapacious and treacherous robbers of all Affghanistan: no previous agreement secures the traveller from their assaults; they watch the approach of the caravan, matchlock in hand, and choose their victims with certainty and security. They are a lean muscular race, capital marksmen, and carry swords and short spears in addition to their matchlock; they are altogether more uncouth than most of their countrymen. Personal Appearance, Amusements. - The men of Affghanistan are for the most part robust, generally lean, though bony and muscular. They have elevated noses, high cheek bones, and long faces; their hair is commonly, black, sometimes brown, rarely red; they wear long thick beards, but shave the middle of the head: the western tribes are stouter than those to the east; the latter have darker complexions, and more strongly marked features: their demeanour is frank and open, equally free from stateliness and pue- The Toorkulanees, who are brave, active, inrility: they are very social, delighting in dinner-dustrious, and cheerful, are all subject to one parties, smoking after dinner, and sitting in powerful chief, who exercises over them a very a circle telling stories of kings, viziers, and powerful authority. genii, or singing songs, generally about love, to the sound of instruments like rude guitars, fiddles, and hautboys: they take much snuff, of a high-dried fine-powdered sort, like the Scotch: they are fond of the chase, driving the game into some valley, and killing great quantities; also of coursing hares, foxes, and deer with greyhounds; and they ride down partridges in the open ground, tiring them out till they can knock them down with sticks: they are also fond of horse-racing and fighting cocks, quails, rams, dogs, and even camels. The western Affghans have a dance, called the attum or ghoomboor, in which ten or twenty people move in strange attitudes, shouting and clapping hands in a circle, round a single person, who plays on an instrument in the centre. The national costume appears to consist of a loose pair of trousers of dark cotton stuff; a large shirt like a waggoner's frock, reaching a little below the knees; a low cap, the sides being of black silk or satin, and the top of some sort of brocade; half-boots, lacing up to the calf; and a cloak of soft grey felt, or of well-tanned sheepskin with the wool inside. The women wear a shirt like that of the men, but much longer and of finer materials, coloured or embroidered with silk; their trousers are tighter than those of the men; a small cap of brightcoloured silk, embroidered with gold thread, comes down to the forehead or the ears; and they throw over their head a large sheet of plain or printed cotton, with which they hide their face when a stranger approaches; they divide the hair on the brow, and plait it into two locks which fasten behind; they wear round their head strings of Venetian sequins, and chains of gold or silver, which are hooked up, and end in two large balls hanging down on either side ear rings, finger rings, and nose pendants are worn. In towns the fashions more approach those of Persia, particularly to the westward. The Khuttuks, occupying the banks of the Indus, from the Caubul river to the Salt range, are a tall well-favoured people, as remarkable for honesty and orderly conduct as is their country for dreary and rugged barrenness. The tribes of Damaun are said to be more simple and honest, less bigoted and litigious, less vicious and debauched, than the northern tribes. They are a more bony and fairer race than the Berdooranees, and universally wear long hair and beards. They owe the greater order which prevails in their oolooses to an establishment of magistrates, formed some fifty or sixty years ago, which has been eminently efficient. The Gundepoors are a particularly thievish and quarrelsome race, in spite of a commercial turn, which leads many of them to make annual trading journeys to India and Khorasan. The Baboors are a civilised tribe, much employed in merchandise. The Stooreanees were shepherds, till robbed of their pasture lands by the Caukers, when they betook themselves to agriculture. These agricultural tribe shave all fakirs, or villains, like the Eussuffzehees. Of the central division, the Jaujees and Toorees, hereditary enemies, live in the glens and valleys of the Solymaun range. The country of the former is colder, wilder, and higher than that of the latter; the mountain sides are covered with pines. The Jaudraus, who dwell in a pleasant district westward of the rich plain of Bunnoo, are remarkable only for their disgusting vices. Of individual Tribes. What has been said applies to the nation in general; but almost every tribe has its peculiar characteristic, which can be but shortly touched upon. The Berdoo- The Sheeranees, who inhabit the borders of the ranees, who occupy the north-eastern districts, Tukhtu-e- Solymaun, a wild inaccessible country, are brave but quarrelsome, active, industrious; are very poor and uncivilised, plunder every one, but selfish, bigoted, and remarkable for vice and and are at war with all the world; yet they never debauchery. Their quarrelsome disposition is break their word, and a single individual of their thought to have given origin to a sort of fede- tribe suffices to secure the safety of a party: they rative alliance, offensive and defensive, among | are described as wild and savage in their ap pearance, as in their habits and mode of life. | people, ought to be mentioned. the Tajuks. The Zmurrees, neighbours of the last, resemble The word is used in opposition to that of Toork, them closely, but are less inveterately predatory. the peaceable to the warlike; and it was apThe Vizeerees, N. W. of the two last-mentioned plied to the subdued Persians by their Tartar tribes, live in little societies, among pine-covered masters. In Afghanistan they are supposed to mountains, and are equally uncivilised and ad- be descendants of Arabs displaced by their condicted to plunder; yet the smallest escort ensures querors, who now live scattered over the land safety, and the chiefs, powerful khans, are, it is which they might once have cultivated as their said, remarkable for their love of peace. The own. As tenants or servants, they are mild, Vizeerces are divided into a fixed and erratic sober, peaceable, and industrious, and live on population. The long valley of Zawura, which good terms with the Affghans, who, though they opens on the plain of Tull and Chooteeallee, isregard them as inferiors, do not treat them with inhabited by the white and black (speen and tor) Zereens, great carriers of merchandise between Upper Sinde and Candahar. The two most noble and important tribes, however, are the Dooranees and Ghiljees. Their territory consists chiefly of high bleak downs, interspersed with hills, in some parts desert, in others sparsely cultivated, in all open, bare, and fit chiefly for pasture. They are therefore chiefly a pastoral people, with patriarchal habits, and five for the most part in tents of black wool. These (kizhdees) are from 20 to 25 feet long by 10 or 12 broad, and 8 or 9 high, supported by a row of three poles, and closed all round with a curtain. In winter they are lined with felt, and are warm and comfortable. The country of the Dooranees is 400 miles long by 130 broad, extending from the Paropamesan mountains to the Khojeh Amrân range. They were formerly called Abdallees, till the late Ahmed Shah, their chief and sovereign, changed the name, in consequence of the dream of a famous saint, he taking that of Shah Dooree Dooran. They may amount to 800,000 souls; the Suddoozehee, from whence sprung the king, is a subdivision of the Populzehee. The king is their hereditary chief, and military commander of the whole: he claims a horseman's service for every plough of land; and the officers commanding them are the civil magistrates of their respective districts, besides being employed in offices of state at court, when there was a court. The internal government of the clans is better maintained than among other tribes, and the progress of improvement and civilisation among the agricultural Dooranees has been correspondingly great. They are generally handsome stout men, with good complexions and fine beards. They are brave and hospitable; and though not quite strangers to rapacity, still may be esteemed the worthiest of their race. The Ghiljees occupy the upper valley of the Turnuk, and great part of the Caubul valley, to the Berdooranee country; a tract which contains some of the principal cities, with some fine districts of land, but the climate of which is cold. The Ghiljees were formerly the leading tribe of Affghanistan. It was a branch of them that conquered Persia and broke down the power of the Seffavean kings; and they are still a high-minded, brave, and numerous people. The Hotekee and Tokhee are the noblest of their clans, having produced-the first, kings; and the second, their viziers; and they are a hospitable and good people, ranking deservedly as the second of the Affghan tribes: they amount to about 100,000 families, and resemble much the Doorances in appearance, customs, manners, and dress, though hating them, as their successful rivals, with an unquenchable hatred. They are perhaps the fairest and handsomest of all the Affghans. contempt. They are most numerous in and around the great cities, and are all zealous soonnies. Mr. Elphinstone calculates the Taujuks as numbering 1,500,000 throughout the whole country. Government Chiefships. - Affghanistan, it has been said, is now split into three principal chiefships. Dost Mahomed Khan, who resides at Caubul, rules the country from Baumian and the Hazara mountains to and including Ghiznee on the south, and to Neemla in the Caubul valley on the east. When Captain Burnes was there in 1831-2, his revenues amounted to 18 lacs, or 180,000l. a year, and he maintained 9,000 Affghan horse, well appointed, with 2,000 foot, and 14 guns, besides auxiliaries and village troops, that is, contingents; and both revenue and military forces have increased since then. This chief is very attentive to business, superintending personally the distribution of justice; he encourages trade- his own country is safe to the merchant; he is zealously orthodox, remarkably intelligent and inquisitive, and of excellent manners and address. He is even now but little past 40; so that with his great natural abilities and excellent disposition, he may be the author of much good to his country. Unfortunately he is on bad terms with his brothers, particularly with those at Kandahar. These are Kohn Dil Khan, Ruhm Dil Khan, and Meer Dil Khan, who rule Kandahar together; the first, however, being regarded as chief. His territory is less defined and less valuable than that of Caubul, extending south towards Cutch-Gundava, and the Sindean frontiers. His revenues in 1832 were about 8 lacs of rupees, or about 80.000l. a year; his military force, 9,000 horse and 6 pieces of artillery; but this, were his government popular, which it is not, he might greatly increase, as Kandahar is close to the Dooranee country. He has none of the abilities of his brother at Caubul, and his acts of oppression will prevent his power or influence from increasing. Kamran, son of the late Mahmood Shah, retains Herât, as we have said, and maintains the shadow of a court on the ancient Abdallee model. But it is rather in consequence of the claims set forward by Persia to this province, than his own intrinsic power, that he has been permitted to remain unmolested. The Affghans came forward, as is understood, to assist this last descendant of their kings in his late successful struggle with Persia, and Kamran took the field with a considerable force. He is said still to possess some of the crown jewels of Caubul; and he derives a considerable revenue from the transit of goods through the city. Connolly states the nominal amount of duty levied in the city at 21,4291. sterling, but says that much more is really extorted, and that Kamran's annual revenues are 89,248/. sterling. But he is a cruel, In Persia the inhabitants of great part of the northern provinces bord ring on the Caspian Sea are Tjuks, or Tots. They are held to be the aboriginal people of the country, and speak a peculiar Language, There is yet another class, which, though not strictly Affghan, still, as amalgamated with that supposed a mixed dialect of ancient Persian." |