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cumstances do not permit their continuing on the spot till all they find there is consumed, they eat as much as they can, but the rest of the eggs are destroyed. Do they meet a large flock of springbocks, they wound as many as possible, although six or eight are sufficient to last them several days: the rest are left to die, and rot on the ground. I have already related, that when they fall upon any of the herds or flocks belonging to the colonists, they will rather destroy every one, though they cannot possibly carry them away, than leave any for the owner.

CHARACTER OF THE AFGHAUNS.

behaviour of Asiatics with that of Europeans, yet it is not uncom mon to find them bashful; a defect which I have never witnessed in any other Asiatic. Except on formal occasions, they use a good deal of gesture, but it is always of a grave kind, such as stretching out the arm, and bending forward the body. They have, perhaps, more of this kind of action than the Persians, though not near so lively a people; but they by no means equal the gesticulation of the Indians."

They are are also free from that puerility which is, perhaps, the distinguishing characteristic of the last-mentioned people. I found their conversation and their inquiries, though not enlarged,

(From the Hon. F. Elphinston's ac- always rational, and they did not

count of Caubul.)

The manners of the Afghauns are frank and open. Though manly and independent, they are entirely free from that affectation of military pride and ferocity, which is so conspicuous in their descendants the Pitarts of India. When their address is bad, it is rustic, but never fierce or insolent: the Indian Pitans seem to have copied the peculiar manners of the Eusofzyes, to whom a haughty and arrogant carriage is natural. About towns the Afghauns are in some degree polished, and shew respect to superiors, but in many parts of the country they are plain, and make little distinction of ranks; they all, however, shew great reverence for old age.

Though the Afghauns have that ease of manner which strikes every observer, in comparing the

seem much delighted with those baubles which generally form the most acceptable presents in India.

The Afghauns are accused by the Persians of ignorance and barbarism; stupidity is indeed the proverbial reproach of all Khorassaun. They certainly have neither the refinement nor the subtlety of their western neighbours, and their want of much intercourse with foreign nations, undoubtedly narrows their views, and, on some subjects, contracts their understandings; but from their state of society, in which every man is obliged to protect his own rights, and where he is, at the same time, of some importance to the community, their faculties must be a good deal exerted and improved; and accordingly the bulk of the people are remarkable for prudence, good sense, and observation. They have. also a degree of curiosity

which is a relief to a person habituated to the apathy of the Indians. They always shewed a desire to be informed about the state of countries at a distance from their own, and some were very anxious to improve themselves by acquiring a knowledge of our sciences. I gave a short account of the Copernican system (which was published in Persian by Dr. Hunter), to a Moollah who accompanied me to Calcutta, and two years after his return I received a list of queries addressed to the Newtonianaun English (English Newtonians), requiring an explication of some parts of the system which had embarrassed the learned at Peshawer.

While in Calcutta, I carried a great many Afghauns, of all ranks, from Moollahs to grooms, to see the arsenal, to visit ships, and to some other sights which were new to them, and it was extremely pleasing to see the interest they took in every thing, and the gratification they received. One of the Moollahs, however, was greatly disappointed in not finding the wheel used for boring cannon turned by steam, as he had read in the travels of Meerza Aboo Taulib, was the case in England. I have often seen natives of India at spectacles of the same nature, and though they always were polite enough to express much admiration, they did it with a calmness that showed how little they were interested, while the questions which they sometimes asked, were of such a nature as to leave no doubt that their only object was to keep up conversation.

All communication with the Afghauns is rendered agreeable,

by the dependance which can be placed on what they say. Though they are far behind Europeans in veracity, and would seldom scruple to deceive both in statements and promises, if their own interests were to be promoted by their dishonesty, yet they have not that indifference to truth, and that style of habitual and gratuitous falsehood which astonishes an European in natives of India and Persia: a man of the first nation seems incapable of observing any thing accurately, and one of the second of describing it truly; but unless some prejudice can be discovered to mislead the observer, or some motive is apparent for misrepresenting the truth, one may generally rely on the Afghauns both for correctness and fidelity.

All the Afghauns are remarkably hardy and active. From the nature of their country, they are exposed to the necessity of enduring cold and heat, and accustomed to the exertion of climbing mountains, making long journies on foot and on horseback, and swimming broad and rapid torrents. Nor is this confined to the lower orders, or to men in the vigour of youth. As there is no easier conveyance in the country than a horse, all ranks acquire these habits: so that old Meerzas (or secretaries), who seem hardly able to sit on horseback, will ride at a good pace up and down the steepest and roughest passes, or along the edge of precipices, where one is almost afraid to walk. Almost all of them are, however, impatient of hot climates; and, when on campaigns in India, the approach of summer used to thin

their armies by desertions, even in the vigorous reign of Ahmed Shauh. This is the more surprising, when it is remembered how much of the Afghaun country is in a hot climate.

They are industrious and laborious, when pursuing any object of business or pleasure. No people are more diligent in husbandry, and many of them are indefatigable in the chace; but when not so excited, they are indolent.

The love of gain seems to be their ruling passion; most of the Dooraunee chiefs prefer hoarding up their great but useless treasures, to the power, reputation, and esteem, which the circumstances of the times would enable them to command by a moderate liberality. The influence of money on the whole nation, is spoken of by those who know them best, as boundless, and it is not denied by themselves.

Their love of independence has already been noticed as influencing their government; it appears in some shape in most of their opinions and transactions. Their highest praise, in speaking of a well governed country, is, that every man eats the produce of his own field," and that "no body has any concern with his neighbour."

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This love of personal independence is, however, very remote from selfishness. The nature of their society, where power consists in the number of a man's relations, produces a very strong attachment between members of the same family, and there is no Afghaun who would not shew his devotion to his clan, if he saw it engaged in any contest. I must

except from what I say of family attachment, the rivalry which the elections of chiefs occasion in the head of families: the force of blood is never much felt among kings ; and the chiefship of a little tribe is as elevated a station in the eyes of those who contend for it as a crown among great princes. This does not indeed happen among brothers, but it is so remarkable in more distant relations, that Turboor, which literally means a cousin, is now the common word in Pushtoo for a rival. I have already shewn how their clannish spirit diminishes their general patriotism, but they all take a lively interest in the Nung du Pooshtauneh, or honour of the Afghaun name; and they are extremely attached to the country that gave them birth, and to the scenes of their early pleasures. A native of the wild valley of Speiga, north-east of Ghuznee, who was obliged to fly his country for some offence, was once giving me an account of his travels: he concluded by enumerating the countries he had visited, and by comparing them with his own: "I have seen all Persia and India, Georgia, Tartary, and Belochestaun, but I have seen no such place as Speiga in all my travels."

They are all very proud of their descent; a great part of their histories is taken up by genealogies: they will hardly acknowledge a man for an Afghaun, who cannot make his proofs by going back six or seven generations; and even in their ordinary conversation, they often stop to enumerate the forefathers of any person who happens to be mentioned.

They are all kind to their immediate

mediate dependants, of whatever nation or religion, but the case is different with people who are under their authority, without being personally connected with them. The countries which are completely subdued, as Cashmeer and the provinces on the Indus, suffer much from the rapacity of individuals, and if they do not often undergo the extremes of tyranny, it is only because wanton cruelty and insolence are no part of the Afghaun character.

Their independence and pretensions to equality make them view the elevation of their neighbours with jealousy, and coinmunicates a deep tinge of envy to their disposition. The idea that they are neglected and passed over, while their equals are attended to, will lead them to renounce a friendship of long standing, or a party to which they have been zealously attached. Unless, however, they meet with particular wrongs or insults, they are said to be faithful in friendship once formed, and mindful of favours, if not effaced by subsequent slights. I can answer for this peculiarity in their character, that they will do any thing that is wanted of them with much more zeal, if a present is made to them in advance, than if it is withheld in the hope of quickening them by expectancy.

It may be foreseen from their customs, which make private revenge a duty, that they will long retain the remembrance of injuries; but this is true only of such serious injuries as they are bound in honour to retaliate; in affairs of less consequence, they

are neither irritable nor implacable.

I know no people in Asia who have fewer vices, or are less voluptuous or debauched; but this is most remarkable in the west; the people of towns are acquiring a taste for debauchery, and those in the north-east of the country, are already far from being pure. The Afghauns themselves complain of the corruption of manners, and of the decline of sincerity and good faith, and say that their nation is assimilating to the Persians. Their sentiments and conduct towards that nation, greatly resemble those which we discovered some years ago towards the French. Their national antipathy, and a strong sense of their own superiority, do not prevent their imitating Persian manners, while they declaim against the practice, as depraving their own. They are fully sensible of the advantage which Persia has over them at present, from the comparative union and vigour of her councils, and they regard the increase of her power with some degree of apprehension, which is diminished by their inattention to the future, and by their confidence in themselves. To sum up the character of the Afghauns in a few words; their vices are revenge, envy, avarice, rapacity, and obstinacy; on the other hand, they are fond of liberty, faithful to their friends, kind to their dependants, hospitable, brave, hardy, frugal, laborious, and prudent; and they are less disposed than the nations in their neighbourhood to falsehood, intrigue, and deceit.

THE

THE MOOLLAHS, OR MAHOMETAN PRIESTS.

(From the same.)

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The Moolahs, and all the religious, even if they have no offices, are fond of preaching up an austere life, and of discouraging the most innocent pleasure. some parts of the country, the Moollahs even break lutes and fiddles, wherever they find them. Drums, trumpets, hautboys, and flutes, are exempted from all this proscription, as being manly and warlike; but all other music is reckoned effeminate, and inconsistent with the character of a true Mussulman. This austerity, however, is little practised by the people. The Moollahs are generally restrained to censuring the more important breaches of religion and morality; and, in many parts, they have no power at all.

The Moollahs are very numerous, and are found in every rank, from the chief courtiers and ministers to the lowest class in the poorest and wildest tribes. They are most numerous in proportion to the body of the people about towns. When mentioned as a body, they are usually called the Ulima (or learned).

They are generally active, and comparatively able men, much attached to the interests of their own body, and careful to maintain its ascendancy. They are in possession of the greatest part of the learning of the country. The education of the youth, the practice of the law, and the administration of justice in all parts of the country, completely under the royal authority, are entirely en

trusted to them; and these advantages, together with the respect which their superior knowledge commands among an ignorant and superstitious people, enable the Moollahs in some circumstances to exercise an almost unlimited power over individuals, and even over bodies of men; to check and controul the governors and other civil officers; and sometimes, to intimidate and endanger the king himself. This power is employed to punish practices contrary to the Mahommedan law, when they occur among its orthodox professors; to repress Sheeahs, and other infidels; and, at least as often, to revenge the wrongs or forward the interests of individuals of the religious order. The influence of the Moollahs is often more beneficially exerted in reconciling quarrels, in parts of the country where there are no other means of preserving the public peace. Troops of these holy personages often come with their flowing robes into the midst of two ooloosses, drawn out for battle. They hold out the Koraun, repeat Arabic prayers, exhort the people to remember their God, and their common religion; and, seldom, if ever, fail to disperse them for the time, if they do not bring about a permanent reconciliation.

The Moollahs are particularly powerful about Peshawer, and through all the Berdooraunee country. In the city of Peshawer, the king's authority keeps them in some restraint, and obliges them to seek redress for private injuries from the civil power, or to wait an opportunity of fastening on their enemy some charge of heresy

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