DOURANI, a name of the Abdali tribe, given to them by A hmad Shah, Saddozai, on his ascend ing the throne in A.D. 1747, he designating them Dar-i-Dauran, Pearl of tho World. They aro also called Sulirnani, from a district of which, the Tobeh Maruf, they formerly came. The Dourani are an agricultural, but chiefly a pastoral race, who tertn their summer and wiuter ground Ailak and Kishlak, dwelling in their coarse black camlet tents, called Kishdi, the same with the Kara-tilli of tho Turks, and Siah-chadar of the Persians. The Domani country is about 400 miles long, and, except in the north-west, the genera.1 breadth is froin 120 to 140 miles. It is bounded on the north by the Paroparnisan rnountains, inhabited by the Aimak and Ilazara ; on tho west it has a sandy desert of various breadth, beyond which, on the south-west, it has Seistan, and a desert which separates it from Baluchistan ; its southern bound ary is formed by Shorawak and the hills of Khajah Antral', which separate it from tho Turin and Kaka; and on the east it has no natural boundary, but joins to the lands of the Ghilzai, into which the valley of Urghessan, part of tho Dourani territory, runs for a considerable extent. The nnmher of
Donmni tribes aro nine, — Maku, Khugiani, Bamkzai, Popalzai, Alikuzai, Achakzai, Nurzai, Alizai, and Ishakzai. Tho l'opalzai are the largest. In person, the Dourruli are stout and well made, many of them being above the standard of the Indo-Germanie rams of Europe. Some have round and plump faces. With othere the counte nance is strongly marked, and with most the cheek bonea are prominent. When a family is by itself, the men and women eat together ; few restraints are put upon the female, and her influence is con siderable. The Dourani tribes, all but the Achak zai, aro religiously given, but not intolerant. They aro of the Sunni sect. Their national dance, called Attun, is danced almost every evening, with songs aud tales to accompany it. They aro fond of tales, and fond of the chase. The Domani, especially the men of Kandahar, have a powerful love of country ; the Dourani is rarely a merchant or adventurer. They aro hospitable and brave, and aro the most iutportant of the Afghan tribes.