The Makbal is a quiet, peaceable tribe living to the north of the Mangal and west of the Jaji. Some of them dwell in the Khost valley.
Vanicha, a Pathan tribe of 300 fighting men. Their Zargwal section dwell near Bahian, and the Khorasani in the hills bordering Khorasan.
The Tajak are the aborigines of the country, and are not Afghans. Alexander probably found them there, as tire-worshippers, speaking Sanskrit or Pehlevi. They form the industrial part of the population of the khanates of Uzbak, Khiva, Bokhara, Khokand, and Kashgaria, also in Far ghana, in Khorasan and in Baluchistan, all over Afghanistan from Jalalabad to Herat, and from Kandahar to Balkh, also in Persia, Turkestan cast and west, scattered and unconnected, mixed with the Uzbaks, Afghans, Persians, Balueh, and Brahui, but with independent governments in in Darwaz, Karatagin, Vakhan, and Badakhshan. They seem to have been the aboriginal inhabitants of all these countries, and to have been pushed aside by more martial, advancing, and conquering races. They speak Persian, and in Turkestan and Afghanistan, Tajak and Parsivan are synonymous terms ; but in the west they are also called Sart, Tausik or Taujik is the name applied to the Arabs in all Pehlevi writings ; but they themselves at present derive their name from Taj, a crown or head ornament. They arc supposed to be of the same race as those of Kafiristan, Chitral, Shaghnan, and Roshan. The Tajak are a handsome race, athletic, tall, with fair complexions, and lively, sociable temperaments. They wear the costume and follow the customs of the races amongst whom they are dwelling ; but they are of settled habits, mostly agriculturists,or engaged in all the industries of towns. They are sunni Muhammadans, and are quiet, orderly, frugal, and industrious people. Some of them, under the term Turk, serve in the army of the Amir of Kabul and in the Panjab Irregular Force. They are, next to the Afghans, the most powerful race in that country, and com pose the principal part of the population round Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Balkh, the Kohistan of Kabul, Chitral, Gilgit, Shaghnan, Badakhshan, Karatagin, Vakhan, Darwaz, the small states north of the Hindu Kush, of Doshi, Khinjan, Indarab, Khost, Firing, and Versnkh ; the Baraki of Logar, the Ferthuli of Urghun, the Sardelii of Zurmet, and the Shahregi and Sarbandi of Seistan are Tajaks. The 13araki inhabit Barak, Logar, and part of Butkak, mixed with Ghilzae. In 1809 they had 8000 families. The Logar branch speak Persian, those of Butkak speak a language called Baraki. They are more respected
than other Tajaks. The river of the Panjsher valley in Afghanistan rises on the south of the Hindu Kush in the Khawak pass. The orchards and mulberry plantations furnish the staple support of its inhabitants. The Panjsheri, like the rest of the Kohistani, are Tajaks. They are sunni Muhammadans and bigoted. They form peace leagues with the Ka-firs, exchanging hostages. They have been independent since the time of Timur, but every man is for himself, and the whole valley is filled with turbulence and strife. They could assemble 10,000 men. They are good soldiers.
The Polak in the Surkh Bud district of Jalala bad division have 2827 houses. The Parsivan who came with the army of Nadir Shah and settled in towns, are merchants and in various trades ; in villages they are shepherds and agri culturists.
Kazzilbash formed part of one or more of the seven Turkish tribes that embraced the party of Shah Ismail, the founder of the Saffavi dynasty. This sovereign, to distinguish them from the others, gave them a kind of red cap, hence their name of ' Red head,' Kazzilbash. The seven tribes were Oustajalu, Chamlu, Nikaln, Baharlu, Zoolkaddar, Kajar, and Afshar. When Nadir Shah marched towards Debli, he had twelve thou sand fighting Kazzilbash with him. When he quitted that city, on his return, he left behind him three hundred of these, who, with other troops, were directed to bring away his treasure, and follow him. They passed through Kabul ; but when within two days' march of Kandahar they heard of his death, and a few days after wards,Ahmad, Nadir's lieutenant, arrived, attended by five or six hundred Daurani ; he seized the treasure, and took the Kazzilbash into his service, and his kind treatment of them induced others to come from the neighbourhood of Tabreez, Mashid, Kirman, and Shiraz, in Persia, where the true Kazzilbash exercise the profession of horse breeders, shepherds, and cultivators. There are now perhaps about ten thousand Kazzilbash in the city of Kabul, who are ever ready to serve as mercenaries. Their leaders are by far the most wealthy, the most intelligent, and the most in fluential men at Kabul. Under the Amirs of Kabul they have served as body-guards, and still retain their own language. They are known in that city as Ghulam Khani or Ghulam-i-Shah, lit. household or royal slaves. They have three sections, the Jawansher, Afshar, and Morad Khani. The Jawansher are of Turk descent from Shisha, have several sections, and form the principal part of the Kazzilbash.