The Kazzilbash are good horsemen ; they con stitute the bulk of the cavalry and artillery of the Amir of Kabul. They are also found in the Indian army irregular cavalry. In Afghanistan they are also merchants, petty traders, scribes, physicians, secretaries, and stewards. They speak Persian and Turki.
The Jat in Afghanistan, about 300,000 in number, are Sunni Muhammadans ; they are mostly very poor, —farm servants, barbers, musicians, and sweepers.
The Hindki are Hindus of the Khatri class, residing all over Afghanistan, even amongst the wildest tribes, who could not get on without them. They pay a capitation tax, are not allowed the open worship of their religion, nor to give evi dence in a court of justice, nor to appear on horse back. The Parancheh Hindki are found in the Panjsher valley at the head of the Swat valley, also in the Bann district in British territory, in Peshawur, Kohat, and in the Hazara country. They are traders, and 'of recognised integrity.
Arabs have colonies in the Jalalabad district, Bajawar, Peshawur, and Pughman. The Jalal abad Arabs are well conducted, they are pastoral and agricultural. They speak Persian, and believe that their ancestors came with Timur.
Jews are found throughout the country in small numbers.
A few Baluch tribes pasture their flocks and herds in the southern parts.
Kawal (Qu. Khawal) are a tribe of thieves and fortune-tellers, who wander about the Pughman mountains.
The Sadu tribe, in the Pughman hills, much resemble gipsies in habits and mode of life ; they are fortune-tellers and thieves.
The Afghan are all Muhammadans, having been converted to this creed within half a century from the first promulgation of that religion. The majority of the tribes are of the sunni sect. The shiah sectarians are the Badakhsi, Vaki, Seistani, Tajak, Kazzilbash, Hazara, Turi, iangash.
Some of the Orakzai, Dawari, Khostwal, Jaji, Chitrali, and some Kohistani.
The Parsivan and Aimak, who are subject to the Afghans, profess Muhammadanism. Besides the two sects just mentioned, some are of the Ali Ilahi schism.
The government of the tribes is a democracy, their representation and self-government being by their Jirgah and Ulna, but, like most rude people, no man's nationality extends beyond his own clan.
The mother of a betrothed girl connives at the engaged couple meeting ; this is called Nam-zad bazi, literally betrothed happiness.
The Afghan are the only people of Central Asia who in comparatively recent times have come to reside to any considerable extent in British India. They have never, however, migrated in large bodies, but have accompanied the Muhammadan rulers of India, all of whom have entered from Afghanistan, and brought bodies of the Afghan with them. They are known in India by them-. selves and others by the name of Pathan. Some of these have settled in many places throughout Northern India and in some parts of the south, as far south as Hyderabad, Kurnool, and Cnddapah, some of them in villages, where they own and cultivate the soil. These have been in consider able numbers in the native army of British India, and particularly in the corps of irregular cavalry, and in Northern India, in the civil service of Government. A few Pathan settlements are found in the Panjab and about Dehli, and they are numerous in the Upper Doab and Rohilkhand. Pathan principalities, jaghirs, and families are met with all over India, and the Begum of Bhopal is of Afghan descent.—Bunsen ; Calcutta Review ; Campbell; Chesney; Elphinstone's Hist. of Caubul; Ferrier's Hist. of the Afghans; Latham's Ethno logy; Mohun Lars Travels; • Colonel MacGregor's High Asia ; Peschel ; Tod'sRajasthan.