Seistan has been at times Persian, and at times der the Afghans. Its adult male population has en variously estimated at from 20,000 to 30,000 families by Elphinstone, Taylor, Conolly, Ferrier, Leech, and MacGregor, and is supposed to amount to 127,500 souls, with 30,000 fighting men. Elphinstone supposes the original population to have been Tajak. Its inhabitants now consist of the Kayani, Sarbandi, Towki, Ishaqzai, and hahreki, all of whom are shiahs, and of Baluch, who are suuni Muhammadans. Ferrier estimated the fighting men of the Baluch of Seistan at 30,000 or 35,000. Contrasting them with Afghans, he says, Afghans are good for a rush, but do not meet the shock of an attack or stand the fire of artillery. The Baluch surpass them in tenacity and bravery ; they attack in small partieS of ten or twelve, are bold in the advance, and remain firm under the fire of an enemy, tying their tunics together.
The great clan of the Ghilzae, once dominant id still powerful, occupy, on the N. and E. of Daurani, the upper portion of the rivers gar and Tarnak, and all the plain country between the E. and W. watersheds of these rivers.
The Siah Posh, and the kindred race in Chitral, are in a triangular tract bounded by the Panjshcr river, the south range of the Kunar, and the Hindu Kush.
The Yusufzai occupy all the valleys which drain the Laspisar range and its ramifications. This tribe are involved in domestic strife, but arc united against foreign aggression.
Southwards, fringing the eastern spurs of the Sakti Koh, are the independent Momand, Afridi, Orakzai, Shinwari, Turi, Khatak, and Hangnail t ribm.
Still farther south are the Waziri, stretching across the debouchure of all the valleys from the Kurain to the Gomal, and shutting off from the plains the small tribes of Jaji, Pennuli, Dawari, 1 and Khostwal.
Tho l'ovindah occupy a triangular tract hounded by the districts; of the Ghilzae, Waziri, and Kakar.
The Kakar extend N.E. from the Shal valley to the Taklit-I-Suliman.
The Uzbak in Afghan-Turkestan are supposed to amount to 350,000, viz. :— Kunduz, . . 170,000 Shibbargharn, . 10,000 Maetnana, . 80,000 Akcheh, . . . 7,000 . . 60,000 Balkh, . . . 5,000 Khultn, . . . 15,000 Andkhui, . . 3,000 In their advance from the north, the Uzbak have been stayed by the Hindu Kurth, and by the equal, if not greater, valour of the Afghan. The Kataghan tribe in the Kunduz province, north and south of the Amu Darya (Oxus), number 42,000 families.
Sar-i-l'ul town is 100 miles S.W. of Balkh, and has about 18,000 souls, dwelling in houses and tents. The chief and most of the population
are Uzbak.
The Saharai, literally people of the plain, is a tribe who call themselves Mongol. They inhabit the plain on both banks of the head-waters of the Murghab, and claim to have been settled there by Chcngiz Khan, and to have ever since pre served their independence. They are a small patriarchal republic. They are idol-worshippers, but recognise a good (khuda) and an evil (shaitau) principle.
The Aimak are a Mongoloid race inhabiting the western portion of the Paropamisan mountains between Kabul and Ilerat. They are bounded on the north by the Uzbak, on the south by the Daurani, on the west by Persia and the Turko mans, and on the east by the Hamra. They acknowledge relationship with the Mongols, Chaglitai 'rusks, and Kalmuks, and intermarry with these nations. They are shepherds and cultivators, are brave and savage, plundering wherever an opportunity occurs. They speak a dialect of Persian, but Haber mentions that in his time many of them spoke the Mongol language. Their wars are carried on with great cruelty. They have four sections,—the Firoz Kohl, Tae muni, Taemuri, and Zuri. Aimak, in Turki, means a tribe.
The Taemuri and Hazara, west of Hemt, are subject to Persia, dwelling in sandy tracts inter spersed with barren bills.
The Taemuni inhabit the S. slopes of the Skill Koh branch of the Hindu Kush about Ghor, to the N. of Girishk and Sabzawur. They could collect 20,000 fighting men. They are a powerful tribe of brave men. They have a lead mine at Sharak.
The Firoz Kohi Aimak unsuccessfully defended themselves against Timur, and were deported to the neighbourhood of Herat. They now occupy the mountainous country between Herat and Maemana, extending up the Hari-Red. They are estimated at from 20,000 to 30,000 families.
The Zuri inhabit Sabzawur or Isfazar, which is an extensive plain to the east of the road from Farrah to Herat, and situated among moun tains.
Tho Aimak and the liazara have been supposed to be of the same race, separated from each other by the sectarian views they have assumed, the Aimak being rigidly sunni, and the liazara violently sbiah. They resemble each other in their Tartar features and habits, and in the despotic character of their government. Their chiefs are absolute, levy taxes, keep soldiers in their pay, and dwell in castles. The Aimak live in camps, in Khirgah tents, which they call Urd, each governed by a Ket Khuda.