KHAIBAR or Khybar, a pass leading from the Peshawur district of the Panjab into Afghanistan ; centre of pass being in lat. 34° 6' N., and long. 71° 5' E.. The Khaibar pass commences near Jantruil, to the west of Peshawnr, and twines through the hills for about 33 miles hi a north westerly direction, till it debouches at Dhaka. JoAnne! is 1670 feet above the sea ; Ali Masjid, 243:1; Landi Khana, 2488; La»di Kotal, 3373; Dhaka, 1104. Mr. Scott, of the Survey, says the elevation of Jantrud is 2133 feet, and if so, all these figures would bo increased by 763 feet.
The Khybar (Khaibar) pass is the most northerly of the passes leading between Afghanistan and Withal India ; those to the south are the Kurum, the Guinn], and the Bolan. The Khaibar pass rises gradually from the east, but has a. steep declivity westward. At Ali Masjid it is merely the bed of a rivulet, with precipices rising on each side at an angle of 70'. Near Landi Khana, it is a gallery 12 feet wide ; on one side a perpendicular wall, and on the ether a deep precipice ; and as it approaches the Kabul territory it becomes more formidable. Nadir Shah paid a sum of money to secure his passage through it. It was forced by General Pollock on the 5th April 1842, and has been repeatedly occupied by the British since then.
Upon Ilanjit Singh's excursion to Peshawur, the Kitaibari opened the bands or barriers of the Bars river, and inundated his camp by night, and, profiting by tho consequent confusion, they carried off much spoil and many horses. The maharaja then precipitately left for Lahore, having made only a stay of three days. Of the Khaibar tribes proper there are three great divisions,—the Afridi, the Shinwari, and the Orakzai. Of these, the Afridi, in their present locality, are the more numerous; the Shinwari, more disposed to the arts and traffic; and the Orakzai, the more orderly. The Afridi occupy the eastern parts of the hills nearest Peshawur, and the Shinwari the western parts looking upon the valley of Jalalabad. The Orakzai reside in Tirah, intermingled with the Afridi, and seine of them are found in the hills S.W. of Peshawur. was a malik of this tribe who conducted Nadir Shah and a force of cavalry by the route of Churn and Tirah to Peshawur, when the principal road through the bills was de feuded against him. The Shinwari, besides their portion of the hills, have the lands immediately west of them, and some of the valleys of the Safed Koh range. More westerly still, under the same hill range, they are found south of Jalalabad, and are there neighbours of the Khogani. There are also some of them in Ghorband, and they dwell in great numbers bordering on Bajor to the north west, where they are independent, and engaged in constant hostilities with the tribes of Bajor and of Katiristan. Tho Khaibari, like other rude
Pathan tribes, have their malik or chiefs, but the authority of these is very limited, and every individual has a voice in public affairs, and it often happens that a nanawati, or deliberation on any terminates in strife amongst them selves. The portions of the Afridi and Shinwari tribes who inhabit the defiles of Khaibar, through which the road leads from Peshawnr to the Jalal abad valley, are but inconsiderable as to numbers. Under the Saddozai princes, they received an annual allowance of Rs. 12,000 on condition of keeping the road through their country open, and abstaining from plunder. They called themselves, therefore, the servants of the king. It is boasted ,that the Afridi tribe can muster 40,000 fighting men. On various occasions, when their strength has been exhibited, from 2000 to 5000 men assembled. The Khaibar mountains appear at first irregularly grouped, but the distinct arrangement of a chain is afterwards observable. The hills generally consist of slate and limestone, with overlying sandstone. There are four passes through this range. Like all roads through ranges of moun tains, the Khaibar pass is chiefly the bed of a torrent, liable to be tilled by a sudden fall of rain, but at the other times dry, with the exception of a winding rill supplied by springs. The water is said to be unwholesome.
The Shinwari have eight clans. Of these, the ;Zakha are the more powerful in fighting strength, and the Kuki can bring into the field more than 3000 men. The combined force of these two clans would muster close on 10,000 men; but they are scattered over a very consider able tract of country. The Kuki dwell nearest the frontier, their permanent home is in the Bara valley, which would afford an admirable hill station for European troops. During the winter the Kuki move down from this exposed position and establish their quarters at and near the eastern entrance to the Khaibar, which they occupy as far as Ali Masjid and the caves of Kajurnai. The Kuki have earned during the last 20 years a reputation for friendliness. Their principal trade consists in supplying frontier stations with firewood. The Zakha have always been noted for their cunning and boldness as marauders. Holding the northern sides of the Khaibar to as far as Landi Kotal, they have ever taken the lead in all the hostile acts to travellers and trade which have earned for the Khaibar such a sinister reputation. The treaty of Gandamak, in May 1879, left the Khaibar tribes for the future under British control.—II. and N.•. F ii. p. 126-135 ; lisp. Gaz. ; Vigne's Personal Narrative, p. 232 ; Masson's Journey, i. pp. 174– 181 ; Moorerqft's Travels, i. p. 358; Mohun Lal's Travels, p. 343.