The' Ambela or pass leads from the Sudum valley, Peshawur district, into that of Chamla. Steep mountains rise 1000 feet, abso lutely precipitous. In 1863, General Chamber lain's brigade, 5000 strong, was opposed on the pass by nearly all the fighting strength of the Yusufzai clan, 15,000 strong, under the Akhund of Swat, the chief of Panjkora, and other leaders. The object of the British was to drive the Hindu stani fanatics from Malka. The operations lasted from the 20th October to the 25th December 1863. The loss to the British was 227 killed, amongst whom were 15 British officers, and 620 wounded, of whom were 21 British officers. Generale Chamberlain, Wilde, and Garvock commanded.
The Laluani is a Baluch tribe inhabiting the village of Lalu, on the crest of the Ambela 3 or 4 miles east of the pass.
The Swat river runs through the Swat valley. This valley is about 70 miles long, but its breadth varies from a few hundred yards to 10 miles. Its three subdivisions are Ranizai, Kuz or Lower Swat, and Bar or Upper • Swat. The valley is highly cultivated and densely peopled, producing rice, beans, barley, wheal, Indian corn, fruits, sugar-cane, cotton, and tobacco. The people are bigoted Sunni Muhaminadans, with as many factions as there are villages. Their religious leader for many years was Abdul Ghafur, Styled the Akhund, who was revered from the Indus to the Kuram. Swat valley is intersected by ravines and glens, bringing down the drainage of the bounding ranges. It is unhealthy in summer. The occupants are Afghans, Mulls, and Syuds. The total population is estimated at 96,000 souls, and consists almost entirely of Baizai, Khwazozai, and Akozai. ' The Koltiatan of Swat is above Chaomri. The head of the Swat valley is occupied by the Torwal and Gnrwi tribes, who speak a language different from Puska, which, however, they under stand.• They are probably allied to the Kafir, Chitral, and Cilghit races. Beyond Swat and Baktwar is Kafiristan.
rowan's the lower extremity of the Swat valley, a formidable range of hills bounding the valley runs for many miles from east to west, nearly parallel to the British frontiers ; and at the eastern extremity of this range stands the Mom mountain. Between this range and the frontier, • however, intervene two tracts, named Ranizai and Lower Osman Khel, both quasi dependencies of Swat.
The best of the passes leading into Swat is one named Mullakund, which opens from Ranizai. A little farther to the eastward of Ranizai also there are some passes leading into the Lunkhor valley, which belongs to British Yusufzai. These latter passes are not available for passage from Swat to British territory, because leading into Lunkhor they can be stopped by any party holding that valley. The passes via Ranizai and Osman Khel, if the people of those tracts accord a passage, lead straight on to the British plains of Hashtnuggur. Above the Lunkhor valley,just beyond the British frontier, is the strong village of Pullee.
The subdivisions of the Peshawur district, ad joining the tribes above described, are Lunkhor or north-west corner of Yusufzai, and then Hasht nuggur.
Of the Swat, Ranizai, and Lower Osman Khel tribes, the two latter are subordinate to the former.
The Swati race inhabit portions of the Swat valley and of the valleys of Tikri, Alahi, Deshi, Nandihar, Pakli, Konsh, Bogarmang, and Agror, Balakot, and Garhi Hahib-ullah, north of Hazara. They are sometimes called Dehgau, and seem to be of Indian origin, and to have formerly ruled between the Hydaspes and Jalalabad, but they have been' dispossessed of their lands by the Pathans. They have no connection with the Yusufzai Pathans who now occupy the Swat country. They are of poor physique and of low courage ; they appear to have all the vices of the Pathans, and, as with them, cold-blooded murder and grinding avarice are the salt of life. They are all Sunni Muhanunadans, and very bigoted.
Panjkora consists of a number of narrow and hill -bound valleys, inhabited by the Malizai, Khwazozai Akozai, and Yusufzai. The climate is severe in the north, but mild in the south, and the district fertile. The Panjkora river divides it from north to south.
The Akozai are a grand division of the Yusufzai tribe, comprising the Baizai and Khwazozai clan, who inhabit the Swat valley. The Akozai are estimated at 90,000 souls.
The Khwazozai are a section of the Akozai Yusufzai.
The Malizai section of the Khwazozai Akozai and Yuaufzai occupy the country of Panjkora, which also takes their name. They can muster 8000 fighting men.
The Kohistan of 3falizai is a glen at the head of the Malizai drainage. The people arc supposed to have been Kafirs, converts to Muhanunadanism.