ETHNOGRAPHY. The Afghans, or Pathans, speaking a language called Bakhtu, or Pushtu, form three-fifths of the population of Afghanis tan. They are of mixed ancestry, although the Indic affinities of their language indicate a preponderance of Aryan blood of the Mediter ranean stock. They are not Semites, as some authorities have believed, their national claim to an lsraelitish descent being an afterthought based upon the occasional appearance among them of Jewish traits. Besides a dash of Sem itic blood, they have in all probability inherited some of a different sort from the earlier inhabi tants of the country, who may have been akin to the Dravidians of India. Among the principal tribes are the Duranis of the west and south, Ghilzais in the east,and the Yusufzais and Afridis on the Indian frontier. Less important Afghan tribes are the Swatis, \Vaziris, Kakars, Khostis, etc. Some other peoples of Afghanistan, such as the Tajiks, llindkis, Jats. Ainutks. and Ilazaras Olongolianst, are not Afghans. uhile the Kizil bashes are largely Persianized Turks. The Afghans were already ‘\ ell established in their present habitat when the Creeks reached India in the fourth century li.e. Most of the Afghan and allied peoples are agriculturists. hut the dominant tribe• compel the inferior ones to do the work. Physically the Afghans are well de veloped. and are of a very warlike dispositimi. Nearly all the tribes scattered along the east of Afghanistan and the northwest frontier of India are within the sphere of British inflnence. The population, acemlling to the statistic's avail able, is about live ndllions.
GovEnsmENT. The government of Afghanis tan is a semi-feudal monarchy. The ruler is known as the Anwer. The country has hut a loose governmental organiztt ion, and influenced by their fanatical devotion to Islam of the Sunni creed, many of the tribes still preserve a more or less turbulent and independent existence. The depredations of the border tribes on Indian ter ritory have afforded the British Indian govern ment excuse and opportunity for pushing for ward the military frontier. The warlike A fridis and a considerable proportion of the Pathan II tribes are now under British control. Frequent conflicts occur between the British troops sta tioned on the northwest frontier, particularly those of the Pashawar district in the Punjab, and the Pathan and Afridi tribes of Afghanistan. The latter are of greater political consequence beeause of their location, the importance of the Khyber Pass to India. and the necessity of main taining, a clear road from India to Kabul.
The Ameer is an hereditary prince, and his power is absolute. The whole country is divided for administrative purposes into the four prov inces of Kabul. Turkestan, Ilerat, and Kandahar and the district of Badakhshan and its depend encies, administered by governors. The native
code of laws is more or less equitable, but is not strictly enforced. The revenue is exacted in kind, and varies according to the condition of the crops. Tiii. Attleer receives an annual sub sidy of 1.00,000 rupees from the Indian govern ment. Afghanistan has a regular army modeled after European fashion. Its strength is not ac curately known, but it is estimated at 44,000, including 7000 cavalry. There is an arsenal, and an ammunition factory at Kabul is equipped with English machinery. The medium of ex change is the rupee. There is a mint at Kabul under the supervision of an Englishman, hut its operation is very limited. Instruction is sup plied by the 'Mohammedan schools. The chief cities of Afghanistan are Kabul. Kandahar, and Herat. Among the towns of Afghan Turkestan are Balkh, Kunduz, Maimene, Andklati, Tash knro•an, Aktcha, and Mezar-i-Sherif.
Ilf SI'l MY. The country now known as Afghan istan was embraced in the aneient Aria. It was a part of the conquests of Alexander the Great, who founded Alexandria Anion, the modern tier at. and also, it is supposed, the modern Kanda har and a settlement near Kabul. Its toasters changed many times in the waves of eouquest that rolled over Asia. On the decline of the Bagdad caliphate it was included in the domains of the Samanides, one of the many independent dynasties that then arose in the Mohammedan world. The Samanide prim-es were overthrown by a Turkish tribe, who founded the Ohaznevide Vol,. dynasty, and Afghanistan was a part of their realm until the fall of the I;haznevides in 1153. It was overrun by the conquering longols of 1:eughis Khan in the first quarter of the thir teenth century, and in the last quarter of the fourteenth it was subjugated by the great Tar tar conqueror Timm. In 1504 Bailer, a de scendant of Timmr and founder of the Mogul empire, made Kabul his first capital, and Afghan istan remained a part of that empire until its decline. In 1722 Malmo)* an Afghan chief tain, invaded Persia. captured and dealt a permanent blow to the prosperity of that famous capital: lint a few years later the Afghans defeated and driven out by Nadir Kali, a Persian soldier of fortune. who became by his great ability Shah of Persia, and the last of the conquerors of Afghanistan. After the assassination of Nadir Shah 11747 one of his officers, Ahmed (see AttmEn founded the Durani dynasty in Afghanistan. and that country has since maintained an independent existence. Ahmed made eonsiderable conquests in India, and maintained a mastery over the Sikhs and Mahrattas, Imt. established no per manent sovcreig,nty. The Dnrani dynasty fell in 1500, and Shah Sujah, the grandson of Ahmed, became an exile.