Afghan Wars 1839-42 and 1878-80 | Page 7

belonging to the Khan are kept at distant
pastures and attended by herders, who live in tents. In the Bori and
Ghazgar valleys the houses are of wood. In the Ghazgar valley they are
all fortified, as already described; the doors are generally mere
man-holes, and the top of the towers are loopholes. The better class,
and more modern of these, have flat roofs, from which the water is
carried by spouts; the walls surrounding are at least twelve feet high,
and cover nearly an acre of ground. Three or four such houses usually
constitute a village. These semi-barbarians are noted for the length and
ferocity of their feuds. Sometimes two branches of a family who are
neighbors become enemies. The distance between their "fortlets" may
be two hundred yards, and on that space no one ventures. They go out
at opposite gates and walk straight from their own fort in a line
protected by its walls from the fire of the other, until out of range, then
they turn around to their fields. Broadfoot relates that "once in Zurmat I
saw a fort shut by rolling a stone against the door, instead of with the
usual heavy chain. On inquiring as to the cause of such carelessness,
the Malik, a fine old man with a plump, good-humored face, stretched
his arms out toward the line of distant forts, and said: 'I have not an
enemy!' It was a pleasing exception to the rule."
[Illustration: Khan Baz, a Khumbhur Khel Afreedi. Tooro Baz, a
Kookie Khel Afreedi.]
These feuds are a system of petty warfare, carried on by long shots,
stealing cattle, and burning crops. Samson, burning his neighbor's corn,
acted just like an Afghan. When the harvest is nearly ripe, neither party
dare sleep. The remedy is sometimes for both to fight until an equal
number are killed on each side, when the neighbors step in and effect a
reconciliation; another method is to pay forfeit of a feast and some
sheep or cloth; in exceptional cases, a few Afghan virgins are
substituted for the sheep, but they are given in marriage, and are well

treated.
Our space does not permit an extended reference to the manners and
customs of this primitive people but a few characteristics may be
briefly noted. The love of war is felt much more among Afghans than
by other Eastern peoples, although but little effort has been made by
them to augment the means of resistance and aggression. Pillage,
fighting, and disturbances are at times necessary to their very existence,
and are followed by long days of idleness, during which they live on
the fruits of their depredations. There is no shade of difference between
the character of the nomad and the citizen; a town life does not soften
their habits; they live there as they live in a tent, armed to the teeth and
ready for the onslaught. Though full of duplicity, one is nevertheless
liable to be taken in by their apparent frankness. They are hospitable to
strangers, but only because this is an ancient custom which has the
force of law and is not a virtue which springs from the heart. The pride
of the Afghans is a marked feature of their national character. They
boast of their descent, their prowess in arms, their independence; and
cap all by "Am I not a Puktan?"
The Afghan people, occupied with the defence of their homes, have
failed to assist the Ameer in the formation and maintenance of that
indispensable instrument--an organized, well-equipped, easily
mobilized army. In regular battle the Afghans can have but little hope
of success; their strength lies in the petty warfare peculiar to a wild,
mountainous country. As auxiliaries, as partisan troops in their own
country, they would be of great value to their allies and extremely
troublesome to their enemies. For outpost, courier, and scouting
purposes, they would doubtless be most efficient. The strength of the
organized army in the service of the Ameer of Afghanistan is about
50,000 men of all arms. The traveller Vambery, who visited Herat in
1863, says:
"The Afghan's national costume consists of a long shirt, drawers, and
dirty linen clothes; or, if he is a soldier, he affects a British red coat. He
throws it over his shirt, while he gets on his head the picturesque
Indo-Afghan turban. Others again--and these are the
_beau-monde_--are wont to assume a half-Persian costume. Weapons
are borne by all. Rarely does any one, whether civil or military, enter
the bazar without his sword and shield. To be quite a la mode one must

carry about one quite an arsenal, consisting of two pistols, a sword,
poniard, hand-jar, gun, and shield." M. Vambery also describes a drill
of some Afghan regulars.
"The men had a very military bearing, far