The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-18 00:00:00

JUDICIAL INST/ rLT IIONS.

The judicial institutions of the Affhans, more espe-
cially where the royal authority is superseded, as it fre-
quently is, by that of the Khans, are rude and imperfect.
There are no regular tribunals of justice. nor any orga-
nized system of police. The ,popular assemblies of the
tribes, composed of Khans, mulliks, or elders, assisted by
moollahs, and even by grave and experienced persons of
inferior rank, discharge the functions of judges in crimi-
nal cases. Petty offences are settled by the elders of the
villages in which they occur ; and in loosely governed-
tribes, every village or subdivision acts for itself. . When
the members are assembled, they -hear the accuser's
story, and after examining witnesses and other evidence,
they proceed to give judgment. The right of private
revenge, which is congenial to the habits of a barbarous
nation, is but feebly restrained by the judicial tribunals.
Among several of the tribes the adjustment of is
attempted by mediation and persuasion, to which the
chiefs and the elders lend their influence. But if, not-
withstanding this mediation, the aggressor-refuses com-
pensation, and the injured party to forgive, the latter is
no longer restrained from pursuing his revenge. Among
some tribes, the obstinate party is compelled to
yield obedience to the award of the Court.
The general law of the country is that of
Mahomet ; but there is the code of Poosh-
toon-Wallee, or the peculiar usages of the Affghans,
which has all the force .of law. In towns justice is ad-
ministered by the Cauzy, whd decides both in civil
and•criminal cases, aided by the moofties. There is an
officer named Ameeni Mehkemeh, who takes charge of
all deposits ; and the Darogha of the Adatiut superin-
tends the whole proceedings. There are also three
officers who superintend -the police of the towns. But in
the judicial as well as the police departments, the greateSt
abuses are said to prevail, and justice is frequently sold
to the highest bidder.
THE BIOOLMILTIS, o PRIESTS OP
ArraHANISTAINT.

The Moollahs, or Mahomedan priests, are a most in-
fluential body, and are regarded by the Affghins with
extraordinary reverence. They are most powerful in
Peshawur and some other parts. These priests are gene-
rally taught to read the Persian classics and the Arabic
grammar ; after which they repair to Buliharia or
Peshawur, or some other seat of Mahomedan learning,
where they are initiated in logic, law, theology, and
the system of physics in vogue in the East, as well as
history, poetry, and medicine, which last is a favourite
study. The Moollahs are not so intolerant as Mahome-
dans generally are; and the people, when they are not in-
stigated by ti win, are still less disposed to religious perseeu-
don. Yet they frequently gratify their private enmities by
raising a charge of heresy against obnoxious individuals,
and exposing them to persecution. In the remote dis-
tricts of the country an insult to any of these person-
ages would of itself be sufficient to raise a tumult.. The
Hindoos in Affghanistan are allowed the free use of
their religlont though they are prohibited from all reli-
gious processions or public exppsure of their idols. But
among so rude a people, dissenters fvpin the popular
creed can have little security-for their freedom ; anti,

among the Afghans, accordingly, there not wanting some
cruel examples of religious tyranny. Yet the Hindoos,
though they are held to be impure, and though no strict
man would consent to eat meat of their dressing, are em-
ployed in situations of public
.trust and emolument, and
appear to et-0y as much' security as the other inhabi-
tants. There is scarcely a petty community throughout
the nation which does not make its own arrangements
for the support of the Moollahs, the order of Mahomedan
priests, and for the maintenance and reception of stran-
gers into the tribe, whom it is always reckoned a duty to
treat with peculiar attention.

POWER OF THE IVIOOLLAYLS.
Being entrusted with the education of youth, the prac-
tice of the law, and the administration of justice, and in
possession of all the learning and science which are to
be found in the country, the Moollahs take the lead in all
the popular assemblies, or in judicial proceedings, and
are frequently of use in moderating the violence of an
ignorant pe3ple. In some circumstances they are enabled,
by their superior knowledge and habits of business, to
exercise an almost unlimited influence over individuals,
and even over bodies of men ; to check and control the
governors and other civil officers, 'and sometimes even
to control and overawe the power of the Crown itself.
But the most powerful sway possessed by them is the
hold and authority which thri possess in the edu-
cation of the youth of the country. All the Aff-
glans are sent in their infancy to a Moollah for edu-
cation, by whom they are frequently taught' nothing
more than some prayers and passages of the Koran, and
the ceremonies of their religion. A great portion of
them consequently remain in a state of great ignorance,
and even often unable to read their own language. Mool-
lahs are retained by the rich in their own houses for the
education of their children, by whom they are taught
Persian and Arabic. The Ai-khans have no literature
of their own, beyond a few patriotic songs or tales of
love, of which passion they speak in the most romantic
strain. The Mahomedan religion exercises, as usual, its
injurious influence on the character and condition of
the women, who, especially among the higher classes,
are shrouded in concealment. Polygamy is allowed, and
any woman may be divorced at the caprice of her hus-
band. Among the lower classes the women do all the
house-drudgery, and, among ruder tribes, the work of the
men out-of-doors.

SLAVERY.—SIavery is permitted, as in all Mahcmedan
countries. The greater part of the slaves are born at
home ; but supplies are received of Abyssinians, and
negroesfrom Arabia, and of Persians from the inhabi-
_

tants of Beloochistan, who seize them in their forays.
Caufirs are purchased from their own nation, or carried
off by some of their own border tribes. These last are
generally women esteemed for their beauty.
11.1ANNEn3 OF TUE PEOPLE.—The low state of know-
ledge among the Affghans is evinced by some of their
favourite studies and amusements. They are greatly
addicted to alchemy and magic : they place implicit
faith in.ghosts, dreams, arts of divination, talismans,
genii, and demons. Grown up men play at marbles;
prisoners-base,' quoits, and a game like hunt the slipper,
are also common, as are wrestling and other trials of
strength and skill. Fighting-quails, dogs, rams, and
even camels, are much admired. Some of their sports,
however, are more manly. The chase is the favourite
amusement of all classes, for which abundance of game
in, the country affords ample scope. Horse-'racing is
common. An amusement of the better classes is to tilt
with their lances, or to shoot at a mark with carbines or
matchlocks on horseback ; or with guns, or bows and
arrows on foot. They also practise a complicated sort of
dance, which gives them great delight.