The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-04-29 00:00:00

And her treasure widely cast ;
Dwed its head

As her victor-pennant passed :
e chains of Afric fell at her decree!
While the shout of millions broke

Oppression's shattered yoke,

As Britannia bravely spoke—
YE ARE FREE!

Hearts of Oak" may tell
e Flag of England's fame !

fort and bastion fell

Neath h

3olts of flame !

Acre's

ed walls w

ere overthrown

gain-

her flag triumphant reign

e empire of the main

Is her own

THE AFFGHANS

(From the London Saturday Journal.)
t the newspapers are chronicling the appalling mas-
the Anglo-Indian force in Cabul, it may be interest-
lance at the civil and social state of the country,
ople have, by this treacherous butchery, (such as
rarely paralleled in warfare), defeated the policy of
e most powerful empires upon the face of the globe.
ifghans' then, who have gained this tremendous sue-
the Indo-British arms, are certain tribes inhabiting
tion of Independent Persia, which includes the
us region to the northward of the low country of
or the plain of the Indus. The Affghans call
leh, and are termed by the Indians Patans.
,e by which they are known to Persians,
to Europeans. Their speech is the
e of the Persian, with some marks of
idiom of the Koords. Their proper
mthern declivity of the great chain of Hindoo-
rn continuation of Himalaya and the Paro-
ides also the chain of Suliman, and
ward of it.

hip to th

yof the Affghans, as a people. is great. They
i proved, the Assecani of Arrian, who gives an
in his history of the expedition of Alexander
the same people Aspagome, and

Tiny terms

n in- terms which leave no doubt that their
ktighanistan. Lastly, Professor Lassen has

the name of this people in the catalogue of nations
) the Great King, engraved in cuneiform letters
uments of Persepolis.
mate of Affghanistan," says Dr. Pritchard, " is
most delightful in the world. It is dry, we are
Mr. Biphinstone, and the average temperature
) that of England; the extreme of heat and cold
According to Sir Alexander Burnes, it pro-
s of England and of southern Europe—peaches,
, pears, cherries, mulberries, grapes, and
Ind the groves are stocked with our singing-
s, blackbirds, thrushes, and doves. The
Cabul are celebrated, and the season said
ful. Cabul itself is more than 6,000 feet
e sea. The eastern parts of Affghanistan
ltersected by abrupt chains of hills ; the
s and table lands, in many parts

try, we might expect to find the people
the natives of southern Hindostan. We
he Affghan men are of robust make, being
r, with high nose and prominent cheek-
ices. Their hair and hands are mostly

_
mes brown, but rarely red. Mr. Fraser de-
Patan or Affghan soldiers, whom he saw, as
r and blue eyes. Mr. Elphinstone says that

ghans have generally dark complexions, ap-
of Hindostanees ; while those of the west are
with an appearance of health : but among
among the eastern Affghans, men as dark
,d others as fair as Europeans, are to be
neighbourhood;ne the fair being most
the dark in the east. In describing
ins near Dera, the same writer says, ' the
was incredible ; they were mostly fair
girls have acquiline noses, fine faces,
men were generally dark, though some

Indians,

is divided like the ancient kingdom of Israel,
according to the tribes who inhabit it. The
t present, according to Dr. Prichard, the do-
ts the Ensofzyi are said to have been in earlier
Khaberi and Ghilji are also powerful tribes.
nation, and little mixed with foreigners, the
very much among themselves in physical
he difference is very remarkable. The peo-
r the Indus are, as Mr. Elphinstone assures
resemble the Hindoos. The Ensofzyi, who
nountainous country, in a cool climate, are
-" They are generally stout men, but their
exion varies. In those whose appearance is
stic of the tribe," says Mr. Elphinstone,
ruck with their fair complexions, grey eyes, and
, by the military affectation of their carriage, and
iaughty and insolent demeanour. Indeed, they
now any subordination whatever. The moun-
n • particular, are excessively rude and ignorant.
e is related of one of them, who, seeing a mollah
e Koran, struck off his head, saying—' You tell
he book of God, and yet you make it yourself.'
habitants of the plains, on the contrary, are debauched
and superstitious."

Nflghans, with their high and even harsh features,
nt countenances, long beards, loose garments, and
mantles of skins, give the idea of a much ruder and
ipoli,:hed people than the Hindoos, on whom they
ltely border. Many of the luxuries of Hindostan ara
wn to them ; and there is nothing like the same or-
d police and regular course of justice. Yet they are
assess many estimable qualities :—" their martial
spirit, their bold and simple manners, their sobriety
mpt of pleasure, their unbounded hospitality, and
al energy and independence of their character, ren-
on the whole, a superior race. In India, every
t originates with the government, or its agents, and
he people are accounted as nothing—whiie here, men
nselves little under coutrol, and follow undisturbed
rn inclinations." They show great curiosity as to
lusts of European art and skill, with an eager dispo-
inquire into the processes employed. Polygamy,
ataining of wives by purchase, is established ' • and,
ugh, offences are punished by fines of a number of
men, wdo, in this pecuniary appropriation, might
be called " currency lasses." Matrimonial con-
! not, however, as usual in Mahometan countries
I entirely by the friends of the parties, who, espe-
he country districts, meet and court for themselves.
outh must earn the purchase money of his mistress,
Ldition often imparts a character of interest and ad-
to the connexion, and has thus become the subject of
similar to those which are popular in Europe.
ban religion is strictly Mahometan, as already in-
['he mollahs, or religious doctors, are very nume-
take arms, and sometimes muster hosts of 2000
though they cannot match the prowess of the
rs, are so aided by the superstitious awe of the
o carry their point.

ror knowledge is general among the Affghans,
c their works are more than two centuries old.
313 in every little town, and even village, so
.ements of knowledge are very widely diffused,
ans are just now petitioning their government
I money to educate the people. The higher
logic, law, and theology ; to which are added
and Arabic languages and literature. The taste
'very general ; there are many poets by profes-
hiefs and warriors often display genius in cele-
feelings and adventures.
.e Affghan population are dwellers in tents,
,n disdain a residence in houses, and the occu-
4ere carried on. The fixed habitations of the lower
s are rudely constructed of unburnt brick, with wooden
the palaces and their appointments are on the Persian

ntly attached to field sports : hunting
nirere, the rage all over the country; and the fighting

A ffgbans are

'us, Cocks, and other animals, is favourite pastime :
in observable inconsistency, the same persons will play
rbles, hop-scotch, and other games, considered in Eng-
is only suited to children. The uttum is a hearty and
village dance, and the delight of both sexes. They are
wry fond of walks and collations, in the gardens which
and their cities, particularly Cabal. Although sober
.emperate, they are enabled to live well, by the extreme
mess of all provisions, particularly fruit and vegetables.
are social and hospitable; and even the poorer classes,
they can afford to kill a sheep, invite the neighbours to
ke. The tables of the great are served after the Persian
er, and the dishes are garnished with gold and silver
and the company are great talkers, though, from their
y, it must be "an up-hill business."
Afghan dress presents a striking contrast with the
n attire of light, loose, flying robes, leaving a great
,f the body naked. It consists of close tunics and wide
es, composed, among the lower ranks, of sheepskin,
arse woollen cloth ; among the higher, of velvet, fine
cloth, or silk. Boots are universally worn, and no
allowed to appear at court without them. Jewels are
employed to decorate their armour. The favourite
)t' the ladies is a jacket, somewhat simlar to ha of a
nd pantaloon? of velvet, shawl-i cloth,t ort silk.
in, a
cif enetian
sequins, chains of gold and silver, and
V

bijouterie,

ED MURDER OF Two INFANT CHILDREN AT
TON, STAFFORDSHIRE•—Some excitement has
tv,o,tanton and the neighbourhood by the
ns of two infant children in a pit of
Bradweil Farm, in the parish of Wol-
it on Tuesday morning several men
ce from the turnpike-road,
when their attention
floating on the top of
hich, on being got out,

water, near the side or toe F.,
pit was after-
ved to be the leg and thigh of a child. The
me of
ds emptied, and other human remains
found, so
co imbedded in the mud. The remains were subsequently
mined by two medical gentlemen, and proved to be those
two children—one of them from 18 months to twoyears
; the other quite an infant. From the decomposed state
he bodies, it is not unlikely that they had been immersed
water from 12 to 18 months, and probably longer. On the
mins of the eldest child two stains of blood were found,
I from the general appearance of what remained of the
ly, it is believed to hare been in a healthy state up to the
eof its death. There is little doubt there has been some
I play in this transaction, but to whom guilt attaches re-
ins at present shrouded in the greatest mystery. At the
oner's inquest, which was held on the day following, no-
ag was adduced tending to throw auy light on the occur-
ice. The jury returned a verdict " that the bodies were
nd submersed in the pit, but how, or by what weans, they
no there no evidence appeared to the jury."