The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-02-07

The CUSTOMS AND CHARACTER OF THE
PEOPLE.
Lite is generally known of the character
and inner he of the Afghans. Travellers ali
agree in pronuncing them physically one Eof
the finest people IN the world. Like the
Arabs, they re- ard as sacred the person and
property OF their guests, so long as they are
under their roof. Once depf rted, the hosts
of the morning often become the robbers OF
the night. The most raltry article that has
excit Ell Il cir cnpidity is sufficient excuse for
murr or. The inhabitants of Afghanistan
subj c. to lie Alneer Colislst of n number OF
a number of different races, disimilar in
many traits of character but nearly all
Lrave, covetous and treacherous, and with
out regard for human life. Although NOM
inalIy under the rule of the Ameer, each
trile is really governed absolutely by its
own chief, who provides the contingent for
the army, and le.ies the quota annually due
to the central Government. The various
tribes are often at loggerheads with the
Ameer, and at feud with une another. Each
tribe is subdivided into several small clans
or villages, occupying their own part of the
country as communal grounds, and frequent
ly at deadly enmity with their neighbours OF
their own tribe, these feuds lasting for gen.
eratlons, and being perpetuated in different
families from father to son. To take the
lite of meml er of an antagonistic tribe,
however treacherous the circumstances un-
der which it may have been done, is regard
ed lnadable act, and never murder.
Fanatical as Mohammedans, they believe
that the surest way of attaining heaven is
to take the life of Kathr or unbeiiever,
however they disobey the Koran in the free
use of spirituous liquor. They are natural
ly disincllned to all kinds of productive la
Dor. Soldierhke, naughty and vain, they
look upon mercantile pursuits as beneath
them. Field sports and fighting are more
congenial to their natures. Those who ell
gage ill the tillage of the soil, do so armed,
with their matchiocks lighted, ready at the
first call TO leave the plow to wIeld the
sword. This natural turbulence OF charac-
ter makes them a very difficult people to
rule, and the authority of the Ameer is
more imaginary thin re.i-so much 50 that
III any quarrel they may si'Ie with the Am
eer or against him. me country of Al
gha1istan being largely mountainous, with
lew 1nters ctlBg valleys, a.iords little oppor-
tunlty tor agricultural development. The
villagers and tribes living in their hill fast
nesses exist mainly by loot and pillage
bordering on the PLAINS of Iniia on the
nortAwest, tie unsettled state of Afghanls-
tan has been a Standing source Of trouble to
the Indian government, who has tried in
every way to cenclilate the chiefs and to be
on friendly footing with the-". The prog
ress of another European power in Centra.
Asia has long forshadoweu the necessity OF
the British government either to make an
offensive and defensive alliance with these
various tribes uncer the dominion Of the
Ameer, or else To acquire Possession of the
passes and routes which command the entry
from Central Asia into India As long as
the British had only to protect their terri
tory against predatory raids, it was deemed
su1icient to told the tribes in check aud to
punish summarily such marauders as Were
,ound within their jurisdiction. The ques-
tlon has now assumed graver aspect The
possibility of these turbulent people becom-
ing allied with great European power.
struggling with England for supremacy in
the East, coupled with the indetensible ma
ture of the present Indian frontier, create
an imperative necessity for the possession OF
| of India The insecurity of the Ameer up
| on his throne, intestine famiiv feuds, and
| the small control he has over the tribes,
leave little hope that he conld give sufficient
guarantee that the passes may not fall into
hands of a possible adversary to British rule
i'll India. Could the Ameer, and were he
willing to give such guarantee, the British
government would doubtless gladly accept
1t; but as long as they rule in India they
are bound TO see that their frontier is rde-
auately protected, and to adapt such meas
ures as will secure for them the strategical
points needful.