The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-03-08

of bouor and patriotism is very remarKa'
HE. indeed, they are q bigoted. and
treacberous race, stained by indescriba-
BILE aebauchery, ahd degraded to the
lowest depths of infamy and corruption
Tn spite of their debauched lives, 1t Is
remarkable to find that the Afghans and
Beloochees are, physically, tine races
tall robust, well formed and active
The former, especially, have extremely
handsome faces and the beauty OF their
women has been noticed by all our traV-
elers. The Afghans are great sportsmen'
hunting and hawking being their 1aVoi-
lite pastime, while in craftsmanship
and horsemanship they cannot be ex-
celled. Strange to say, chess is one OF
their amusements; but what they most
like is to lie and listen to stories OF the
"Arabrian Nights" style, though more
interminable and always of more or Less
corrupt nature.
The females enhance their beauty by
all the arts so well known to the Eastern
peoples; and their hair worn IN long
plaits, is often adorned with ornaments
ofa rough, yet, withal, OF an effective
character, composed of metal or glass.
The women of the higher classes are,
however, kept in strict secluslon, and
nobocy is permitted to enter the halems,
where they pass the greater part OF their
lives.
Perhaps the most lawless OF all the
Afghan tribes is the frontier tribe, the
Wsziris, who are born warriors and
splendid horsemen. 1t was these men
who lately lined the sides and SUBMITS OF
the mountains in the Khyher Pass Tor
the purpose OF preventing the passage OF
friendly mission and its escort. The
head men of the Waziris are, it appears,
now periodically summoned to Cabul'
whence they return bearing handsome
presents from the Amer. Tine members
of the tribe are, however, an astute get
of fellows; and it is not al all improbable
that they may eventually desert Shere
Ali in spite Of his presents, in order to
accept regular pay from the Indian gov
eminent. For, though restless hunt
ing men, the Wsziris are fond Of money,
and are not only dreaded by their neigh
bors for their ferocious bravery, but are
likewise envied for their wealth. They
possess famous breed of horses, which |
they have managed very cleverly to
keep to themselves. These horses are
distinguished by peculiar curve and
twist of the ear, ano are remarkable Tor
their why, hardy frame and high tenn
per. The tradition is that the Waziris
stole the royal progenitors CT their studs
from the stables of the Persian kadir
Shah when he invad India but the
Waziris themselves assert that the con-
gueror bestowed the precious animals
upon their ancestors as mark of his
admiration of their brilliant herseman.
chip.
They never shoe their steeds, but
ride them bare-hoofed and even at times
bare,backed, up and down the dangerous
mountain passes, as if they we're verita-
BILE centaurs; and 50 highly do they prize
their exclusive possession of the breed
that they will never sell mare, though
market is held periodically a. THU Tor
the sale of horses
In some parts of the country, so thiev.
ish are the propensities OF the inhabit-
ants that, while one man plows in the
field another stands on the watch, rife
in hand. Indeed, the Toris of Baghzai
q large hamlet situated near Saddah, are
all thieves and when male child is
born, the baptismal ceremony consists in
putting the infant burglar through "a
hole in the wall, while his relatives ex-
hort him to be thief heart and hand"
as his father and grandfather were before
him. 4 marlin-spike, used for breaking
holes through the mud walls OF neighbsrs'
houses, is part of tine regular furniture
of Tori house, and is looked upon as a
household chattle, especially in the
home of a young couple about to make a
start in life.
Ga the other side of the hill, or monn-
tain, where these people dwell, exists a
tribe called the j jis; and the Two tribes
nourish snca hatred of each other
that no M smber Of either party dares to
cross tho barrier which thus separates
them. These Jajs liyein square struct-
ures of stone and mud erected on log
platforms and profusely loop -hnled. The
entrance ia from beneath Inv q traxdao. A