New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-14
THE AFGHANS AT HOME.
THEIR MANNERS AND THEIR FOREIGN RE
LATIONS.
MR.. EUGENE sCHUYLER's NOTES ON AN INTEREST
ING PEOPLE.


What Switzerland is to Italy that is Afghan
istan to India 1t not only holds the same general
position but 1t has similar character in climate SOIL
and people. The extremes Of temperature IN AfganIs-
tan much than those OF switzerland just as
the heat of India is greater than that OF Italy We must
imagine the country a highland seldom below 1000
feet high, with peaks running up sometimes to 10000
feet Even the passes wh3h enter the country are not
under 5000 To get Cabu from the north one
three passes varying IN height from ten to
twelve thousand feet From the south there are long
AMI passages through mountains not less than
900 feet height Cabnl ITSELF the capital stands ON
an elevation of 6iOO feet. Unlike Switzerland.
Afghlustan has very little water The streams are few
an narrow. and soon dry up. But where aud can Dt
cultivated the productions lnxurant and much the
same those Of a more temperate zone Among the
people there is the feeling OF equality, the same
Independence, the absolute love OF liberty. Hatred
foreigners might be broken down In Aghanstan AS III
switzerland II the foreigner made attempt at
political subugaOn and confined himself to spending
money IN travelling. The strateSlcal position OF the
two countries ia about the The passes through
switzerland have allowed many invading armies TO ap
proach Rome; those through Afghanisian have per
mtted the conquest India, and might do still II not
defended by the Of the Inhabitants or by
ally 1t would be about as sensible for Italy to
think Of defending itso against Germany by insisting
the occupation OF Basic GrenOble as Tor Inc Eng
llsh to defend India at IeTat.
We must distinguish Afghanstan proper from the
political Afghansan. There provinces now
undor tho Afghan Government which are not at all
inhabited by Afghans, the people OF who' although
they now pay tribute and nOmlnally subjects may
slightest provocation and without difficulty be
long else. such is tho whole country north
OF the range Of ndoo Koosh where the population
is ULUeg or Tartar. Mongol Katir As to iierat its
population chiefly Persian. Taking the real Afshans-
tam although there the Afghans form only one
half OF the whole population, being only about 2lOOOOO
total OF 4.2OOOOO We Will ind 1t Is mountanles'
country about 600 miles long from east to west AMI
100 miles from north to south, embracing AN extent OF
about 2lGOOO square mlles-that 49, ABOUT as much a.
the Territories Wyoming aud Montana. II We should
add Idaho, region would he larger than all that hOs
even political subsection to the Afghan ruler.
Like the swiss too the Afghans enjoy local ndepend-
ence. Candahar and Cabul are entirely distinct
provinces and have by always been under thr
same Indeed, IL Was only In 1879 that Dost
Mohammed possession Of Candahar on the death OF
his the people divided into tribes anu
the tribes into clans each OF which has It's own SELF gov
eminent scarcely de pendent the central authority e1
cent Or payment Of Aes Even thus many tribes re-
fuse To pay than they please and some not only
pay little. actually refuse ike tins Hchareh to a""
the Afghan officials through their territories
The Ameer is little than the chief OF the various
chiefs sort Of military Dictator and holds his position
subject entirely to their good pleasure.
The Afgnlns are vigorous. we'll built and muscular.
cellcnt walkers clever wOrkmen; they have rather
long couutcnance with high check bones thick eyebrows
aud coarse tck blnck HAIR aud beard with al owe VI
dark brown complexion. They generally frank rude
bru-que ellxent In their attire and In war cipaDle o.
the worst Of deeds should take tue character
of people either from themselves from their enemies
IL IA only the friends VINO, while prai,ng generally.
occasionally indulge In severe II not malicious crit
cl,m II We were believe Afghan proyerD. he who
open his door TO tho stranger IL not An
But the English VINO have known them best. mud no
good wort praise OF them except for their bravery
saw very many Afghans In Central Asia, aud am
Obliged admit All tue cases Of extreme rudenes
inciyty or fAnltcisu watch came under my particular
notice wrre with one 'cpuon. fcom Afsnaus. At the
same account Oi their bravery me AghAhs are
respected Il il fashion every to initiate the
walk Of an Afghan, all event, 10 arrange Ohos tnr
ban ft hts REGULAR style.-ono little eut sticking
above the hoIl. tho other huOs d1Tn 10 the left
shoulder. Most nslisn .rayolers complain OF Afghan
bad faith. ami If may believe HIndoo provcrb.
God project you from vengeance OF elephant.
cobra Afghan"
AT home are not kept Under n severe
restrictions other MAnOmotIu Countries are, by
general consent pretty and aro said to nave pAJ ell no
nttle part which led to the ''stcre' Of the
Enslsh At Clbu AZ the same time they are generally
intelligent and faithful, aud oriental proyerb says:
co t. india get rich. to Cashmere 10 amuse yourself
but take an Afghan wife" Observers tell Us that the
Afshnn- are the only people Fast where there Is
any trace ot the sentiment 0t love according 70 our
notions. The love stories prevalent In Mshan legends
ana Afghan literature scarcely be brought up ~
proof this stories equally sentimental exist In other
| E.-tern countries. Among certain tribes no man Is
allowed To -ee his until the marriage ceremony i
compctel IN there IA almost cquaI Reserve
AMI although the loyer may live with his future father
n-aw aud hs bride By his services. As jacob dld
Rachel ho may never her. Yet IN the greater part
OF Afghani,tan the lovers once aluced arc allowed To
20 courtng." II may call IL That Il, the lover
visits his by night and Is admitted by the mother or
the other female relatives although these visits are
supposed kept secret from the father All Innocent
freedoms ara permitted. aud the are rare where
nature allowed To step beyond the bounds OF lnJunc
tons As all MussulmAn countries polygalny exists;
but the people cannot AFFORD To avail themselves
OF their privileges aud themselves with one wife
or AT the most twO,. While the AShans very com
monty marry into the subordinate classes OF the popna
ton, they allow their daughters to marry other
! than Afghans OF thelr own rank.
inc Afghan In his own country occupies himself
with thing except asric Iure. sport or war; liz Ing
mostly country. leaving commerce and the menia
arts to tho large class Of TadJiks ana kyzllOasheS
Uelhrads) the hitter Persans sOcacd IRON their being
dycng the hair ard beard red sport abundant
There IA amo Of all kinds although the tLcs II lions are
now believed 10 bo fictitious hnd even tigers are rarely
found When hunting impossible the Afghan resorts
to many simple games practised by all children OF
nature whether simply savage men or cl'lILeu YOUTH
marbles bali and gymnastics.
Among tho various into which the Afghans are
now divided the Durani have AT present tho Ircdomn
ancc AZ II Is from them that for moro than hundred
! years Amecrs have been chosen. Nadir ohar the
great ruler Persia who IN 1872 recovered possession
OF uandAhar and CaOu. made himself 50 popular Will
the Alghins that many ot thom Joined hts army. one
! OF these. Ahmed Khan. who belonged To tho SaddoLa
family OF tho Abla clan came to prominence, and atei
tho ASSASSINATION OF Nadr In l7t7. chosen BY the
| Afghan chiefs tho ruler Of Canddhar lie founded q
great euprs got posses OF the whole OF Aghanistan
con,u.ri porltons OF Northern India and took In