The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-21
THF AFGHAN PEOPLE.

n
An Effort to Show that They Are Descended
from the Lost Tribes of Israel.
When Mr.. Foster passed through Cashmere
in 1763s on his way home to Europe from India,
he was surprised at so frequently meeting the
Jewish cast Of countenance, that country then
being In the possession and under the rule of the
Afghans Sir Alexander Burnes. an officer in
the English native army, commented upon this
same strong resemblance. He had unusual ad-
vantages of observation, for he was dispatched
in 1882 as an envoy to Dost Mohammed, the
ruler OF Afghanistan, and he lived some time in
Cabul In an account of his travels Sir Alexan-
der wrote these interesting lines:
The Afghans call themselves Ben Israeli
or children of Israel, but consider the term OF
Yahoodee, or Jew, to be one of reproach. They
say that Nebuchadnezzar, after the overthrow OF
the temple of Jerusalem, transplanted them to
the town of Ghore, near Bameear, and that they
are called Afghans from their chief, Atghana,
who was son of the uncle of Asof 1.-THE vlzler
OF Solomon), who was the son of Berkia The
genealogy of this person is traced from a col.
lateral branch, on account of the obscurity OF
his own parent, which is by no means uncom-
mon in the East. They say that they lived as
Jews till Khaleed (called by the title of Caliph)
summoned them in the first century of Moham-
ueuaHlSnl 10 aSSlSC III the wars Oh the luuuelS.
For their services on that occasion, Kyse their
leader, got the title of Abdoolrusheed, which
means the Son of the Mighty. He was also told
to consider himself as the butan ian Arabian
word), or mast of his tribe, on which its pros
perity would hinge, and by which the vessel of
the state was to be governed. Since that time
the Afghans have been called Putan, by which
name they are familiarly known in India l
never before heard this explanation of the term.
After the campaign with Khaleed the Afghans
returned to their native country and were gov
erned by king OF the line of kyanee, or Cyrus,
till the eleventh century, when they were sub
dued by Mahmood, of Ghuzni. A race of kings
sprung from Ghore, subverted the house OF
Ghuzni, and conquered India. AS is we'll known.
this dynasty was divided at the death of it's
founder into the divisions east and west of the
Indus, a state OF things which lasted till the
posterity of Trinourlane reduced both to a new
yoke.
Having precisely stated the history and ira
ditions of the Afghans | can see no reason for
discrediting them, though there may be some
anachronisms, and the dates do not exactly cor
respond with those OF the Old Testament. In
the histories of Greece and Rome we find similar
corruptions as we'll as in the later works of the
Arab and Mohammedan writer's. The Afghans
look like Jews. They say that they are descend
ed from the Jews. and the younger brother mar
ries the widow of the elder according to the law
of Moses. The Afghans entertain strong preju-
dices against the Jewish nation. which would at
least show that they have no desire to claim
without just cause a descent from them. Since
some of the tribes of Israel came to the east
why sheuld we not admit that the Afghans are
their descendants converted to Mohammedan-
isn't"
very ingenious attempt to connect the Af-
ghans with the ten lost tribes of Israel was made
by Sir Ct. HI. Rose, in a pamphlet issued thirty
odd years ago. The Old Testament was abun-
dainty drawn upon to show that the tribes disap-
peared toward the east, and such facts as the
ethnologist, the phologist, and the traveller have
gathered were cited as proofs of the relationship
between the modern Afghan and the ancient
Jew. One of the strongest points in support of
this theory is the marked facial resemblance be-
tween htxt and the Palestine jew. The relation
ship, f-owever has been denied by DIR. Wolff
who spent very short period in Afshanistan in
search of light upon this interesting question.
He differed with Sir Alexander Burne's conclu-
sions, aud, in fact, disputed some of his state
ments about physical similarities. In his "Nar
rative of a Journey to Bokhara" in 1845, the
Doctor, inadvertently perhaps, made statement
which was eagerly seized as lending some sup
port to the theory so long prevalent Twas won
derfully struck with the resemblance that the
Youssuf Syze and the khyberee, two of their
tribes bear to the Jews"
In Roses discussion of the subject many en-
tertaining ideas were presented. With respect
to the loss of the Hebrew language as disprov-
ing the Hebrew origin of the Afghans, he re-
garded this as an objection which in reality was
carried into captivity more than $500 years ago.
Their prison was Media, at first partof Assyria,
and then of the Persian empire. They were
separated from their country. located in the
midst of populous province of great empire
Could they have preserved their native tongue
so many centures9 The Celtic language is
almost extinct, and yet its disappearance has oc
Cured within the comparatively brief period Of
few hundred years. That Media was a land in
which strangers might easily lose their Hebrew
hxyf faof fhnfx
Alexander's army traversed that province they
found that a Theban colony, planted there by
Xerxes on his return from Greece, had lost their
language In the short space of about $50 years.
The Pushto, which is the dialect of the COM
mon people of Afghanistan. contains many
words OF Hebrew derivation, and the state
ments are made by missionaries engaged in
transating the Bible that in no Oriental Ian
guage have they found so many Hebrew roots as
in the Pushto.
Afghans worthy of observation" adds Rose,
''and which will be satisfactory to those who
may be disposed to attribute to them an Israel
itish descent Their position amid mountains
has tended to keep them unmixed with other
nations, to dispose them to constant exertions,
especially in the chase, and to make them
hardy, bold and vigorous race. Placed as they
are between India and Persia, they very long
since acquired warlke as we'll as predatory
habits. They are skillful in the use of the sword
and OF HrearfnS lney are perhaps the least IN
tolerant of Mohammedans Their military
qualities have long been recognized as preemi
nent in Indian warfare, and have obtained for
them, under the name of Putans, the highest
reputation in the armies of Hindostan They
are particularly formidable in hand d-to-hand
fight. When our troops storned Ghuznee,
under Lord Keane, the Afghans made most
resolute defense, sword in hand. when the gate
was blown in. Our soldiers experienced their
energy in the war with the Rohillas,
who are of Afghan descent. In one
conflict during these hostilities they
made furious onset on unbroken
disciplined troops with q headlong valor which
in the first instance partially successful.
Their prowess gave them twice in ages past the
for them that of Persia. If, therefore, the AT
ghans are the ten tribes and those tribes are the
Kings of the East Revelation. xvi, r. whose
way, in the language OF prophecy, is to be pre-
pared by the drying up of the water of the