The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-04-15

ENJOYS, army officers. and travellers
have always been strongly reminded OF
the Israelite in their intercourse with
Afghans, especially with those OF the
interior The question whether these
people are of Israelitish origion was
agitated in India, as a matter OF liter
airy importance, in 1895. When Mr..
Foster passed through Cashmere in
1883, on his way to Europe from India,
he was surprised at so frequently meet
ing the Jewish cast OF countenance, that
country then being in the possession
and under the rule OF the Afghans Sir
Alexander Burns, an officer In the En-
glish native army, commented upon
this same strong resemblance. He had
unusually advantages of observation,
for he was dispatched in 1892 as an en-
voy TO Dost Mohammed, the ruler OF
Afghanistan, and he lived some time in
Cabul. In an account OF his travels
Sir Alexander wrote these interesting
lines -
The Afghans call themselves "Ben
Israeli" or children of Israel, but CON-
slider the term of Yahoodee, or Jew, to
be one Of reproach. They say that
Nebuch adnezzar, after the overthrow
of the temple OF Jerusalem, trans
planted them TO the town Of Ghore,
near Bameear, and tnat they are called
Afghans from their chief, Afghana,
who was a son of the uncle OF Asof,
(the vizer of Solomon who was the
son of Berkia. The genealogy OF this
person IS traced from collateral
branch, on account of the obscurity OF
H. xvl,,oh - laxy
uncommon 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 Mohammedan-
ism to assist in the wars OF the intdels.
For their services on that occasion,
Kyse, their leader, got the title Of ABB
doolrusheed, which means the son OF
the mighty. He was also told to con-
slider himself as the butau, Can Arabic
word,) or mast of his tribe, on which its
prosperity would hinge, and by which
the vessel of the state was to be gov
erned. Since that time the Afghans
are sometimes called Putan, by which
name they are Familiarity known in In
dia. l never before heard this expla-
nation 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 18th century, when
they were subdued by Mahmood, of
Chuzni. A race of kings sprung from
Ghore, subverted the house of Ghuzni,
and conquered India. As is well
known, this lynasty was divided at the
death of its founder into the divisions
East and We lie inlus. a state of
things which ."s ell till . posterity OF
Trinourlane reduced both TO new
yoke.
Having precisely stated the history
and traditions of the Afghans can see
no reason for discrediting them, though
there may be some anachronisms, and
the dates do not exactly correspond
with those of the Old Testament In
the histories of Greece and Rome we
find similar corruptions, as well as in
the later works of the Arab and Mo
hammedan writer's. The Afghans look
like Jews. They say that they are de-
scended from the Jews, and the young
er brother marries the widow of the
elder according to the law OF Moses.
The Afghans entertain strong prejudi-
ces against the Jewish nation, which
would at least show that they have no
desire to claim without ust cause de-
scent from them. Since some of the
tribes of Israel came 10 the East why
should we not admit that the Afghans
are their descendants converted to Mo-
hammedanism?