Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-01-06
CRUEI. BUT PICTURESQUE.
MURDER NOT REGARDED AS A
CRIhE By THE AEGHANS,
But Smoking and Drinking Looked
Upon as Great Vices-A Pastoral
and Pugnacfous People.


and Pugnacious People.
X KABULI or Afghan always
~ presents picturesque appear
~ ance, despite the dirtiness of
his clothing, for clean Kabuli
is as rare as white crow, and half the
sentiment connected with an Afghan
would be gone if he were forced to look
trim, neat and clean. Their bearing is
utterly distinct from that of the timid
Hindustanl, AMI every movement shows
that they consider themselves inferior to
none. Independence is ingrained in
them, and even their Ameer is often
made to remember that he is simply pri-
mus inter pares. They are jealous of
their rights, and the clanship feeling is
very strong. SO powerful is this spirit
as to cause deadly feuds, and though
joining together to oppose the natural
foe 1t is not uncommon for one tribe to
attack another ere the public enemy is
thoroughly defeated.
They are brave and vindictive, and
being Mohammedans are therefore fatal
lists. They expose their lives freely. aud
believe that he who dies fighting is in
sured in paradise a grossly sensual after
existence. Notwithstanding their con-
tempt of danger, the Afghans showed
much military skill in the late war with
England, and, being excellent marks
men, did considerable execution from
behind the vantage of rocks.
The Afghans are to be found all over
India, but only during the cold weather,
when they leave their mountain fast
es for the plains of India, bringing
with them the produce of their farms
and the cloths which their women weave.
In Afghanlstan apples are grown to per-
lection, aud these they sell in India at
good, round prices. The fruit when
plucked ripe is tasteful and juicy, but
the long journey does not improve the
flavor, aud though it makes a handsome
appearance, is as sawdusty as the Ca.
madam apple SOLD in England. Grapes,
too, are raised in the valleys, and are
largely exported. In Kashmir the grape
did SO well that, some years ago, a
company backed by English capital un-
dertook the manufacture of champagne,
but with poor success. Beer, too, is made
on the slopes OF the Himalayas, though
the man who has once tasted the bever-
age would be indeed plucky If he re.
peated his venture.
The Afghan has an extraordinarily
sweet tooth, and it is most amusing to
see these great hulking, shambling fell
lows patroniziug the sveetmeat shops.
The Hindoostani is 2 great consumer of
sugar, and his tastes in this direction arc
the grossest. Tneir candies are simply
Jumps of unreined sugar formed into
fantastic images or made to crudely re.
semble animals and human beings. The
Mohammedan, however, through his
hatred of idolatry, would not purchase
a piece of candy which bore likeness to
living thing, nor would Hindoo who
had respect for his person be bold as
to offer an image to an Afghan The
deadly insult would be followed with
the exclamation: "Hut jao" ("Get
hence''), and blow sufficiently power.
full to tell an OK and kill weakly Hin
doc.
The picture an Afghan presents with
his hands and mouth full of sweetmeats
as assuredly excites a smile as does the
spectacle of two stout, unwieldy French
men falling upon each others neck and
weeping and kissing an atfectionate
adieu. You feel morally certain this
huge, innocent looking Afghan has re.
morselessly killed several OF his friends
who have made themselves Objectionable
to him, and you are equally as certain
that in the folds of his voluminous
chapkan several deadly weapons arc
slowed away, while his loose, baggy
trowsers, tied fast at the ankle, also
cover slaughtering steel.
The average Kaluli does not regard
murder as crime. It is kill or be killed
in his own country, aud he therefore re-
CARDS the matter of the taking off of a
friend most philosophically. "There IS
nothing to worry about; he is dead, and
l killed him." be will tell you if you
should inquire about companion with
whom he was on the best of terms the
preceding winter. l have heard an
Afghan, while purchasing weapon,
speak with evident gusto of the occasion
when he would use the gun to murder a
friend. 1t caused him as little concern,
this contemplated crime, as if he had
said, "Shall kill chicken, if God so
wills it, tomorrow for my pilau." And
yet there is something childish aud
affectionate about these men. They
never seem to forget favor and repay
it to the best of their ability. Unlike
other Mohammendans, they do not OBJ
serve the Khoran with blind obstinacy,
but occasionally stretch its precepts to
accord with their ideas of religion. They
do not drink, for that is directly against
the law, nor do they smoke. Palgrave,
in his interesting book describing his
journey to the sacred city of Mecca,
gives an amusing account of his CONVEX
sation with Mollah.
On asking the reverend gentleman
which he considered the most deadly of
all sins, the holy man replied:
"Smoking the Shameful"
Sand next, oh, son of the Prophet"
"Drinking."
"Are these the two greatest sins,
father2"
..Verily, my son."
ssAnd murderf"
s.Ah, that's nothing-nothing. It's
forgivable."