The record-union., 1897-12-11
THE ArRIDIs.
An Ex-Indian O@cer's Experience
With the puuiab.

AS Inspector Of Forests, ] got to know
the Punjab pretty well. particularly on
it's northern border, and the neigh
| boring Afridis. l came in contact with
| lots of them in a quite unofficial ca
pacity, and with the first conviction
came to about your Afridi is that he is
Il born fighter-and isn't he Splendidly
adapted to it?
| Then, next to fighter, your Afriii
| is born thief and liar. These two ac-
| complishments run together among the
Orientals. Thieving is a recognized oc-
cupation among them, and lying fol-
| lows quite as natural consequence.
From preference they steal from n
stranger; if a stranger is not in stock
to be robbed they will steal from even
their own relations. The main thing is
that something must be stolen; so steal
from your brother faute de mieux. And
they are SO frank and open with it ALL
Why, l remember going on tour of
inspection with c.; of course, We
went on horseback, taking two mounts
each. Now, c. had a very favorite
ambling pony, an especially useful ami
NAL, which he priced highly. sort of
spotted piebald which we will call Pud-
ding Well, We camped our first night
one days ride from Peshawur. In the
morning C-s servant informed him
that 'the Sahib surely could not jour-
ney that day" And why not?"
| Well, chiefly that the Sahib's horses
had been stolen in the night" Now.
there was an Afridi trader who used
regularly to visit c. when coming
to Peshawur, until they became thor
alQh GOOD friends nd
fellow this Afridi was, but a known
se-stealer. Chad been with him
in Peshawur the day we started Coup
ling this fact with the disappearance
of the cattle, we had no doubt that
C-'s friend had stolen the horses
Immediately sent this individual
friendly message asking him to come
down and see him at once, which he
did. C-'s first remark, that it was
rather too much to steal the horses of
a man with whom he was on the friend
/ Hest terms, was answered with SYM
pathetic acquiescence that it was
hard, but What could be done?" And
look accompanied the remark which
! as much as said, Horses must be
stolen" Yes, but from your friend?'
! pleaded c., who long and earnestly
urged for the rturn of his horses, and
/ pointed out his present dilemma, un-
able without horses to go back or for
ward. Well, in the end, after c. had
laid down the whole duties, and a lit
tie over, of friendship with an eloquence
that his most intimate friends never
suspected him of, the Afridi said that
as c. was his friend, his very dear
! friend, he would stretch a point from
his usual procedure and return Pud-
ding, but he would really be obliged
to ask very high price for the other
horse. Which had to be paid before
the journey could be continued, and
without any breach in the relations of
these two, though c. was afterward
a little more careful with his property
when receiving a visit from his very
dear friend.
But in some respects they have a
highly developed sense of honor. For
| instance, suppose one Afridi borrows a
sum of money, say TO, from another,
the lender will give him a slip Of pa
per with the loan written out on it,
just reminder that he had borrowed
that sum. Well, supposing the bor-
rover dies before his debt is repaid, his
family, finding this paper, with the
amount OF the loan and the lender 5
name, will pay the total sum to the
! lender although the latter may be to-
| tally unknown to them, and without
| the slightest doubt as to the genuine
ness of the debt. This shows a sense
of honor In money lending matters to
which 1t would be hard to find q par
| allel at home just now
And in another way they look upon
it as strict moral obligation to avenge
any insult or injury done to themselves
| or their family, and as this vengeance
| generally ends in the death of one Of
| the parties, no cost is SO great as to
| prevent its being carried out This is
very often the cause of desertion from
| the army; there are lots of Afridis in
the Indian army, and very good and re-
liable soldiers they make, except on
points of religion, or, as / say, In case
| of family feud. 1t may be that an
| Afridi, possibly one of the most trust
worthy men in the regiment, suddenly
disappears, taking with him his rifle
and a goodish few rounds OF Govern
ment ammunition. After a lapse Of
time, which may vary from a week to
| month, or more. the deserter returns
/ with his rife, but minus his ammuni-
ton, and quietly gives himself up to
the authorities. Subsequent inquiry
generally brings to light a visit from
some member of the deserter's family
with tale Of insult offered or injury or
damage done to property. Whichever
it may be, 1t calls for vengeance, and
for hardness and cheapness there is
nothing better for the purpose than the
rifle and ammunition Suppliad bx- +ba
Government. Vengeance having been
wreaked-or, as the Afridi thinks, JUS
tice done-he, assuming that he Sur
wives the administration Of discipline,
returns, and willingly serves the SEN
tence passed upon him for desertion.
at the expiration of which time he be-
comes again the exemplary soldier
that he was so long as his family or
his family's property remains unmo-
| Tested.
1t IS difficult TO say how far the
Afridi looks upon stealing and thieving
as moral offenses. but the following
story, II il does not throw a light into
the dark recesses of the Afridi mind.
at least testifies to its power of retort /:
certain officer. whose duty it was to
suppress the parties OF narauding
Afidis on the northern frontier, while
interviewing one of the headmen of
the tribe. showed him his family crest.
spur and feather. Asked TO explain
the meaning Of 1t, the officer. with no
niue pride, pointed out his descent
from Scottish border family. and
eSpialned the custom Of serving up a
dlsh on which lay spur and feather.
'he s'sn that the larder was empty
md -fs,~ &. So