396 Captain Postans on the Biluchi Tribes inhabiting Sindh 



AfFghan tribes beyond, and the mixed Kajput races who oc- 

 cupy the northern and north-western portion of Guzerat in 

 India. 



The earliest detailed and well authenticated account given, 

 I believe, of this people by a European authority, is by that 

 distinguished traveller, and now high functionary. Sir Henry 

 Pottinger, who, in the year 1810, undertook a highly danger- 

 ous though deeply interesting journey through the whole ex- 

 tent of this country, and has recorded, in a series of valuable 

 notes, the result of his personal observations and inquiries. 

 From that period up to the last five or six years, few, if any, 

 Europeans have had the opportunities of seeing more of them 

 than was presented by casual journies through portions of 

 their country : of such the most interesting results have been 

 given by Mr Masson, who, taken as a traveller beyond the 

 Indus and in Central Asia generally, is probably the most 

 valuable as an actual authority, from the intrepid manner in 

 which he threw himself amongst these wild and lawless 

 people, and the favourable opportunities he therefore had, 

 for a long period of time, of intimately studying their pecu- 

 liarities and characteristics. These few observations are 

 made at starting, lest any undue value should be placed on the 

 slight remarks which are now to be made, and which solely 

 have for their object the results of the author's experience of 

 portions of tribes, with many of whom the British Govern- 

 ment has for the last five or six years been unexpectedly 

 brought more or less into contact, seldom amicably, and lat- 

 terly in deadly hostility, and over many of whom prospective- 

 ly it intends, it is to be hoped, to extend the fostering hand 

 of civilization and take to its charge, along with the millions 

 who own its sway in the vast regions of the East. And 

 here the author trusts he shall stand excused if, in having 

 the gratification and advantage of addressing a Society like 

 the present for the first time, he ventures to off'er his humble, 

 though sincere, tribute of congratulation, that a body so form- 

 ed should exist in this country, having such laudable objects 

 to work out as increased knowledge of the races, states, and 

 condition of that " noblest work of the Creator," in all parts 

 of the globe ; for surely few purposes for which societies are 



