486 
and squalid in their general ap- 
pearance. 
They are, however, a remark- 
ably honest and harmless people. 
They are reckoned to amount 
to 12,000 families. Their govern- 
ment resembles that of the inde- 
pendent tribes, a circumstance 
which at first excites some sur- 
prise in a people entirely pastoral ; 
but which is perhaps to be ac- 
counted for by the peculiarity of 
their situation. The effect of 
pastoral habits in introducing des- 
potic power, has long been ob- 
served by writers on the history of 
human society, and their opinions 
have been strengthened by the ex- 
ample of almost all the tribes of 
ancient Scythia and modern Tar- 
tary; but this observation, and 
the reasonings of the authors who 
support it, appear to be derived 
from the practice of countries en- 
tirely pastoral, inhabited by se- 
veral distinct and independent na- 
tions, where the simultaneous 
increase of the flocks of different 
tribes compels each to extend its 
limits, and leads to wars, which 
oblige each tribe to encamp and 
march in a body, and to secure 
the co-operation of all its parts 
by implicit submission to a com- 
mon head. These reasons do not 
exist in a tribe placed in a king- 
dom chiefly inhabited by husband- 
men, and feeding its flocks on 
waste lands at a distance from 
those adapted to agriculture ; and 
for this reason perhaps it is that 
we find the Naussers enjoying 
the same liberty as most of the 
other Afghauns. The established 
government, and the habits of 
the nation secure their peace, so 
that when stationary they scatter 
over an extensive tract, according 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1815. 
to the inclination of each indivi- 
dual, and live almost entirely free 
from the restraint of government, 
while the temporary appointment 
of a Chelwashtee is sufficient to 
provide for the order and safety of 
their marches. The actual situ- 
ation of the chief of the Naussers 
appears to me to afford proofs of 
the truth of this supposition. 
When the people are collected in- 
to camps, they are governed by 
their own Mooshirs, without any 
reference to the Khaun, and when 
they are scattered over the coun- 
try, they subsist without any go- 
vernment at all; but when a 
march is contemplated, they im- 
mediately look to the Khaun, and 
where they have to pass an ene- 
my’s country he is appointed 
head of the Chelwashtees, assumes 
an absolute authority, and be- 
comes an object of respect and 
anxiety to all the tribe. A proof of 
the importance of the Khaun du- 
ring a march, is shewn by the 
conduct of the Naussers at one 
time when Jurrus Khaun, their 
present chief, refused to accom- 
pany them in one of their migra- 
tions. He was anxious to remain 
in Damaun with 200 or 300 of his 
relations, to assist Surwur Khaun 
against the Vizeerees; but his re- 
solution occasioned great distress 
in the tribe, who declared it was 
impossible to march without their 
Khaun. So earnest were their re- 
resentations, that Jurrus was at 
ast compelled to abandon his 
former design, and to accompany 
them on their march to Khoras- 
saun. 
The Khaun and all the Moo- 
shirs are elected from the head 
families, and would be deposed if 
found unfit for their offices, The 
