THE HUMAN SPECIES. 403 



THE KAUFIRS OR MAMOGES.* 



IT is in the fertile glens of lofty ridges of pine forest, 

 forming a portion of Hindu-Koosh and Beloot Tauch, 

 that this people resides, though as yet little known. 

 The true national denomination of it is not even cer- 

 tain, and instead we are obliged to rest contented with 

 the Mahommedan vituperative term of Kaufirs or in- 

 fidels, which the Affghans use to designate idolaters. 

 They divide them into Speen or white, and Seeapush 

 or Tor Kaufirs, merely because one is habitually 

 clothed in white cotton, and the other in black goat 

 skins. The people is divided into a multitude of inde- 

 pendent clans, living peaceably together, but in un- 

 ceasing war with the Moslem, much like the Montene- 

 grins in Europe, who carry on an exterminating contest 

 -vith the Turks. The Speen Kaufirs, having Little 

 Thibet on the north, Ladauk east, the Punjaub south, 

 and Poushtoo west, have to guard themselves only on 

 the side of the four passes leading from the Punjaub, 

 one from the Affghan side on the west, and two from 

 the north, there being none on the east. By the 

 direction of these, migration had easy communication 

 from Thibet, and towards Cabul, or down the Oxus 

 as well as the Indus. The Seeapush appear to be still 



* Of the four original tribes, the Mamoges alone retained 

 the primitive manners ; the Camoze, Hilar, and Silar, be- 

 coming Mahommedans, and mixing with other Islamized 

 nations. 



