A Day in Chitral 19 



was a masque, Pathan traders en route to India 

 robbed by Kafirs. 



The traders are passing with their animals along 

 the deserted road ; evening falls, and loads are taken 

 off. Being pious followers of Islam, prayer-carpets 

 are spread, and having " fixed their attention," 

 after which they should have become oblivious to 

 all mundane matters, they become absorbed in 

 their devotions. Their absorption, however, does 

 not prevent their looking round every now and 

 then to guard against the approach of their her- 

 editary enemies, the Kafirs a want of trust in 

 Providence that is received with shouts of laughter 

 by the Chitrali audience, who "care for none of 

 these things." 



When they are asleep, barefoot Kafirs come on 

 dancing and loot the caravan. Pursuit follows ; 

 the Kafirs are surrounded by Afghan troops and 

 killed, and the soldiers walk off with the spoil 

 no doubt a frequent ending to such episodes in 

 real life. 



Dancing then began. One after another the 

 trained dancing -boys stepped into the square, 

 performed their tolerably graceful gyrations in 

 the flickering light of the torches, and retired into 

 the darkness. 



The scene was a picturesque one. In front the 

 rows of dark wild faces lighted up by the wavering 



