﻿72 ON THE DESCENT OV THE 



composed of Afghans. When Herhind, a powerful 

 prince of Hindustan, meditated an invasion of Ghaz- 

 nahy Sultan Mahniui dispatched against him the 

 descendants of Khalid with twenty thousand horse : 

 a battle ensued ; the Afghans made the attack ; and, 

 after a severe engagement, which lasted from day- 

 break till noon, defeated Herhind, killed many of the 

 infidels, and converted some to the Muhammedan 

 faith. 



The Afghans now began to establish themselves in 

 the mountains ; and some settled in cities with the 

 permission of Saltan Mahmud. They framed regu- 

 lations, dividing themselves into four classes, agree- 

 ably to the following description : — The first is the 

 pure class, consiting of those whose fathers and 

 mothers were Afghans. The second class consists 

 of those whose fathers were Afghans, and mothers 

 of another nation. The third class contains those 

 whose mothers were Afghans, and fathers of another 

 nation. The fourth class is composed of the chil- 

 dren of women whose mothers were Afghans, and 

 fathers and husbands of a different nation. Persons 

 who do not belong to one of these classes, are not 

 called Afghans. 



After the death of Sultan Mahmud they made ano- 

 ther settlement in the mountains. Shihabuddin 

 Gauri, a subsequent Sultan of Ghaznah, was twice 

 repulsed from Hindustan. His J'azir assembled the 

 people, and asked if any of the posterity of Khalid 

 were living. They answered, " Many now live 

 " in a state of independence in the mountains, 

 " where they have a considerable army." The 

 Vazir requested them to go to the mountains, and 

 by entreaties prevail on the Afghans to come; for 

 they were the descendants of companions of the 

 prophet 



