﻿AFGHANS FROM THE JEWS, f% 



The inhabitant:: of Ghaznah undertook this cm* 

 bassy, and, by entreaties and presents, conciliated the 

 minds of the Afghans, who promised to engage in the 

 service of the Sultan, provided he would himself come 

 and enter into an agreement with them. The Sultan 

 visited them in their mountains, honoured them, and 

 gave them dresses and other presents. They supplied 

 hi.n with twelve thousand horse, and a considerable 

 army of infantry « Being dispatched by the Sultan 

 q his own army, they took Dehli, killed Roy Pah- 

 toura the king, his ministers and nobles ; laid waste 

 tht. city, and made the infidels prisoners. They after- 

 wards exhibited nearly the same scene in Canauj. 



The Sultan, pleased by the reduction of those cities, 

 conferred honours upon the Afghans. It is said that 

 he then gave them th titles oi Patau and Khan. The 

 word Patan is derived from the Hindi verb Paitna, to 

 rush, in allusion to their alacrity in attacking the ene- 

 my. The Patans have greatly distinguished them- 

 selves in the history of Hindustan) and are divided 

 into a variety of sects. 



The race of Afghans possessed themselves of the 

 Mountain of Solomon, which is near Kandahar, and the 

 circumjacent country, where they have built forts : 

 this tribe has furnished many kings. The following 

 monarchs of this race have sat upon the throne of 

 Dehli: — Sultan Behlole, Afghan Lodi, Sultan Secan- 

 der, Sultan Ibrahim, Shir Shah, Islam Shah, Adil Shah 

 Sur. T hey also number the following kings of Gaur : 

 —Solaiman Shah Gurzani, Bayazid Shah, and Kuth 

 Shah; besides whom their nation has produced many 

 conquerors of provinces. The Afghans are called So. 

 Jaimani, either because they were formerly the sub- 

 jects of Solomon, king of the Jews, or because they in- 

 habit the Mountain of Solomon. 



