382 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. | July, 1908. 
adherents of Sher Afzal, a claimant to the throne of Chitral. 
The besieging force was under the command of Muhammad Isa, 
Sher Afzal’s foster-brother. The relieving force was caught by 
the Chitralis in the Kalak defile, near Kuragh village, about 40 
miles from Chitral, and forded to take shelter in a cave. In the 
endeavour to extricate themselves Captain Ross and most of his 
men were killed ; only a handful under Lieutenant Jones, who was 
himself wounded, succeeded in cutting their way back to Mastij. 
dition that their lives were spared. The agreement was not kept 
by the Ohitplis, who are said to have put their prisoners to 
death by tortur 
bs: Kate, jang biti. shév 
Kalakar Gidara pat tie 
“Mehtaro obhir brar ki hak: ua bhy 
ro ta ‘ 
= ce ket potion tan, ee 
Woi' “ “Kores: aati Langan.” ie eine css 
2) Robatson? no ghori dol ee ey 
pe Mem a Mens Se 
appa “Tha di bdko zhayim, 
ect i. *) Muhammad "Isa? gani. 
Ss eidace tec" Ajab, Kafe ete: 
(8, ) Gudam* réni ? Kya gudam ? | 
Isha-sum chéki mudam, : 
Hamu sharam no. boyan ? 
Johjai nas hoi me —— 
"Ajab, Kafir, e 
| Why the infidel’s head is likened to a sieve is not clear. A fanciful 
observer might perhaps sée some likeness between the shape of a sola topi’s 
brim and a Sls the common sieve in use in Afghanistan and the neighbour- 
ing countries. Amongst Pathans the la, i is known as ghal-bel, presumably 
by a i com etymology from ghalla= grain, bel=separate. 
2 Sir G. Rober iment ee Political Agent in Chitral, who was at uae time 
in Chitral fort, also besi 
3 Mohammad ’Isa t it ies of the song, hoi to in line 3 of the 
first-verse as the Mehter’s foster-brother. é uhammad’ here and in verse 
4 below — beter oe sol Ma’mad or Mubuiad as common! 
conjunction of Mab soba and 'Tsa is curious in ven tics in 
which. the sanghte of ’Isais, and their followers, is so highly pra 
- eure ==‘ godown,’ i.e,, the Commissariat fe, a a mene -heiank 
treasure. , x 

