THE HUMAN SPECIES. 0&> 



By the direction of these, migrations had easy communication 

 from Thibet, and towards Cabul, or down the Oxus as well as 

 the Indus. The Seeapush appear to be still more remote, and 

 may extend to Cashmere. These tribes are remains of a con- 

 siderable people, among whom were the original Cashmerians, 

 and a great part of the inhabitants of Badakshaun and Cabul, 

 as far south as the Deggaun tribes, and on the southern face 

 of the higher ridges of Himalaya, extending eastward to an 

 unknown distance ; for, at the sources of the Jumna and Bun- 

 derpoosh, clans of Bisharecs are blue-eyed, and often have red 

 hair; but nearly the whole of these, being subjected by Mos- 

 lem conquerors, have lost their pristine individuality of national 

 character, though among the Affghan tribes of Cabul, in par- 

 ticular, it is still not unfrcquent to observe heads and figures 

 that might serve for models to sculptors who would portray a 

 Jupiter, or a Mars, according to the refined idealism of the 

 ancient Greeks. 



The Kaufirs have the face oval, the brows well arched, and 

 the nose and mouth even more refined than the Greek. They 

 are moreover, still fairer, generally with lighter hair and gray 

 eyes. They defend their fastnesses, whither they have retired 

 since the Mahommedan conquest in 742 of the Hegira, with 

 obstinate valor, attaching certain privileges to him who slays 

 an Affghan. They still retain a rude idol stone, denominated 

 Irmtan, representing Iinra, Dagun or God, the Supreme Being, 

 having besides inferior divinities, evidently borrowed from other 

 nations, chiefly from India. They shave the hair, excepting a 

 tuft in the middle, which, when it is plaited, is exactly similar 

 to the older statues of Horus, when he is holding the Egyp- 

 tian hoe, and recurs again on a coin of Comana, where Per- 

 seus is so figured, and again on one of ancient Tauris. It is 

 the glib of the ancient Irish. The Kaufirs sit on stools, and 

 do not squat like other Asiatics. They are vehement dancers, 

 and a kind people. 



Blending with the nearest black-haired tribe? the Mamoges 

 33 



