242 An account of Upper and Lower Suwat. [No. 3, 



by Muhammadans, to the necessary degree that his position in religi- 

 ous matters demands ; and has no concern in, or control, whatsoever, 

 over the government of the valley, which is entirely held by the 

 different petty chieftains. What they state at Peshawar and in the 

 Panjab, about his collecting armies, going to war, and inciting the 

 Suwatis and others to create disturbances, and enmity against the 

 English, are the most barefaced untruths, got up, solely, by interested 

 parties at Peshawar, and other places. 



If, by chance, any injured or aggrieved persons come and make 

 complaints to him, that this body or that body has injured them, he 

 expostulates with the party complained against, either by going 

 himself, or sending another to expostulate in his name, according to 

 the rank of such party. If the expostulation takes effect, it is well ; 

 but if not, the Akhund can do no more in the matter. 



It is the custom of those of our subjects on the frontier, who may 

 have committed themselves in any way with the authorities, to fly to 

 Suwat, and they come to the Akhund, at whose place they remain for 

 two or three days ; for it is the most rigidly followed, and most sacredly 

 observed custom amongst all Afghan tribes, which cannot be broken 

 through, to show hospitality to a guest, however unwelcome he may 

 be. But with respect to the Akhund's guests of this description, 

 after a few days have passed, he tells them, with all mildness and 

 kindness, that they will not be able to get on in that country ; and 

 advises them to go to Kabul or some such place. In short, he leads 

 them to understand, in the most delicate manner possible, that they 

 had better leave his dwelling, at least. 



"What has been said with regard to thieves, robbers, and murderers 

 from the British territory fleeing to the Akhund, and being enter- 

 tained by him, is as false as the other matters which have been 

 advanced against him, and which those, who have, probably, cast 

 their greedy eyes upon the Suwat valley, with the view of getting 

 it annexed, not considering that we could not keep it, but at great 

 expense and bloodshed, take care to spread. In all countries border- 

 ing upon each other, the criminals on either side seek to escape from 

 justice by flying across the respective frontiers, as they did from 

 England to Scotland, and vice versa, in former times ; and as they 

 do to France and America, in the present day. It is not to be 

 imagined, on this account, that the authorities of those countries 



