1862.] An account of Tipper and Lower Suwat. 27 1 



people, by means of small straws of different lengths. To this 

 custom all the tribe agreed ; and from that time, varying from 

 periods of ten to twenty, and even thirty years, the lands are re- 

 distributed amongst the different hhels or families, together with the 

 dwellings thereon, by drawing lots for the different portions. This 

 custom is, with a few minor exceptions, in full force at the present 

 time. 



Some fifty years since, each tapali district or division was drawn 

 lots for ; but at present, this is done away with, and the people of 

 each tapali draw lots amongst themselves in the following manners 

 First the people of each village draw lots for their lands and village, 

 which when determined, the people of each street or division of a 

 village draw lots for their portion ; and, lastly, the families of each 

 street or division draw lots for their portions. For example : we 

 will suppose the village of Kabul which I have been holding with 

 my clan, falls to you, who have been holding the village of Kanda- 

 har. On the re-distribution I get Kandahar and you get Kabul, 

 "We afterwards cast lots among our own clans, and I find the house 

 you occupied falls to my share ; and the house I occupied falls to 

 yours. On becoming aware of this, we examine the two houses, and 

 if they are about the same size and value, we exchange on equal 

 terms ; but if one house be better than the other, one of us must 

 pay something for the difference. If this is not agreed upon, we 

 remove our effects from each, take away the doors, remove the grass 

 and rafters from the roof, and leave only the bare walls standing, 

 otherwise a feud would ensue ; for such is the bull-headed pride and 

 obstinacy of the Afghan race. 



When Khan Kachii or Kajii, Barrni-zi, became chief of the 

 Yusufzi's, he decreed that the chief of Suwat should not be required, 

 on a re-distribution of the lands, to vacate the town or village, in 

 which he dwelt, on any occasion. At this time he himself dwelt at 

 Allah-ddandd, so that town was exempted accordingly ; but not- 

 withstanding that rule, the lands were, and still are, included in the 

 re-distribution as well as others. This was also confirmed by Ham- 

 zah Khan when he succeeded to the chieftainship. 



The houses of Suwat, generally, consist of four walls built of mud 

 mixed with sand. On the top of this a few rafters are laid, and dry 

 grass spread over them ; and over this a layer of plaster is laid of 



2 K 



