1862.] An account of Upper and Lower Sitwdt. 273 



for there they expel the families also, and confiscate the property of 

 the disputants altogether. One would imagine such stringent rules 

 would tend to keep the peace, if any thing would ; yet these people 

 seem to he always at feud, notwithstanding. 



Whenever two Maliks or headmen of a village quarrel, the 

 strongest, or the victorious one, if they come to hlows, drives the 

 other out of the village. After some time, the fugitive manages, hy 

 bribes and other means, to gain over to his side some of the friends 

 and supporters of the successful party, and all the discontented flock 

 to him. After a time he finds an opportunity, when his own party 

 is strong and the other is weak, to enter the village and drive his 

 rival out. This is enacted over and over again, now one is a fugitive, 

 now another ; and this it is that causes such contentions in these 

 parts. The disturbance I previously referred to as having taken 

 place in Lower Suwat, after I left the valley, extended as far up as 

 Chhar-bagh. The whole of the Rarrni-zis girded up their loins to 

 destroy Tarrwah ; and from Chhar-bagh to Lower Suwat, all were 

 read} r for this purpose, and two battles were fought, one to the north 

 of Tarmah, and another further south. The Tarmah people, how- 

 ever, were victorious, having obtained assistance from their clansmen 

 of Buner. 



When fighting amongst each other, the Afghans of these parts 

 never interfere with, or injure the fakirs or helots of each other ; nor 

 do they injure their women, or children, or their guests, or strangers 

 within their gates ; and such might serve as an example to nations 

 laying claim to a high state of civilization. 



The people of Suwat are said sometimes to observe the same 

 custom, as practised by the Afridi tribe of Afghans, viz., that of 

 selling, or rather bartering their wives, sometimes for money, and 

 sometimes for cattle or other property they may require or desire. 

 But having witnessed the complete system, of petticoat Government 

 under which the Afghans of Suwat, like the English, are content to 

 dwell, I cannot place much faith in their having the courage to do 

 so. The women in this valley enjoy more liberty, and rule the men 

 to a far greater degree than is known amongst other Afghans, who 

 are so very particular in this respect. I will mention one instance 

 as an example. The Khans or Chiefs of Tarmah, who are the 

 highest in rank and power in the valley, permit the females of their 



2 x a 



