1840.] Notes on the Eusofzye tribes of Afghanistan. 927 



It is easier to learn the general character of the chiefs above named, 

 than to form a just conception of their power and resources. Mokurrib 

 Khan's influence, for example, may be said to extend over a great part 

 of the Sum, but his actual authority is limited to about seventy villages, 

 (in these the smaller ones called " Bandas" are not included) from most, 

 if not all of which he draws the "Aoshr" or tithe, with this, and the 

 produce of his lands (the return from which is however but trifling) the 

 " Jizeea," or tax on the Hindoos, the tax on the fakeers (or villains) and 

 now and then some plunder from the Sikhs, he is able to maintain an 

 efficient body of 1,500, or perhaps 2,000 footmen; and 5,000 of his tribe 

 will rally round him on emergency. To his soldiers he gives but three 

 rupees a month ; but living is very cheap in this frugal country, where 

 flesh is rarely eaten, and a fowl is a luxury. Mokurrib Khan has but 

 few horsemen ; he was endeavouring to raise a corps when I left him. 

 His father is said to have left about 30,000 rupees in cash, besides valu- 

 able property in shawls, &c. the accumulated plunder of years. Arsilla 

 Khan keeps up more horses than any other chief of the plain, but if the 

 Sikhs left the country, he would sink into insignificance, and would be 

 obliged to make terms with Mokurrib. Ahmed Khan and others are 

 well inclined towards him, (for he is a liberal man, and bears a fair 

 character) and would not permit him to be altogether crushed by the 

 Punjtaris. 



Of the military strength of the other chiefs, it is not worth speaking ; 

 each of them keeps up from two to six hundred followers, horse and foot, 

 chiefly the latter, and they have the power of raising their clans, and 

 have much influence in the " Jeergas," or public meetings, which assemble, 

 to discuss all the more important questions. 



The Eusofzyes, as before remarked, are not the only inhabitants of the 

 Sum. Leaving for the present the original possessors of the country, who 

 are now reduced to the condition of Helots ; the other tribes are the 

 Gudoons, the Khuttuks, the Baeezyes, and the Mamunzyes (the Maho- 

 medzyes of Elphinstone) ; but these last may be considered as separate 

 from the Sum, and will not be further mentioned here. 



The Gudoons, called also Gudans, and east of the Indus, Judoons, are a 

 Kaukur tribe, who migrated into these parts, perhaps two centuries ago. 

 They are divided into two great branches, Salar and Munsoor, of whom 

 the first are settled to the east of Punjtar, and the rest in Drumtour. 

 The Salars are said to have 64 villages, and to muster 6,000 matchlocks ; 

 their government is a democracy, more rigid than that even of the Eusofzyes. 

 I was nearly causing a quarrel at Grenduf, their chief town, by inadvertently 

 asking who was their head Mullik. We were much struck by the appearance 

 of wealth and comfort of their villages, which are large and populous, 



