828 Description of the Siah-pdshis. [April, 



Deenbur described the mode of life among the Kaffirs to be social, 

 since they frequently assemble at each other's houses or under the trees 

 which embosom them, and have drinking parties. In winter they sit 

 round a fire and talk of their exploits. They drink from silver cups, 

 trophies of their spoil in war. The wine, which is both light and dark, 

 will keep for years and is made by expressing the juice under the feet 

 into a large earthen jar, described to be of delicate workmanship. Old 

 and young of both sexes drink wine, and grape juice is given to children 

 at the breast. A Kaffir slave girl, who became a mother, shortly after 

 her arrival in Cabul, demanded wine or vinegar after the birth of her 

 child, the latter was given to her, she caused five or six walnuts to be 

 burned and put in it, drinking it off and refusing all the luxuries of 

 Cabul. The costume of the nation is better shewn in the accompany- 

 ing sketch than by description ; a successful warrior adds to it a waist- 

 band ornamented with a small belt for every Muhammadan he has killed. 

 The daughter of such a one also, has the privilege of wearing certain 

 ornaments entwined in her hair, made of sea shells or cowries, which 

 no one can usurp without signal punishment. A Hindu, who was pre- 

 sent at a Kaffir marriage, informed me that the bridegroom had his food 

 given to him behind his back because he had not killed a Muhammadan. 

 Enmities frequently arise among them, but the most deadly feud may be 

 extinguished by one of the parties kissing the nipple of his antagonist's 

 left breast, as being typical of drinking the milk of friendship. The 

 other party then returns the compliment by kissing the suitor on the 

 head, when they become friends till death. The Kaffirs do not sell their 

 children to Muhammadans ; though a man, in distress, may sometimes 

 dispose of his servant or steal a neighbour's child and sell it. 



I asked my oldest Kaffir informant if he regretted the loss of his 

 country and he, at once, replied that their Kaffir customs were best but, 

 here, he preferred those of Muhammad. He had, however, imbibed a 

 taste for Islam, and observed that here there was religion and there 

 none. He told me a singular fact of a Kaffir relative of his own, named 

 Shubood, who had been captured and, becoming a Moollah, travelled, 

 under the name of Korosh, into India, returning about three years ago, 

 to Kaffiristan when he made known many things to the Kaffirs which 

 they had never before heard of: after a short stay, he wished to quit the 

 country but he was not permitted. The names of places which Deen- 

 bur remembered were Wygul, Gimeer, Cheemee, Kaygul, Minchgul, 

 Ameeshdesh, Jamuj, Nishaigram, Richgul Deree, Kuttar, Camdesh, 

 Douggul, Pendesh, Villegul and Savendesh. It is however, believed 

 that all the inhabitants of Durai Noor, and other defiles of Hindu 



