1843.] of the Vanjab and Afghanistan. 587 



and had us released, and our property restored ; and taking us with 



him seven kos to Kot-i-Singee, entertained us three 

 Release. 



days, killing a sheep for us every day. Here we 



witnessed a peculiarity in Wazeeree hospitality. The sheep, when 



killed, is brought with all its eatable appurtenances 

 Hospitality. ° rr 



and placed before the guest, the villagers assemble 



round, and every one helps himself to the pieces he likes, which are 

 " kababed" [the breast always,] and the rest is put in a pot to boil. 

 It was the 21st Shawal when I arrived at Kot-i-Singee. The num- 

 ber of fighting men is six thousand, who acknow- 

 ledge no rule. The headman is Dilasa Khan, by 

 tribe a Massaoodkhel Singee Wazeeree. To the east is the Ghola- 

 ree Pass, to the west the hill, to the north Kaneeguram, and to 

 the south Tak. There are nine blacksmith's shops, and three of 

 Hindoos. There is a mud fort, containing four hundred mud houses 

 and woollen tents. Dilassa Khan entrusted me with a letter to Capt. 

 Burnes, and furnished me with a guide to Cohaut, who ran away 

 after having accompanied me three kos. The inhabitants are enemies 

 of the Tak people. Dilasa Khan is suspected, not without reason, 

 of being in the pay of the Sikhs. During ray stay, he pointed 

 out an eminence on which Mr. Moorcroft promised to build a 

 fort for him. The kindness he experienced from the above gentle- 

 man, would at any time incline him to serve the British Govern- 

 ment. 



25th Shawal Proceeded seven kos to Kot-i-Aleekhel, passing 



„ . , ■ , often through water and jungle, and a Pass, which ex- 

 Kot-i-Alee Khel. ° ° ° 



tends to Kaneeguram. The Aleekhels muster four 



thousand fighting men. To the east is Thattee, to the west Bamroo, 



to the north the Ahmadzyes, and to the south the Myanees. I put 



up in the mosque very tired ; scarcely an hour had elapsed when a man 



presented himself, saying his son had a bad ball wound, and wanted 



me to attend him. Being tired and wanting a guide, I told him I 



had not now the requisite apparatus, but if he would send some men 



in charge of his son on with me to the next town, I would try my best. 



To this the man would not consent, and took his leave. The road 



was very bad, and everywhere were veins of iron, and signs of 



where it was being, or had been, worked. 



4 H 



