1843.] of the Panjab and Afghanistan. 619 



and told him to count them by fours, telling him that if one remained, 



his project would succeed ; if two, it was doubtful ; and if three, it 



would fail. He counted, and much to his delight, one remained. 



Promising if my prediction came true, he would make me a present of 



a mule, he took his leave. Some hours afterwards, I heard that his 



project had actually succeeded ; which I learnt, to my astonishment, 



was no less a one than eloping with another man's wife. 

 Fulfilment. 



I never however saw him or the mule again. 



The people of Paiwar are enemies of the Jajees, and friends of the 



people of Shilozan. To the west are the Jajees, to the east Shilozan, 



to the north Sufed-koh, and to the south Chamkanee. On starting 



from Paiwar for the Jajee country, as the Mangal robbers infested the 



road, and as there were Kuratn and Sheeah merchants in the caffila, 



guards were procured to pass us over the Paiwar Pass to Kamshal. 



On approaching the Pass, twenty Mangal robbers joined the caffila ; 



and Meerza Safdar Shah entered into conversation with 

 Robbers. 



them, and gave one a lungee, in which he had tied up 



some walnuts and raisins, to carry for him. On crossing the Pass, 



these gentlemen walked off, taking the Meerza's property with them, 



who forthwith vowed never again to make acquaintance on the high 



road. 



29th Mohurrum. — Proceeded from Paiwar seven kos to Maskanee, 



which is in the Mangal territory ; passing the Paiwar 

 Maskanee. 



Pass, which abounds with archah trees. 



30th Mohurrum. — Proceeded seven kos from Maskanee to Sufed- 

 koh, where I was stopt by wind and snow, at a fort in a valley, called 

 Paryan, whence three valleys separate ; one leading to Jajee, the se- 

 cond to Mangal, and the third to Logur. A short time after putting up 

 in the mosque, a good looking young lad made his appearance, and 

 gave me the usual salutation which I acknowledged, then approaching 

 he took my hand, and with a sigh, said he wished to renounce the 

 world and turn fakeer too. On enquiry, I found he had no relations 

 but a widowed mother. I in vain tried to dissuade him, by pointing 

 out the hardships and dangers of a fakeer's life. He insisted on 

 remaining with me, and occupying himself in attending to my wants. 

 When my companions had all fallen asleep, to my horror I found the 

 young scoundrel was a hypocrite, and something much worse, from the 



4 M 



