1845.] An account of the Early Abdalees. 455 



dead, a brother of my Aleezye informant, were reckoned almost the only 

 men in Afghanistan who possessed a knowledge of Afghan history. 



Some say, that Umar was told in a dream by a vision of his forefather 

 Eesa, to name his sons Saleh and Soda. Saleh became the disciple of a 

 saint, gave up the world, and passed his time in austere devotions. 



When Umar reached the age of 89, Sado being 25 years old, and 

 Saleh 60, he collected his tribe and informed them that as his end 

 was approaching, he must name a successor. That as for Saleh, he 

 had given up the world, and was in no way adapted for the chiefship. 

 That Sado had been nominated by the Aleezye Fakeers, Ako, Khalo 

 and Mando, and was moreover thought by him the most fit. The tribe 

 immediately confirmed, as did Saleh who, when doing so, spoke these 

 words : " I have five sons ; Durkhan, Ibrahim-khan, Bazeed-khan, Maya 

 and Alo, who again have children. Let Sado exempt the whole of my 

 descendants from taxation of every kind as long as the chiefship remains 

 in the house of Sado." This was agreed to by Sado before his father 

 and the tribe. 



Umar and Saleh then girt Sado's loins. This is still a custom in 

 Afghanistan. On a king ascending the throne, some saintly character 

 of great fame is sent for, who undoes his own " langootee," and puts 

 it round the waist of the king, who in return invests the saint with 

 a splendid dress of honor. Sado's turban was then put on by Alee, the 

 son of Mando Aleezye, and all the people prayed for his long life and 

 prosperity. 



Some time after the accession of Sado, KhajaKhidr and Ismail, grand- 

 sons of Neknam, a Barikzye Malik, rebelled against his authority, and 

 refused to admit his " Mahsals," revenue collectors and bailiffs, into their 

 districts ; on the plea that their progenitor Barak ruled for fifteen years, 

 and that Popal got the chiefship unjustly, and by boyish blandishments. 

 They agreed to give a sheep or two now and then, according to their 

 ability, but would not agree to the daily demands and constant sending 

 of Mahsals, some of whom they forcibly ejected from their districts. 

 On hearing this, Sado became furious, and collected his force. Other 

 Barikzyes came and begged forgiveness, entreating Sado not to attend to 

 what a few fools or madmen said ; and promised themselves to punish their 

 rebellious fellow tribesmen. By this Sado was pacified, and appointing 

 other chiefs, and giving them his countenance, deputed them to punish 



