334 Notes on Kdfiristdn. [No. 4. 



original of the, very probably, Hellenized word Kartazonon, which 

 is evidently compounded of j*., khar, an ass, and <D\j^ tdzdn, the 

 present participle of the Persian verb ^-^^ tdkhtdn, to run, etc. ; 

 thus combined — Mar-i-tdzdn, " the swift or fleet ass." iElian's 

 designation for the wild-ass thus appears plain enough, the guttural 

 hh of the Persians and 'Arabs, having been dropped for simple h. 



Other remarks, however, of Ctesias, that the animal in question 

 possesses huckle-bones, leads me to believe that neither wild-ass nor 

 rhinoceros is referred to ; and gives me a ray of light in the matter. 

 That author says Jbe himself saw such a huckle-bone, which resem- 

 bled that of an ox, but was as heavy as lead, and of a bright red 

 colour ; and moreover that " the animal was as much hunted for its 

 huckle bones as for its horns."* 



The Grhalzi tribe of Afghans, at the present day, are passionately 

 fond of a game played with a certain number of huckle-bones placed 

 in a ring something like the game of marbles, and aimed at by the 

 player with another huckle-bone discharged from between the finger 

 and thumb. The huckle-bones of an animal known as the takah 

 are particularly sought after on account of their size, strength, and 

 great weight. These are coloured red by exposing them to the smoke 

 of a fire. The game is called bijal-bdzi from bijal a huckle-bone ; 

 and is very ancient. The animal is described as being about the 

 size of an ass or pony ; in figure like a deer, but more stoutly built. 

 The hair is deep fawn colour, and grows to six or eight inches in 

 length on the shoulders ; belly white ; horns long, black, and very 

 stout, and sloping parallel to the neck ; and from catching in the 

 branches of the trees on the animal's raising its head whilst grazing, 

 often occasion its capture, which otherwise is very difficult from its 

 swiftness, and its always keeping to the mountains. The takah is 

 found in all the alpine regions of Afghanistan as far south as Kalat- 

 i-Ghalzi, and as far west as the mountains of the Hazarahjat between 

 Kabul and Herat. This is evidently the Kartazonon which has 

 puzzled the philosophers. 



The rivers of Kafiristan and the surrounding regions of the Hindu 

 Kush abound in fish ; but they are not used by the Kafirs for food, 

 being held in great detestation by them ; and they do not appear 

 * Ibid : Pp. 335, 336. 



