1859.] Notes on Kafiristan. 3G7 



descent from the ancient kings of this region, who claim Macedo- 

 nian origin. 



The safest mode of entering the Kafir country, is to get one of 

 them beforehand to become security, after which a person may go 

 from one end of it to the other without the slightest danger. For a 

 European, the best and safest route, I should say — and the one 

 I myself would not hesitate to follow — would be by way of Gilgitt 

 to upper Kashkar or Chitral. In penetrating into Kafiristan from 

 the south, the greatest, and I may say, the sole danger, is from 

 the Tusufzi Afghans, whose territory of Panjkorah must be passed 

 through ; although, with slight trouble, and a little negociation with 

 the chief, G-hazan Khan, I dare say this obstacle might be soon sur- 

 mounted by a European acquainted with the Pus'hto and Persian 

 languages. 



When foreigners enter the territory of the Sfah-posh tribes, they 

 are treated with great kindness and hospitality ; but i\\Qj try by 

 every means to induce strangers to remain, and even offer them their 

 daughters in marriage as an inducement. If a man once allies 

 himself to one of their females, it is extremely difficult to get away 

 again. Their boasting that the Earangi are their brothers, would 

 appear a sufficient guarantee for the safety and kind treatment of any 

 European who may penetrate into their secluded valleys. 



The Kafirs have European features and a highly intellectual cast of 

 countenance. They have both blue and dark eyes, arched eyebrows, 

 long eyelashes, and broad open foreheads. Their hair varies in colour 

 from black to lightish brown ; and both males and females are tall and 

 well made, and of handsome figure. Some of the females are said to 

 be particularly beautiful. They all go about unveiled.* 



* Lieut. Wood thus describes a Kafir that he met with in Badakhshan. " He 

 was an uncommonly handsome man, of about twenty-five years of age, with an 

 open forehead, blue eyes, and bushy arched eyebrows, his hair and whiskers black, 

 and his figure well set and active. Crossed legged he could not sit, for in this 

 respect the Kafirs differ from all eastern nations, and like Europeans prefer a 

 chair or anything raised to a seat on the ground. He gave us an animated 

 account of his countrymen, and pressed us to visit them when the passes opened. 

 As an inducement to do so, he promised us plenty of honey and oceans of wine," 



" JOTTKNEY TO THE OxUS." 



3 b 2 



