1854.] Some Remarks on the Origin of the Afghan people. 563 



the fruits of this amour becoming apparent, the father, to make the 

 best of a bad matter, gave her to him in marriage. Three sons were 

 the offspring of this marriage — Grhalzo'e of whom she was pregnant 

 before the nuptial knot was tied,— Liidhi, and Sarwani. 



The tribes above mentioned are the whole of those who are of pure 

 Afghan descent — the oiFshoots of the three sons of Abd-ur-Rashid, 

 Patau. He was buried at Kaseghar, and succeeded by his eldest 

 son Sari, who was constantly at war with the Kafirs or Infidels. 

 He had two sons — Sharkabun, and Kharshabun. The Sarbans are 

 the descendants of the former, and the Yusufzo'es, Mohmands, 

 Khalils and other tribes inhabiting the plain of Peshtiwer, are the 

 children of the latter. 



On the death of Sari, Sharkabun his son was acknowledged chief 

 of the Afghanah. He was celebrated for his piety and w r isdom. In 

 his wars with the infidels, he not only acquired great wealth, but 

 also increased his territory, and brought many of the neighbouring 

 tribes under his authority. During his chieftainship Kandahar, 

 and Kabul were conquered by Hiijaj bin Yusuf, Sakafi, who was 

 governor of Khorasan for the Khalifah Abd-ul-Malik bin Mirwan 

 who reigned from 692 to 698 A. D. This event greatly increased 

 the authority of Sharkabun, and established his power more firmly 

 than before. 



He is said to have been succeeded by Abdal his son. Some ac- 

 counts mention that he was the son of Sharkabun, and others 

 that he w r as his grandson, but neither of these accounts can be cor- 

 rect, as there is a space of nearly three hundred years between them ; 

 Sharkabun being a cotemporary of Hiijaj bin Yusuf Sakafi, before 

 referred to, whilst Malik Abdal lived in the reign of Mahmiid bin 

 Sabuktagm, who succeeded his father to the throne of Grhazni, in 

 the year of the Hijrah 387. This great hiatus between the reigns 

 of these two chiefs may be accounted for in the following manner. 

 It often happens, that the names of those chiefs who have been 

 celebrated for their wisdom, bravery, piety, or numerous progeny, 

 have been alone handed down to posterity, and those of mediocrity 

 set aside and forgotten. There is an instance of this with regard to 

 Hasham* and Abd-ul-Shams, who were both sons of Abd-ul-Manaf. 

 * The great-grandfather of Muhammad. 



4 E 2 



