568 Some Remarks on the Origin of the Afghan people. [No. 6. 



The children of Afghana who had now become a numerous people, 

 and had, up to this time, paid obedience to the authority of their 

 chief, began to show symptoms of restlessness, and dislike to the 

 yoke of Habib's supremacy. At length they commenced quarrelling 

 amongst themselves, and the Ichails or clans of every village having 

 declared themselves independent, set about nominating their own 

 chiefs. All was uproar and confusion ; the rich tyrannized over the 

 poor, and the strong plundered the property of the weak ; might 

 was right, and villainy, impiety, and depravity reigned supreme. 



Malik Habib endeavoured for a long time to stem this torrent of 

 rebellion, and regain his lost authority over his people, but without 

 success ; and at length not one tribe remained on his side. The 

 Tarins, Barechis, Ghalzo'es, Kakurs, Shiranis, and others, each set 

 up one of their own tribe as pretenders to the chieftainship, raised 

 the standard of revolt, and commenced a civil war. The life of 

 Habib was spent in civil contentions, which were entirely without 

 avail. He had three sons — Bami, Jsmaail, and Hasan, from the two 

 last of whom are descended the clans of Ismaailzo'e, and Hasanzo'e. 



Bami, who was of a mild disposition, and possessed of many excel- 

 lent qualities, succeeded his father as nominal head of the Afghans. 

 Sultan Bahlol Ludhi, and his son Sikunder, emperors of Hindustan, 

 were on friendly terms with him, and sent him from time to time 

 various costly presents. This produced great envy in the hearts of 

 the pretenders to the chieftainship, and they despatched agents with 

 presents to these potentates. Their agents without being admitted 

 to an audience even, were dismissed with the answer, that the Sul- 

 tans neither knew of, nor recognized any other head of the Afghans 

 than Malik Bami. He had four sons — Salih, Ali, Zaiyl, and Waru- 

 kah. They were fathers of large families, and their names have 

 been perpetuated in the separate clans, bearing their respective 

 names. 



Bami died at an advanced age, and the shadow of chieftainship 

 which now alone remained, descended to his eldest son Salih, who 

 became head of the Habibzo'e tribe, which consisted of the three 

 smaller ones of Ali, Zaiyl and Warukah, just mentioned, who ac- 

 knowledged and supported his authority. He was a man of great 

 piety and generosity, and his threshold was never clear from the 



