1854.] Some Remarks on the Origin of the Afghan people. 569 



crowds of poor, nor his table from the numerous guests. In his life- 

 time Shir Shah, and Salim Shah, who were of the Shorkhail branch 

 of the Afghans, sat on the throne of Delhi ; and the friendship which 

 had sprung up between his father and the Ludhia Emperors, was 

 renewed and kept up with the former princes also. At length the 

 vicissitudes of fortune wrested the sovereignty from the grasp of the 

 Ludhis, and placed it in the hand of the Moghal ; but when Shir 

 Shah in the year 951 of the Hijerah,* sallied forth to regain the throne 

 of his ancestors, the Afghans assisted him with a powerful force of 

 their countrymen, and Hindustan was regained. "When the agents 

 of Malik Salih presented his letter of congratulation to Shir Shah, 

 the Emperor observed to his ministers and court, that Malik Salih 

 was not only his own chieftain, but that his forefathers, from the 

 time of Malik Afghan, were the chiefs of his forefathers also ; and 

 that the family of Malik Salih had no equal in rank amongst the 

 whole of the Afghan tribes. Shir Shah, after thus acknowledging 

 Salih as his head and chief, and treating his agents with great dis- 

 tinction, dismissed them with numerous presents for their master. 



" At length in the reign of Shah Tamasib, Sufawf, in the year of 

 the Hijerah 965, on the night of Monday the 17th of the month Zu'l- 

 hijjah ; the bright orb of Saddo rose from the eastern horizon of the 

 black goat's hair tent of Malik Salih, and diffused his refulgent 

 beams on the surrounding world." 



With the birth of Saddo, the ancestor of the great Ahmed Shah, 

 Abdali, the Introduction to the Tazkirat-ul-Muluk closes. 



Sir John Malcolm's words on the origin of the Afghans are — 

 " Although the right of the Afghans to this proud descent is very 

 doubtful, it ifc evident from their personal appearance, and many of 

 their usages, that they are a distinct race from the Persians, Tar- 

 tars, and Indians, and this alone seems to give credibility to a state- 

 ment which is contradicted by so many strong facts, and of which 

 no direct proof has been produced." 



Sir William Jones was of opinion that the Afghans are the Paro- 

 pamisadsef of the ancients, but this is very improbable, for it is 

 proved by the statements of many authorities, besides that of the 

 * A. D. 1544. 

 t See Quintus Cuitius's Life of Alexander. Book 7. 



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