574 Some Remarks on the Origin of the AfgMn people. [No. 6. 



rect assertion of the learned academican himself, that the Afghans 

 belonged to the Medo-Persic tribe, is at variance with it ; the As- 

 sakanes inhabited a country, where even in the 7th century A. D. 

 an Indian language was spoken." 



As the learned professor urges — if the Afghans were the aborigines 

 of the countries they at present inhabit, the Afghanian language 

 must, as as a matter of course, have been generally spoken. Had 

 such been the case, the language on the coins, must have been the 

 source of Push to, but no similarity whatever exists between them. 



The Afghans, although subdivided into numerous tribes, are un- 

 doubtedly one race, and speak one original language. Had they 

 been the aborigines of the country at present known as Afghanistan, 

 we must have heard something of them from ancient writers, for we 

 find that even in the time of Herodotus, Darius had sent an explor- 

 ing expedition under Scylax of Caryanda and others as far as the 

 Indus.* That the whole of the regions west of Jelalabad or even 

 as far west as Kabul, were peopled by a Hindu race, most ancient 

 writers agree to, as also that they were of different tribes, and spoke 

 different languages. Herodotus says — " There are many nations of 

 Indians, and they do not speak the same language as each other ; 

 some of them are Nomades, and others not."f 



Again the father of History observes. " There are other Indians 

 bordering on the city of Caspatyrus and the country of Pactyica, set- 

 tled northwards of the other Indians, whose mode of life resembles 

 that of the Bactrians." % The country here referred to, the same as 

 Scylax and his companions started from on their voyage down the 

 river, is the present district of Pakhli, north of Attak. The Indians 

 are in all probability the ancestors of the race who still occupy that 

 district, the Suwatees, and the people of Astor and Gilgit. 



* '• A great part of Asia was explored under the direction of Darius. He, being 

 desirous to know where the Indus, which is the second river that produces 

 crocodiles, discharged itself into the sea, sent in ships both others on whom he could 

 rely to make a true report, and also Scylax of Caryanda. They accordingly, setting 

 out from the city of Caspatyrus and the country of Pactyice, sailed down the river 

 towards the east and sunrise to the sea." Melpomene IV. 44. 



t Ibid. Thalia. III. 98. 



% Thalia, III. 102. 



