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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



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Ghazni and Kandahar to the west, to- 

 ward Herat. 



Authorities differ as to the exact origin 

 of the Afghans, but the old theory that 

 they are of Semitic extraction is now dis- 

 credited ; it seems more probable that 

 they are merely a mixture of Turanian 

 tribes, developed here through many cen- 

 turies of raids, migrations, and tribal 

 changes. 



In physical appearance the Afghan is 

 a sort of Turco-Iranian type, the minor 

 tribal divisions in the east of the country 

 showing also a mixture of Indian blood. 

 (The name " Afghan," or "Agwan," is 

 of comparatively recent usage.) 



The tribes are divided into minor clans, 

 called "Khel," and they live almost en- 

 tirely off their herds of cattle, camels, 

 and sheep. Here, as in India, deaths 

 from snake-bites are numerous ; scor- 

 pions and tarantulas also enliven the no- 

 mad's life, and in winter the felt-floored 

 tents are alive with vermin. Few real 

 Afghans are found in the settlements or 

 towns ; they instinctively cling to the 

 wild, free life of the open ranges. 



War is the chief occupation of all these 

 tribes ; they constantly quarrel among 

 themselves and seldom intermarry. 



PERSIAN CULTURE HAS MOLDED AFGHAN- 

 SOCIAL LIFE 



Though the language of the Afghan 

 originated from the old Iran idiom, it 

 shows now the mark of Indian influence. 

 In writing, the Afghan uses a sort of 

 Arab character — that is, one of those 

 alphabets which as children we used to 

 call "fishworm letters." His meager lit- 

 erature, modeled after the poetry of Per- 

 sia, is also influenced by Islam. 



Persian culture has molded the social 

 life in Afghanistan through centuries; 

 notwithstanding the religious hatred be- 

 tween the Sunnis and the Shias, Persian 

 customsi have been more or less adopted 

 in the upper ranks of all middle Asiatic 

 Moslem society. 



From the Persians the Afghans got the 

 idea of marrying more than one wife; 

 but, like the Persians, too, they have 

 found, to their dismay, that polygamy is 

 nowadays more expensive than exciting. 



Sometimes, when the Amir wants to 

 favor his faithful officials with presents, 



