1879.] during the Campaign of 1878-79. 7a 
ones in different parts of the valley. Every possible spot was terraced, and 
there did not seem room for another acre of cultivation in the neighbour- 
hood. 
They had a descent of over 2000 feet, and at 5,200 reached the beauti- 
ful mountain torrent that waters the cultivation. Crossing it by a wooden 
bridge, they passed under groves of walnuts and along the edge of delight- 
ful terraces of waving wheat. There was foaming and rushing water every- 
where, and creepers and ferns grew in the crevices of the rocks, and on the 
flatter parts of the craggy spurs grew oaks and wild olive. Houses built 
partly of wood and partly of stone, with flat roofs and carved supporting 
posts and bearers, were situated here and there, sometimes in groups and 
sometimes singly on the most exposed positions. The chief Azim Khan 
conducted Major Tanner to a house some 200 feet above the stream and 
about half a mile from the chief town. Up the valley, looking past walnut 
groves, terraces and hamlets, he could just see the round snow peaks of 
Kind, rising out of the black pine forests that clothe the mountains from 
7000 to about 11,000 feet. Below were groves, scattered houses and the 
roaring torrent fed by the snows of Kind. From all he could gather this 
collection of villages does not much differ from those of the Kafirs who 
build partly of wood and partly of stone. 
Major Tanner says of the principal village that the houses are piled 
one above another, and every beam, doorway and shutter carved in a most 
elaborate manner. The designs are crude, itis true, but such a mass of 
carving he had never before seen anywhere. 
In the principal town there are many hundred houses, and in the whole 
group he was told there were 1000, and this cannot be over the mark. 
Major Tanner’s arrival caused a disturbance on the part of the inhabi- 
tants which was only put down by the Chief’s authority. He is all power- 
ful and his word appears to be law. 
In Aret, the largest Chugani colony, there is no baniya, so that the 
people have to take their goods two days’ journey before they can find a 
market. 
Major Tanner found Chiganistan more extensive than he had been 
given to understand it was. What the number of the tribe may be Azim 
Khan could not say, but in the valley of Aret alone, there must be at least 
5000 and they have many villages, or rather the heads of many valleys, 
the lower portions of which are inhabited chiefly by the Safis, the heredi- 
tary enemies of the Chiganis. The Safis are Afghans and the Chiganis 
in Major Tanner’s opinion are converted Kafirs. He liked the Chiganis ; 
they are a quiet set, said to be faithful to their masters and true to their 
engagements. They are brave and well-disposed towards the English and, 
