AND ITS FOUNDER. S£3 



Bayezid commencing with the Afghans of Gkarihel, had now gained 

 over and perverted the whole tribe of Khalil, and also obtained followers 

 amono- many of the other tribes of Afghans, and in particidar among 

 the Mahmudzei. The Mahmudzii are a powerful tribe, who inhabit the 

 distridl of Hashtnagar, anciently termed Ashtanagara, and which seems 

 to have formed a part of the country of the ancient Aspagani, mentioned 

 by Pliny * from whom the Afghd?is of the present day, most probably 

 derive their name. The country of Hashtnagar has an advantageous 

 central situation, in the middle of the vast region to which the name of 

 Pokhtankhd , or Afghdtiistan is generally given, and which may be rough- 

 ly estimated at about looo miles in length, and s5o in breadth. In 

 the early Moslem times, this region was generally denominated Roh, 

 The distri6l of Hashtnagar derives its name, which signifies the eight 

 townships, from the eight original settlements of the country, which are 

 supposed to correspond to the eight following distri61:s. i.^Ndw Sheherah. 

 S. Charsad'a^ including Pdrang and Hes'dr. 3. Rizzar. 4. Otmanzei, 



A 



5. Turungzii. 6. Omarzci. j. Sherpdi. S. Tanggeh or Barkazei. The 

 region of Hashtnagar is universally reckoned by the Afghdns, the 

 place of their original settlement in Afghanistan. The tribe of the 

 Mahmudzei, says Akhu'n Derwe'zeh, were at this time a very ignorant 

 set, in point of religious knowledge. Allured by the reputation of Ba'yezid, 

 numbers of them went to visit him, and were seduced by the craft of the 

 arch-apostate ; and his success was rendered com pleat, by the invitation 



Plin, Nat Hist, 1. VI. Cap, 2L 



