in the kingdom of Cokaun or Terghauna, and in the Indian Desart), and asses are employed in some parts of Afghaunistaun. Grain, manure, &c. are generally carried about the farm by asses or bullocks, and sometimes by camels: carts, as has been observed, do not exist in the country.

4.89

CHAP. XII.

TAUJIKS, HINDKEES, AND OTHER INHABITANTS OF AFGHAUNISTAUN.

IT

T has been observed, that there is scarcely any part of Afghaunistaun in which the whole population is Afghaun, and that the mixture is composed of Taujiks in the West, and of Hindkees in the East. I now proceed to give an account of those classes, and of the other tribes and nations that are to be met with in Afghaunistaun. *

The situation in which we find the Taujiks is calculated to excite a degree of curiosity, which my information is ill calculated to remove. The Taujiks are not united into one body, like most other nations, or confined to one country, but are scattered unconnected through a great

*Bauber enumerates the tribes which inhabited Caubul in his day. In the plain were Toorks, Eimauks, and Arabs. In the towns, and in some villages, Taujiks, Pushauees, and Puraunchehs. In the hills were Hazaurehs, Togderrees, Afghauns, and Caufers. The languages spoken among these tribes, were Arabic, Persian, Toorkee, Moghoollee, Hindee, Afghaunee, Pushauee, Puraunchee, Gubree, Bur

part of Asia. They are mixed with the Uzbeks through the greater part of their dominions, in the same manner as with the Afghauns. The fixed inhabitants of Persia are called Taujiks, in contradistinction to their Tartar invaders ; and also to the moving tribes, who seem to have been originally Persian. They are found even in Chinese Toorkistaun; and they possess independent governments in the mountainous countries of Kurrategeen, Durwauz, Wukkeekha, and Budukhshaun. Except in those strong countries, and in a few sequestered places, which will be mentioned hereafter, they are never found formed into separate societies, but mixed with the ruling nation of the country they inhabit; and generally wearing the dress, and practising most of the customs of that nation. In Persia, the plains of Afghaunistaun, and the Uzbek country, they appear to have been settled before the arrival of the nations which are now predominant in those countries.

The name of Taujik is rather loosely used. It is sometimes applied to all persons mixed with the Toorks or Afghauns, who are not sprung from those stocks, or rather whose race is unknown; but it is with more propriety confined to those inhabitants of countries where Toorkhee and Pushtoo are spoken, whose vernacular language is Persian. The names of Taujik and Parseewaun are indeed used indis

criminately both in Afghaunistaun and Toorkistaun. *

Various accounts of the word Taujik have been given; but the best seems to be that which derives it from Tausik or Taujik, the name applied to the Arabs in all Pehlevee writings. This agrees with the interpretation given in many Persian dictionaries, which state Taujik to mean a descendant of Arabs, born in Persia, or any other foreign country. † This account is consistent with the conjectures one would be led to regarding the Taujiks, from a consideration of their present state, and of the history of the countries where they chiefly dwell. In the course of the first century, after the flight of Mahommed from Mecca, the whole of Persia and the Uzbek country were invaded and re

*The Afghauns also call the Taujiks Deggauns or Dehkauns, and the Uzbeks call them Serds or Serts; but these names are considered as reproachful. Our travellers call those in Toorkistaun, Bokhaurs.

† See the Persian dictionary, called the Burhaun Kataa, in verbo Taujik; and that called Farhang i Ibrahim Shahi, quoted by Doctor Leyden, in his account of the Roushenia sect (Asiatic Researches). I am aware that other books give contradictory explanations of this word; but none seems entitled to equal credit with the one I have adopted, supported as it is by the Pehlevee word above-mentioned, which means an Arab, and by the Persian word Tauzee, which has the same meaning. My authority for the Pehlevee word is Moolla Ferooz, a Guebre priest, well known in the

duced by the Arabs, who compelled the inhabitants to adopt their religion, and along with it a portion of their manners and language. Afghaunistaun was attacked at the same time; but the success of the invaders is known to have been less complete. They succeeded in conquering the plains; but the mountains held out, and repelled the approaches of Mahomedanism for near three centuries. The three countries under discussion formed parts of the Persian empire, and the languages of the inhabitants were probably all derived from the ancient Persian stock. When those inhabitants were subdued and converted by the Arabs, they formed the modern Persian, by a mixture of their former language with that of their conquerors; and, it is probable, that in time the two nations were blended into one, who were the ancestors of the present Taujiks. The facts which are recorded of Afghaunistaun suit well with this supposition; for in the next accounts which we have of that country after the Arab invasion, we find the Taujiks in possession of the plains, and the Afghauns (whom we have every reason to consider as the Aborigines) in the mountains. The Afghauns have since descended and conquered the plains, and have reduced the Taujiks into a state of entire dependency, except in one or two strong countries, where these last were enabled to maintain a certain degree of inde