DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3909#0164
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neighbours, although all travellers through that inhospitable region, with the exception of
Badakhshan merchants, are impartially attacked by these robbers, whose depredations have
caused the nearest pass from Central Asia to India to be almost entirely deserted. At Ghilghit
I saw the youug Baja of Nagyr, with a servant, also a Nagyri. He was a most amiable and
intelligent lad, whose articulation was very much more refined than that of his companion,
who prefixed a guttural to every Khajuna word beginning with a vowel. The boy was
kept a prisoner in the Ghilghit Fort as a hostage to Kashmir for his father's good behaviour,
and it was with some difficulty that lie was allowed to see me and answer certain linguistic
questions which I put to him. If he has not been sent back to his country, it would be a
good opportunity for our Government to get him to the Panjab in the cold weather
with the view of our obtaining more detailed information than we now possess regarding the
Khajuna, that extraordinary language to which I have several times alluded.
The name of Sd, Bask, Raja, applied to Muhammadans, may sound singular to
those accustomed to connect them with Hindu rulers, but it is the ancient name for " King" at
Ghilghit (for which "Nawab" seems a modern substitute in that country)— whilst Shah Kator*
in Chitral, Tham in Hunza and Nagyr, Mitgrr and Bakhte in Yassen and Trakhne in Ghilghit offer
food for speculation. The Hunza people say that the King's race is Mogholote (or Mogul);
they call the King Samoask and affirm that he is Aishea (this probably means that he is
descended from Aisha, the wife of Muhammad). Under the king or chief, for the time being,
the most daring or intriguing hold office and a new element of disturbance has now been
introduced into Dardistan by the Kashmir faction at every court [or rather robber's nest]
which seeks to advance the interests or ulterior plans of conquest of the Maharaja, our
feudatory. Whilst the name of Wazir is now common for a "minister," we find the names
Qf the subordinate offices of Trangpa, Yarfa, Zeytii, Gopa, &c, &c., which point to the
reminiscences of Tibetan Government and a reference to the «'Official Designations " in my
Part II. will direct speculation on other matters connected with the subject.
I need scarcely add that under a Government, like that of Chitral, which used to derive
a lar*e portion of its revenue from kidnapping, the position of the official slave-dealer (Diwan-
bigijt was a high one. Shortly before I visited Ghilghit, a man used to sell for a good hunting
doo-(of which animal the Dards are very fond) two men for a pony and three men for a large
piece of pattfi (a kind of woollen stuff). Women and weak men received the preference, it being-
difficult for them to escape once they have reached their destination. Practically, all the hill-
men are republicans. The name for servant is identical with that of " companion ; " it is only
the prisoner of another tribe who is a " slave." The progress of Kashmir will certainly
have the effect of stopping, at any rate nominally, the trade in male slaves, but it will reduce
* This was the name of the grandfather of Aman-ul-Mulk the present ruler of Chitral. Cunningham says
that the title of " Kathor" has been held for 2000 years. I may incidentally mention that natives of India wlio had visited
Cliitral did not know it by any other name than " Kashghar" the name of the principal town, whilst Chitral was
cailed " a Kafir village surrounded by mountains" by Neyk Muhammad, a Lnghmani Kimtsha (or half) Mussulman.
t This designation is really that of the Minister of Finances.
neighbours, although all travellers through that inhospitable region, with the exception of
Badakhshan merchants, are impartially attacked by these robbers, whose depredations have
caused the nearest pass from Central Asia to India to be almost entirely deserted. At Ghilghit
I saw the youug Baja of Nagyr, with a servant, also a Nagyri. He was a most amiable and
intelligent lad, whose articulation was very much more refined than that of his companion,
who prefixed a guttural to every Khajuna word beginning with a vowel. The boy was
kept a prisoner in the Ghilghit Fort as a hostage to Kashmir for his father's good behaviour,
and it was with some difficulty that lie was allowed to see me and answer certain linguistic
questions which I put to him. If he has not been sent back to his country, it would be a
good opportunity for our Government to get him to the Panjab in the cold weather
with the view of our obtaining more detailed information than we now possess regarding the
Khajuna, that extraordinary language to which I have several times alluded.
The name of Sd, Bask, Raja, applied to Muhammadans, may sound singular to
those accustomed to connect them with Hindu rulers, but it is the ancient name for " King" at
Ghilghit (for which "Nawab" seems a modern substitute in that country)— whilst Shah Kator*
in Chitral, Tham in Hunza and Nagyr, Mitgrr and Bakhte in Yassen and Trakhne in Ghilghit offer
food for speculation. The Hunza people say that the King's race is Mogholote (or Mogul);
they call the King Samoask and affirm that he is Aishea (this probably means that he is
descended from Aisha, the wife of Muhammad). Under the king or chief, for the time being,
the most daring or intriguing hold office and a new element of disturbance has now been
introduced into Dardistan by the Kashmir faction at every court [or rather robber's nest]
which seeks to advance the interests or ulterior plans of conquest of the Maharaja, our
feudatory. Whilst the name of Wazir is now common for a "minister," we find the names
Qf the subordinate offices of Trangpa, Yarfa, Zeytii, Gopa, &c, &c., which point to the
reminiscences of Tibetan Government and a reference to the «'Official Designations " in my
Part II. will direct speculation on other matters connected with the subject.
I need scarcely add that under a Government, like that of Chitral, which used to derive
a lar*e portion of its revenue from kidnapping, the position of the official slave-dealer (Diwan-
bigijt was a high one. Shortly before I visited Ghilghit, a man used to sell for a good hunting
doo-(of which animal the Dards are very fond) two men for a pony and three men for a large
piece of pattfi (a kind of woollen stuff). Women and weak men received the preference, it being-
difficult for them to escape once they have reached their destination. Practically, all the hill-
men are republicans. The name for servant is identical with that of " companion ; " it is only
the prisoner of another tribe who is a " slave." The progress of Kashmir will certainly
have the effect of stopping, at any rate nominally, the trade in male slaves, but it will reduce
* This was the name of the grandfather of Aman-ul-Mulk the present ruler of Chitral. Cunningham says
that the title of " Kathor" has been held for 2000 years. I may incidentally mention that natives of India wlio had visited
Cliitral did not know it by any other name than " Kashghar" the name of the principal town, whilst Chitral was
cailed " a Kafir village surrounded by mountains" by Neyk Muhammad, a Lnghmani Kimtsha (or half) Mussulman.
t This designation is really that of the Minister of Finances.