The Indian Frontier Trouble.

Hastings Standard, Issue 456, 21 October 1897, Page 4

The Indian Frontier Trouble.

RUTHLESS, COWARDLY, AND TREACHEROUS AFRIDIS. As the Afridis have now fully committed themselves, says the Indian Pioneer of September 2, it may be interesting to give some farther particulars of this powerful tribe. Paget and Mason's book, which is a record of the expeditions undertaken against the tribes on the North-west frontier, is the most trustworthy authority to consult, and from it we gather the following details. The Afridis hold the country to the south of the Khyber, and the whole tribe covers an area of about 900 square miles. In the summer the majority of the Afridis move to Tirah, a high plateau inhabited by the Orakzai, and it is there that the expedition has gone after them. The Rajgal and Maidan Valleys are studded with their mat huts during the hot weather, and their flocks and herds find good pasturage. One tribe always resort to Rajgal, while Maidan is left for the other clans. In the winter the whole population swarms down into the Bara and Bazar Valleys, and also into the low hills bordering the Jamrud Plain. Tirah" has never been visited by our troops, and it is regarded as the Afridi stronghold. In the Afghan war of 1878-80 two expeditions, were sent into the Bazar Valley, but it was not considered expedient to enter the Rajgal and Maidan valleys, as this would have involved the employment of at least 10,000 men. The Afridis muster in all some 26,000 or 27,000 fighting men, of whom about GOOO belong to the Adom'Khel tribe, 4500 to the Zakka Khel, and 4000 each toKukj

Milikdin, and Kambar Khel. The Kuki Khel under Amin Khan were the clan which recently sent levies iiitj the Khyber, and their standing feud against tho Malikdin Khel may prevent a portion of them joining in the present rising. J

The Afridis are men of line physique and grand fighting qualities, but their general character is of the worst. It is. thus described in the Records of expeditions :—Ruthless, cowardly, robbery, cold-blooded, treacherous murder, are to an Afridi the salt of life. Brought up from his earliest childhood amid scenes of appalling treachery and merciless revenge, nothing can change him ; as he has lived, a shameless, cruel savage, so he dies. And it would seem that nothwithstanding their long intercourse with the British, and that very large numbers are, or have been, in our service, and must have learned in some poor way what faith and mercy and justice are, yet the Afridi character is no better than it was in the days of his father. From such material as this, however, good soldiers have been made of the men enlisted in certain native regiments, and the trained Afridi fights with an elan which is highly appreciated by those who lead him. The blood feud 3 and quarrels between the various clans lead to much internal fighting, but it is quite certain that any invasion of their country would see them all united. Even now they seem to have sunk their differences and to have banded together in their hostile demonstration against the British Government, and their temporary success in the Ivhyber may cause all waverers to join the lashkars that are moving on the border. The Adam Khel, for example, may turn out, and then the whole frontier from Jamrud to Kohat will be disturbed, while further south the Orakzai will begin their attacks. It is fortunate that the tribesmen hesitate so long before beginning hostilities, as the delay has enabled the Government to concentrate large forces both at Peshawar and Kohat.