Bajour is bounded on the west by the southern projection of Hindoo Coosh, and on the east by the hills of the Otmaunkhail. These ranges also close it on the north, so as to leave but a narrow opening into Punjcora; on the south it has the hills of the Upper Momunds. It is an undulating plain, about twenty-five miles long from east to west, and twelve from north to south. Several long and wide valleys run down to it from the surrounding mountains, which in other places are inaccessible, not more from their steepnesss than from the thick woods with which they are covered. The plain resembles that of Peshawer, which it equals in fertility; wheat is the chief produce. It is divided by a stream which rises in the southern projection, receives a brook from each of the valleys, and, after joining the Daunishkool, in the country of the Upper Momunds, falls into the river of Swaut above Hushtnugger. The two chief towns, Bajour and Nawagye, contain each about one thousand houses. The plain is connected with Punjcora by a long valley which ascends to the latter district; it is called Berawul; part of it is well cultivated, but the rest is occupied by a deep forest of various trees, among which are the oak, and perhaps the cedar *. The forest abounds in wild beasts, and is in most parts so thick, as to exclude the sun, and almost to keep off the rain. Berawul is distinguished from the rest of Bajour, by its having a separate chief.

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Bajour belongs to the Afghaun tribe of Turcolaunee, or Turkau

orchards of Mangoe trees, and filled with populous towns and flourishing villages. The city of Barelly is one of the largest and finest in India; and an agreeable little town called Nugeena, where I was encamped for some weeks, contains at least 18,000 inhabitants, although it is in no map, and is scarcely heard of beyond the limits of Rohilcund. The residence of the Nabob is at Rampoor, the manners of which place still resemble those of the Berdooraunees. Pushtoo is the principal language, and one sees in the square before the Nabob's palace, fair, strong, and handsome young men, sitting or lounging on beds, with that air of idleness and independence which distinguishes the Eusofzyes.

* It is called Billundzye, and is said to be a very lofty tree, like a fir, but with red wood.

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nee, but it also contains other inhabitants; the upper hills being inhabited by converted Caufirs, the lower by Hindkees, and the plain by a mixture of all tribes and nations, confounded under the common name of Roadbaurees. The number of the Turcolaunees amount to ten or twelve thousand families, and those of the other inhabitants may be guessed at thirty thousand souls.

The Turcolaunees are under the government of a chief, called by the peculiar name of Bauz, who has great power over his tribe. The Caufirs pay him tribute, the Hindkees pay him a tax, and the Roadbaurees rent their land of him for a fifth of its produce. This gives him a revenue of one hundred thousand rupees, by which he is enabled to keep up some hundred horse, and a considerable body of foot, of whom he furnishes five hundred to the royal army. He administers justice in his tribe, with power to banish, beat, or bind. He, however, seldom interposes, unless the public peace is disturbed, and he seldom calls a Jeerga.

This absolute government, and the want of Fakeers, make the character of the Turcolaunees a contrast to that of the Eusofzyes, whom they resemble in their food, lodging, and habits of life. Though brave, they are industrious, but cheerful and fond of amusement. The often meet to converse, sing, and play on the guitar; and they have even some of the active games of Khorassaun. The few I have seen, seemed to bear some resemblance to the Mussulmans of India, particularly of the Deckan: like them they were civil and obsequious, but boastful; and lively, but hurried and confused; like them also they spoke much, and used a great deal of gesture. Their dress is the Afghaun cameess, and a little cap of wrought silk. They frequently invade the Caufirs for plunder, and to carry off slaves; the Caufirs retaliate, but only by ambuscades and surprises, being too weak for open war.

At present the Turcolaunees are broken into two divisions, in consequence of the government's being disputed between the two nephews of the late Bauz.

The hills of the Otmaunkhail separate Swaut from Bajour. They are divided from the lower ranges of Hindoo Coosh, to which they evidently belong, by the valley of Punjcora. They are of considerable but unequal heighth. The snow lies for five or six months on the highest. Their northern face, though steep, has a gradual ascent, but the southern face is abrupt and precipitous; cattle often fall from the cliffs, and are dashed to pieces. The northern side is partially cleared, and cultivated. Almost the whole of the cultivation is carried on on terraces *, rising above each other on the slopes of the

mountains.

Besides these hills, the Otmaunkhail have a slip of level country on the skirts of Bajour, and two long but narrow valleys which open into Lower Swaut.

The Otmaunkhails come abroad so little, that I never saw one at Peshawer, and have met but one since I was there. They are on bad terms with their neighbours, who have given them the character of a barbarous and lawless horde; they describe them as tall, stout, and fair, but say that they often go naked from the waist upwards, that the women labour like the men, and that every thing among them shews the absence of civilization.

But the Otmaunkhail whom I have seen, was himself a mild and intelligent man, and gave the following account of his tribe.

They have a Khaun, who possesses great power, and punishes bloodshed by heavy fines, and by awarding compensation to the relations of the deceased.

They have frequent quarrels among themselves, but not so many as the Eusofzyes; and they are at war with the Turcolaunees.

* I have never seen these terraces in the Otmaunkhail country, but if they resemble those I have seen in the country under Sreenuggur, no mode of cultivation can be imagined that requires greater industry, and makes less returns. In that country, walls are made along the sides of the hills, and filled with soil from the lower part of the hill; the walls are from three to ten feet high, and the terraces about five yards broad. The walls are soon concealed by grass and other vegetation, and as they are never straight, but consult the bends in the surface of the hills, the effect is pleasing and picturesque,

Their dress is like that of Bajour, and in their customs, with respect to women they do not differ much from their neighbours. They are a sober people, and have none of the vices of the Eusofzyes. They live in small villages of from ten to sixteen terraced houses. On the whole, they are probably less civilized than their neighbours, and the strength of their own country may tempt them to plunder, as it secures them impunity.

They are never reckoned at less than ten thousand families, a great number, considering the nature of their country, but rendered more reasonable by the circumstance of their having no other subjects or Fakeers.

The hills of Otmaunkhail turn to the westward when they approach the Caubul river, and stretch in that direction nearly to the river of Kaushkar, where they are joined by other branches from the southern projection of Hindoo Coosh. All this part of the hills belongs to the Upper Momunds, who also possess the plain between their hills and the Caubul river, and part of the nearest hills and plain on the southern side of the same stream. The southern part of their country is included in Khyber, and for this reason, the Upper Momunds are often counted among the Khyberees.

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The hills are generally low, but stony and rugged. Snow only lies on them for a few days, except on Caubul Suffer (a hill near the north bank of the river). They are bare, except in some places, where they have thickets and scattered bushes of different kinds, and (in some hollows) the usual mountain trees. Many parts of them are uninhabited.

The wastes are covered with a bush called Murriz, which is like the top of a palm tree, but is no higher than a man.

The climate is cold for four months; but the heat of summer is extreme. The sumoon is often fatal, and the blasts from Maur Coh (one of the hills south of the river), are the dread of all travellers in the hot season.

The Currapa Pass, which leads from Peshawer to Jellallabad, is in the Momund country; it is sometimes travelled, but as it abounds in

rugged ascents and defiles, and as the Caubul river, there stony and rapid, must be often crossed, the southern road through Khyber, is generally preferred.

The numbers of the Upper Momunds are said to be ten thousand families; a population in which I can scarcely believe, as many parts of the hills are uninhabited, and others thinly peopled, while the population of the plains is probably composed in part of Hindkees.

The government is singular. The direct power of the Khaun is small, except in military expeditions, but his influence with the Mulliks is great, and their authority is strong in their clans. The Khaun takes no share in the administration of justice, the Mulliks settle disputes by means of Jeergas. The Khaun derives no revenue from the tribe, and has no greater share in the Momund country than any other individual; but he holds some lands of the King, and receives a pension besides ; in return, he is answerable for the safety of travellers in the Currapa Pass, and furnishes from three to five hundred horse for the royal army. Travellers would be plundered who attempted to go through the Momund country alone, but a single Momund will pass a whole caravan.

Their dress and food are like those of Bajour, but their dwellings are hovels made of mats.

They live in very small hamlets, and the shepherds are scattered over the hills in single cottages, which are only inhabited in summer. Their large villages, Laulpoora, Kaumeh, and Goshteh, contain only terraced houses, and are considerable places. The two last are walled. They are inhabited by chiefs and their retainers (who are not generally Momunds), and by Hindkees.

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Most of the country people are employed in agriculture, and some in feeding flocks on the uninhabited parts of the hills. In winter, these employments are suspended, and they fill up their time at home, with making mats, sandals, &c. from the leaves of the dwarf palm. They export their mats to Peshawer, and also carry grain to the large villages, receiving returns in salt, cotton cloth, coarse silks, and some other articles.