When an enemy enters their country they whistle so sharply that the sound is heard for miles; then the whole tribe assembles in one place for the defence of their country, with their respective Malaks at their heads.
Mode of Living, and other Social Customs.—In winter they live in the valleys, in houses made of wood and stones; but in summer they leave their houses in the valleys for those on the peaks of mountains, and the mass of the population spends the summer in the cooler region; but those who cultivate the land live the whole day in the valley, and when night comes go up to their houses on the heights. Their food is the bread of wheat, and milk furnished by their herds of cattle (gaómesh, cows, goats, and sheep), which is their sole property. There are no regular Bazárs even in the large villages; but the arrival of a merchant from India is generally hailed throughout the country. The woollen cloth which they use generally is manufactured by them.
Marriage.—Very lately there was a custom amongst them that the young man was allowed to court any girl he wished; but now, from their contact with the Afghans, the system of “betrothal” at a very early age is introduced, and the boy does not go till his marriage to that part of the village in which the girl betrothed to him lives. The Kohistanis say that they have learned three things from the Afghans:—
(1) The use of leathern shoes,
(2) The use of long swords and guns,
(3) The system of betrothal.
III. A ROUGH SKETCH OF KHATLÁN (KOLÁB) AND ADJOINING COUNTRIES.[114]
By Maulvi Najmuddin, a Theologian and Poet from Koláb.
Names of Manzils (Stations) From Kolab to the Punjab.
| کولاب | (1) | Kolab. |
| صیاد | (2) | Sayad. Situated on this side of the Amoo, and belongs to Badakhshan. |
| ین قلع | (3) | Yan-Qalá. |
| چاھیاب | (4) | Chahyáb. Governed then (18 years ago) by Sultan Azdahar, son of Yusuf Ali Khán. |
| دشت سبز | (5) | Dashti-sabz. A halting-place. |
| رستاق | (6) | Rustáq. Governed then by Ismail Khán, son of Yusuf Ali Khán. |
| قزل درہ | (7) | Kizil Dara. |
| الکاشان | (8) | Elkáshán. The Himalaya begins. |
| اتن جلب | (9) | Átin Jalab. Here the river Kokcha[115] is crossed. |
| دشت سفید | (10) | Dasht-e-sufed. |
| فیض اباد | (11) | Faízabad. Capital of Badakhshan; governed then by Jahandár Shah; is situated on the river Kokchá. |
| رباط | (11) | Rubát. |
| دشت فراخ | (12) | Dashti Farákh. |
| وردوج | (13) | Wardúj. Contains a mine of sulphur. |
| (14) | Names are forgotten. | |
| (15) | ||
| زیباق | (16) | Zibáq. Peopled by Shi’as (or rather Muláis). |
| دہ گول | (17) | Deh Gôl. The frontier village of Badakhshán; only a kind of inn. |
| سنگر | (18) | Sanghar. A halting-place. |
| چترال | (19) | Chitrál. Governed then by Aman-ul-mulk (as now). |
| سرغال | (20) | Sarghál. |
| رباطَك | (21) | Rubatak. |
| دیر | (22) | Dír. Governed then by Ghazan Khán. |
| سوات | (23) | Swat. |
| پشاور | (24) | Peshawar. |