The houses are generally built of mud, cut into smooth and symmetrical walls, and are plastered by a kind of lime called guch. Burnt bricks are very rare, and only the palace of the governor is made partially of them. The walls are roofed by thatch made of “damish” (reeds), which grow abundantly on the banks of the Amoo.
The dress consists of long, flowing choghás (stuffed with cotton) and woollen turbans. The Khatlanis wear a kind of full boot which they call chamush, but lately a kind of shoe is introduced from Russia, and is called nughai.
The country is connected with Yarkand by two roads, one running through Kokand and the other through the Pamir.
The above and following accounts were in answer to questions by Dr. Leitner, whose independent researches regarding Kandiá in 1866-72 were thus corroborated in 1881, and again in 1886, when the photographs which serve as the basis of our illustrations were taken.
IV. THE LANGUAGE, CUSTOMS, SONGS, AND PROVERBS OF GABRIÁL.
Position.—A town in Kandiá, a part of Yaghistan (the independent, or wild, country) situated beyond the river Indus (Hawā-sinn), which separates it from Chilás. The country of Kandiá extends along both sides of the Kheri Ghá, a tributary of the Indus, and is separated from Tangir by a chain of mountains.
The town of Gabriál is situated three days’ march from Jalkôt, in a north-west direction, and is one day’s march from Patan, in a northerly direction. Patan is the chief city of Southern Kandiá.
Inhabitants.—The whole tract of Kandiá can send out 20,000 fighting men. They are divided into the following castes:—
(1) Shîn, the highest, who now pretend to be Quraishes, the Arabs of the tribe to which the Prophet Muhammad belonged. (Harif Ullá, the Gabriáli, and Ghulam Mohammad, of Gilgit, call themselves Quraishes.)