The Afshars of Maimana
Kaleh-Weli, June
28th — seven parasangs, — over plain, valley, and mountain. At this halt we
entered the district of the Wali of Meimana. Kaleh-weli contain two hundred and
thirty houses, some inhabited by Usbeks, the rest by Kapchaks; a little river
passes through it, flowing northwards. This tribe of Kapchaks has been
decimated by many bloody engagements, and there remain only about eight hundred
tents, furnishing 400 foot-soldiers. They are under the command of two sirdars,
Tooram Khan and Tokhtemish Khan, under the Wali of Meimana, in whose territory
they live.
The
effective force of the Eimaks can only be estimated approximately, and by
report; but I found their country far better populated than I excepted to see
it, or than Europeans generally imagine.
Charchembeh, June
29th — three parasangs — across splendid meadows — a village of three hundred
and eight houses, inhabited by Afshars, Jumshidis, and Kapchaks, dependent on
the Wali of Meimana: it is surrounded by gardens and capital cultivation. We
only breakfasted at this halt, and proceeded to Kaissar, where we slept.
Kaissar, June 29th — there
parasangs of plain — well cultivated all the way. This is a fine village,
giving its name to a district, which includes ten others, each cultivating its
own territory up to the boundary of its neighbor. They are inhabited by
Kapchaks and Firooz Koohis, who have separated from their own tribes.
Meimana, June 30th — eight
parasangs. An hour’s ride was
consumed in passing a rugged mountain, and at the expiration of that time we
reached Nareen, a camp of a thousand tents, pitched in the midst of luxuriant
pasture, watered by beautiful streams. After four hour’s more traveling on this
plain, covered with an Usbek population, we came to Elmar, from which village
we could discern an infinity of others. The population is of a warlike
character, and furnishes the best soldiers of this country. After traveling
three parasangs further amongst the mountains, we came out upon a plain, on
which stands the town of Meimana. It is fortified by a wall, with towers, and
four gates, but no moat: its extent is about two miles; the Usbek population
amounts to from fifteen to eighteen thousand, but there is a small proportion
of Parsivan families also.
Ferrier J. P — Caravan journeys and wanderings in
Persia, Afghanistan, Turkistan, and Beloochistan (1856)
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