'Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde; accompanied by a geographical and historical account of those countries, with a map.' [‎272] (314/476)

272
SUMMARY REMARKS.
the Arabian Prophet; who, they aver, paid them a visit one night,
mounted on a dove, and left several Peers, or saints, amongst them
for their spiritual guidance *. The remains of forty of these deified
preceptors are believed to be buried under a mountain about seventy-
six miles north of Kelat, whence it is called the Kohechihultun, or
mountain of forty bodies f, and flocked to, as a place of Zearut, or
pilgrimage, by both Moosulmans and Hindoos.
Removed as it were from the world, among their native moun
tains, the greater number of Brahooes have not the slightest concep
tion of any thing anterior to Islamism ; except, that an universe did
exist. Thus much they learn from the Koran, and that, even, most
superficially ; for, as few or none of the wildest of them can read that
book, they necessarily trust to the interpretations of illiterate mendi
cants, who find it a lucrative profession, independent of the com
mendation they fancy due to their zeal, to travel from one Kheil to
another, propounding the divine law, as it best suits their purposes.
A religion so uncertain and ill understood, quickly paves the way for
idle romances, and a superstitious proneness to the marvellous and
incredible legends of their forefathers keeps this people in utter
barbarism.
Of the Dehwars I shall say but a few words. I had, at one period
of my inquiries on Beloochistan, conceived them to be a colony of
Guebres or ancient Persians, that had been forced to embrace the
Mohummudan faith, and fled from their persecutors; but by more
recent investigations, I discover that the same people are to be re
cognised in many different parts of Asia by various names, that they
all speak the same pure Persian, coincide in manners and occupations,
and, what is even more remarkable, they all, as far as I know, live
under the same restrictions and immunities as those of Beloochistan
* 1 have heard the same tradition applied to the Uffghans, but most likely when tin?
Prophet was abroad he would take a circuit.
f From Koh, a mountain; Chihul, forty; and Tun, a body.
X Vide Part I. Chapter IV. Account of the Dehwars.