'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎54] (219/524)

54 REMARKS ON THE TRIBES, & c .
Political circumstances, and the slow permeation of thought through
those regions, may any day give them an impulse, as welcome in the
commercial as it may prove startling in the political world. I chanc.
ed some little time ago to read the History of Genghis Khan with
an Heratee, who formerly administered the Illy at districts of that prin
cipality. I asked him how it was no Genghis arose now to redeem
his country ? He replied, “ We possess too many of them. I n old
times men were beasts of burthen. A Chief of character could do
what he liked and they would follow. But people travel now, and
think and look to money results. Caravans come from Hind and
Buss and tell them what is what. Heratees would not follow a Gen
ghis or Nader now ;* but if a Sahib were to go and lead them on in
advance of what they now are, as Genghis did in advance of what they
were in his time, and if he would pay them properly (for men will not
work continuously now without pay), he might in three or four years
render the country more flourishing than it was under the sons of
Tim our Lang.”
72. To return : as illustrative of the manner in which trade meets,
competes, and finds its level at points along the line towards which
that of Bunder Abbass naturally flows, I may mention, that when I
was at Herat in 1860-61, I found piece goods from the Teheran and
Candahar lines, bearing their respective English and Russian marks,
competing on the same counter in the Herat bazaar; and their
respective qualities severely criticized by the traders. They seemed
on the whole, to prefer the Teheran goods, but those from India were
cheaper. True, it was surmised that the Teheran goods came origi
nally in greatest part from England. Again, I found Russian brick
tea meeting tea from all other quarters, and commanding the highest
price as the best in the market. The retailers told me Kurrachee tea
was driving a hard bargain with others to maintain their ground; hut
the retailers added, that some tea had arrived from Kurrachee during
I remember coming on some two thousand families of the Jumsheedee Tribe
of the Bala Moorghab. They had refused to fight for the Herat Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. ; had been
attacked by him; had been worsted and led into captivity. When I fell in with
them they had just reached the bank of the Herat river. Some were urging on
t leu cattle, some helping on their children. Many, particularly of the women,
were seated in a most desponding manner on the river bank. The 137 Psalm was
heioie y 011, By the river, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered
Oh, daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed ! &c.
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