Sketches of Afghans and of Afghanistan made in 1879

Mohmand girls and boys of Hazar Nao enjoying a swing

Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 19 July 1879.

This sketch, according to the description in the London Illustrated News (Vol. LXXV, p. 67), was made in the village of Hazara Nao on the Kabul River, and depicts a group of young Pashtun girls and others enjoying a swing, “precisely as they do in England,” as noted by the artist William Simpson.

Hazar Nao or Hazarnaw (ہزار نو) is a large village located in the Mohmand Darah district of Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. Its inhabitants belong to the Mohmand tribe of Pashtuns. The hills to the south are intersected by numerous ravines that drain into the Kabul River, which give the village its name.

The Red Bridge of the Mughals over the Surkhab River near Jagdalak Kotal

Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 19 July 1879.

The London Illustrated News records the following about the Mughal bridge over Surkhab river: "The road from Jellalabad, about ten miles beyond Gundamuk, and near the Jugdulluk Pass, crosses a river which is called the Surkh-Ab, or "Red Water", from its pecuilar colour, probably the effect of clay in its muddy admixture. The bridge is also painted of a reddish colour; hence the name of "Surkh-Pool". On the Cabul side, a portion of its parapet has fallen, which can easily be repaired and the main fabric is substantial enough."

This bridge over the Surkhab river was built by Ali Mardan Khan, a noble of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. On a rock below was a finely cut inscription in Persian stating that the bridge was built in the reign of Shah Jahan and ending with a chronogram giving the date of construction as the year 1054 Hijra (1644 CE).The translation of the chronogram runs thus: “The builder of this bridge was Ali Mardan, by the kindness of the All-praised.” [Ref: Blackwood's Magazine, 1906, Volume-180, p-591]

An old Khugiani Pashtun who fought against the British invaders

Illustration for The Illustrated London News, August 9, 1879.

London Illustrated News has recorded following about him: "The four potraits which appear on one page are to be separately noticed. The first is Mahzum, an old man who who belongs to the Khugianis, the nation or league of tribes inhabiting a portion of the lower slopes of the Suffaid Koh range, between the Shinwarries, who are to the east, and the Ghilzais, who are to the west of them, farther towards Cabul. It was with the Khugianis that Brigadiar General Gough fought the action at Futtehabad on April 2, of which we have an illustration. This old man, Mahzum, one of the Murkhi Kheyl, which is a tribe of the Khugianis, brought in prisoner after that conflict."

Marki-Khel village is a village 7 miles south Gandamak, on the right bank of the stream of the same name. The inhabitants belong to the Sherzad branch of Khugiani tribe.

""The second head is that of one of the Utmanzai Momunds, whose name is Mohammed Gunje, which means "The Treasury of Mohammed". He was a nomadic shepherd, of which class there are great numbers in Afghanistan moving to and fro with their flocks at different seasons of the year. In winter they keep in the low parts of the country, but change their pasture to the upland region when hot weather sets in""

The Khan of Lalpura and his Tajik retainer

London Illustrated News has recorded following: "The town of Lalpoora, inhabited by the tribe of Upper Momunds, is situated opposite Dakka, on the other side of the river, at the Cabul entrance to the Khyber Pass. When General Sir Samuel Browne arrived at Dakka, after crossing the lines to Dakka, and made his salaam. He was a young man, rather fat and sensual in the face. As the Momunds, principally on his side of the river, remained hostile during the campaign, the chief of Lalpoora was always looked upon with some suspicion. Lalpoora is a considerable town, or village, as towns and villages go in Afghanistan, and its Khan has always ranked as an important personage. He had a good many attendants, but one of them Hassan, seemed to be a personal follower, who kept close to his master. Hassan was well-armed, having a jezail, and in his kummar-bund a small blunderbuss, with an ample suppy of cartridges and power-horns slung round his body. The Tajiks are one of the most ancient races, at least, an early tribe. They came from the West, and speak Persian instead of Pushtoo. The word Tajik has a meaning equivalent to "peasant", in contrast to "warrior", because they are noted as cultivators of the soil, and they form a very important element in the population of Afghanistan. Their mode of husbandry is superior to that of those around them; hence common tradition says that they acquired their superior knowledge from the Shaitan, or Satan. ""

Some photographs of the Mohmand Khans of Lalpura.

Hayat Khan, a "Nimcha" from Kafiristan

"Nimchah (نیمچه ) were descendants of those Kafirs who had intermarried with their Afghan neighbours, or the offspring of the Afghans females whom they might have captured in their forays. Nimchah is Persian derivative from nim, half or the middle, and chah, a particle added to nouns to form diminutives. The so called Nimchahs married with the Kafirs and Afghans indiscriminately. They also acted as guides on either side. They were excessively ignorant of the Muslim creed, and most of them even appeared ignorant of the necessary forms of prayers. They all used to drink a strong undistilled wine, which they kept a long time before broaching. ["Notes on Kafiristan" by H.G.Raverty, 1859, JASN Vol-28].       

The London Illustrated News recorded the following about Hayat Khan:

"Hayat Khan has become a ‘Nimcha,’ which is the name given to Kafirs converted to Mohammedanism. His Kafir name was Isti Kan. This man visited our camp at Jellalabad, where Mr. Jenkyns made use of him to glean some details of the race he belonged to, and of the language of the Kafirs. He had never seen an elephant; and as the Elephant Battery of heavy forty-pounders arrived while he was in camp, he went out to see them. He expressed to Mr. Jenkyns his satisfaction and wonder at the great beasts; but he added, ‘I did not go too near them, in case they would eat me"

This man had a tolerably fair complexion, and his hair was not quite black. He had a delicate, well-formed face of pure Aryan type—showing, if he is a good representative of his people, that Kafiristan does not have a Turanian population."

A Qizilbash named Musa, born in Peshawar

From London Illustrated News, April 26, 1879.

According to the details provided by the London Illustrated News, Musa was born in Peshawar and had once been a prosperous man involved in the wood trade there, but he suffered reverses and became poor. At the time this sketch was drawn, he was in Jalalabad working as a labourer and was employed, along with others, in levelling the mounds in the fort at Jalalabad.

A cook's shop in the bazaar of Jalalabad town

From London Illustrated News, May 31, 1879

The London Illustrated News recorded the following: “Our special artist Mr. William Simpson contributes to this Number of our Journal the sketch of a scene in the town of Jellalabad, the interior of a native cook's shop in the bazaar. The kitchen range is simply formed in a bank of hardened mud, by making several openings in the front to serve as fire-places, and letting in the stew-pans or boilers at the top, with a frying-pan at one corner, and a large spoon to deal out pieces of the meat. Cold victuals are kept, with yellow pickle, in dishes on the counter. Bread is not sold at the cook's shop; but in the bazaar there are bakers going around and selling round flat cakes piled on a board, which one may purchase before choosing one's meat for dinner at the counter here. The meat is laid upon the bread, and customers, sitting or standing, eat both together, not requiring to use a plate.”