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INDIA

has thus been cut off ; whilst north of it and west of it are
added the unreclaimed mountain tracts between Chitral on
the extreme north, and the Vihowa River (a river which
descends from the uplands west of the Sulimani Mountains
to the Indus plain about half-way between Dera Ismael
Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan) on the south. The western
limit of this provincial political authority is the eastern
boundary of Afghanistan. Practically this is the Pathan
section of the trans-frontier, embracing the Afghan Pathan
communities of Bajaor, Swat, and the Mohmand country ;
and the non-Afghan Pathans (Afridis, Jowakis, Orakzais,
Dawaris, Waziris, Sheranis, &amp;c.) of the ancient hill
province of Roh. There are indeed Pathan tribes on
both sides the border, for the Kuttaks and Bungashes of
the Kohat district are a Pushtu-speaking people who have
submitted to British rule since the conquest of the
Punjab. But with the general resemblance between the
politico-geographical construction of the province and of
its administration by an agent to the Governor-General supported
 by a political staff, as well as the adoption of the
principle of tribal levies for the safeguarding of the important
 routes which traverse the border, the analogy with
Baluchistan ends. The simple feudal system under which
the hereditary Baluch chief governs his estates is wanting
in the independent Pathan hills. The Pathan is nothing
if he is not a republican, and it is the voice of his priest
(modified by the dictates of his village ¢ punchayet,” or
municipal council) which alone stirs him to action or
teaches him obedience. Thus the process of direct dealing
 between the British agent and the Pathan people is
rendered infinitely difficult, for there is nothing of the
chivalrous courtesy and diplomatic tact of the high-bred
Baluch chief about the wily and fanatical person of the
north country Mullah, although indeed the tribal councils
may occasionally exhibit most unexpected appreciation of
the qualities of justice and common-sense. Geographically
it is the most important of all the border provinces of
India, for it is traversed by four of the most important
routes leading into India from the west, 7.e. the Khaibar,