In Fact, The Description Of The Pashai People
And Their Country, As Given By Marco Polo, Distinctly Points To Such A
Route; For We Have In It An Unmistakable Reflex Of Characteristic Features
With Which The Idolatrous Siah-Posh Kafirs Have Always Been Credited By
Their Muhammadan Neighbours.
"It is much to be regretted that the Oriental records of the period, as
far as they were accessible to Sir Henry Yule, seemed to have retained
only faint traces of the Mongol adventurer's remarkable inroad.
From the
point of view of Indian history it was, no doubt, a mere passing episode.
But some details regarding it would possess special interest as
illustrating an instance of successful invasion by a route that so far has
not received its due share of attention." [See supra, pp. 4, 22-24.]
XXX., p. 164.
"The Chinese Toba Dynasty History mentions, in company with Samarcand,
K'a-shi-mih (Cashmeer), and Kapisa, a State called Pan-she, as sending
tribute to North China along with the Persian group of States. This name
Pan-she [Chinese] does not, to the best of my belief, occur a second
time in any Chinese record." (PARKER, Asiatic Quart. Rev., Jan., 1904,
p. 135.)
XXX., p. 164. "Now let us proceed and speak of another country which is
seven day's journey from this one [Pashai] towards the south-east, and the
name of which is KESHIMUR."
This short estimate has perplexed Sir Henry Yule, l.c., p. 166. Sir
Aurel Stein remarks in a note, Serindia, I., p. 12: "The route above
indicated [Nigudar's route] permits an explanation. Starting from some
point like Arnawal on the Kunar River which certainly would be well within
'Pashai,' lightly equipped horsemen could by that route easily reach the
border of Agror on the Indus within seven days. Speaking from personal
knowledge of almost the whole of the ground I should be prepared to do the
ride myself by the following stages: Dir, Warai, Sado, Chakdara, Kin
kargalai, Bajkatta, Kai or Darband on the Indus. It must be borne in mind
that, as Yule rightly recognized, Marco Polo is merely reproducing
information derived from a Mongol source and based on Nigudar's raid; and
further that Hazara and the valley of the Jhelam were probably then still
dependent on the Kashmir kingdom, as they were certainly in Kalhana's
time, only a century earlier. As to the rate at which Mongols were
accustomed to travel on 'Dak,' cf. Yule, Marco Polo, I., pp. 434 seq."
XXXII., pp. 170, 171. "The people [of Badashan] are Mahommetans, and
valiant in war.... They [the people of Vokhan] are gallant soldiers."
In Afghan Wakhan, Sir Aurel Stein writes:
"On we cantered at the head of quite a respectable cavalcade to where, on
the sandy plain opposite to the main hamlet of Sarhad, two companies of
foot with a squad of cavalry, close on two hundred men in all, were drawn
up as a guard of honour. Hardy and well set up most of them looked, giving
the impression of thoroughly serviceable human material, in spite of a
manifestly defective drill and the motley appearance of dress and
equipment.
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