1 310 TATOnra^
2 found foimed into separate societies, but mixed with the ruling i
3 of the country they inhabit; and, generally wearing the dress, and
4 practising moat of the customs of that nation. In Fenia* the plains
5 of Afghaunistaim, and the Uzbek country, they appear to have been
6 settled before the- ariivaL of the nationa which aze now predominant
7 in those countries.
8 The name of Taujik Is railier loosely used. It is sometimes ap-
9 plied to all perstins niixeil witii the Toorks or Afghauns, who are not
10 sprung from those stocks, or rather whose race is unknown ; hut it is
11 with more pro|)riftv coiihjied to those iiilKiliilaiil s of'ccmntries where
12 Toorkhee and Pushtoo are hpuken, wliose vernacular language is Per-
13 sian. Tlie names ot 'i aiijik and Puisccwaun are indeed used indts^
14 criminately both in Atgiiaunistaun and Toorkistaun. *
15 Various accounts of the word Taujik have been given ; but the best
16 seems to be that which derives it from Tausik or Taujik, the name
17 applied to the Arabi* m ail Pelilevee writings. This agrees with tlie
18 interpretation given in many Persian dictionaries, which state Taujik
19 to mean a dejicendant of Arabs, born in Persia, or any other foreign
20 country f. This ttcoount is consistent with the conjectnres one would
21 be led to, regarding die T«gikt» fiom a odntidelatkm df their present
22 rt«te»«iidoftlieluafeoi7ofthecomitrieftwllerethc()rclUefl7d^ -hk
23 th^ ixmne of the fint century, after tlie flig^ o£ Mdienunedi Beam
24 Meooiy theivliole of Pcnia and the Uabek coontry Invaded and
25 vedueed bgr the Ai«b% who compelled tiie inbabitaiits to i^dopt tkeir
26 • Tlie Afghauns also call the Taujiks Degg«'ins or Dchkauns, and the IV.beducall
27 tiuau 8erds or Serfs ; but these names are oonudercd as r^unoachfiiL Our Lravdiert «aD
28 tliOM bk Tooridftami, OwUumn^
29 f See the Persian dictionary, called die Barhaun Kataa, in verbo Taujik ; and that
30 called Farhang i Ihrahim Shahi, quot*^ liv Doctor Lcj'den, in his account of the Roas-
31 hcma Sect (Aitiatic iUaearchei*.) I am aware tiiat other books give coutradictoiy expia*
32 natiana of Aw word t bat nme mmu eatided to equal cradit nidi tlie one I have adopted,
33 supported as it ia by the Pehlevee word above mentioned, which means an Arab, and by*
34 the Persian word Taozee, which has tlic same meaning. My authori^ for the Pehiov(>^
35 word is MooUa Ferooz, a Guebre priest, well known in the west of India, for his iuldiu.
36 Digitized by Googl