A record of the expeditions against the North-West Frontier tribes: since the annexation of the Punjab

· 1884 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

1Bunerwals,

278 : HAZARA AND PESHAWAR BORDERS. © [CHar.

3receiving grants from Government and holding influential positions in

4Yusafzai. Men from British territory are sometimes seized and detained

5because of some debt due by anotber in our limits, but they are immediately

6released on the amount being liquidated, or security given for payment.

7The Bunerwals, if well united and prompted by a common cause, could

8bring 8,000* fighting men against us in the field, independent of those which

9other tribes could send to their assistance in case of need. When thus

10united they formed the most powerful coalition which has yet been rained

11against us on the north-west septs and it is strange, when we consider

12this, how little trouble this powerful tribe has given us from the day the

13Peshawar district came into our hands to the present moment, This is

14not due to fear, for they fought us bravely in 1863, and would do so again

15if attacked; but the true reason is, that the Bunerwals, if left to themselves,

16are too proud to interfere with the arrangements of their neighbours.

17The case is almost unheard of in which a stranger, taking shelter

18amongst them as an outlaw from our territory, or otherwise, has been per-

19mitted to be assassinated by his enemies. The tribe would never put up

20with such an affront, or permit the malik to commit so treacherous an act.

21Different is the case in Chamla, and in the Khudu Khel and Gadun

22countries, One murder, that of Zaidulla Khan of Daggar, has cast a deep

23reproach on the Bunerwals, but his death was fanned by religious zeal and

24the earnest exhortations of the Akhund of Swat.

25The climate of Buner is said to be very severe in winter, snow falling

26to a considerable extent on the surrounding hills and continuing for some

27time, but in the valleys it seldom remains longer than a week or ten days.

28The hot weather sets in later than in the plains, but is more oppressive

29and continuous, owing to the confined nature of the valley. The frequent

30storms that burst over these hills do not cool the air, but on the contrary

31produce a hot, steamy atmosphere in the valley below. It is ‘said to be

32unhealthy in summer, from the coarse, gravelly soil becoming heated and

33radiating its heat during the night, making the air very close and oppressive.

34In the spring and autumn malarious exhalations rise from the porous soil,

35and fevers become rife during both these seasons.

36The autumn crops consist of Indian corn, rice, and mash; the spring

37crops consist of wheat and barley. The grain cultivated is not, however,

38sufficient to meet the wants of the inhabitants of the valley, and has to

39be imported from other quarters. A force would, therefore, have to bring

40its own supplies if it entered Buner. The inhabitants are rich in cattle,

41specially buffaloes, and are almost entirely occupied in the tending of their

42herds and the cultivation of the soil.

43The betrothal and marriage ceremonies are similar throughout all the

44sub-divisions, varied in some places, with reference to the lower classes, at

45the will of some malik, whose authority may be more arbitrary and oppressive

46than that of his neighbours. A poor man has generally to pay Rs, 50

47to Rs. 60 for his bride, the middle classes Rs. 120, the others from Rs.

48200 to Rs. 800, the man being further bound to feed the relations of the

49girl, both at the betrothal and the marriage, with rice, ghi, and sugar. The

50musician receives a fee of Rs. 2 at the betrothal and Rs. 5 at the marriage,

51* MacGregor gives their fighting strength as 2,000, but this is certainly under the mark.

52Warburton, on the other hand, gives it as 15,000, but this is probably too high an estimate, and

53the number given in the text, viz., 8,000, is more likely to be correct.” *