“THE IRISH OF INDIA.”

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 73, 22 March 1912, Page 7

“THE IRISH OF INDIA.”

The capacity of the frontier hillmon for keeping up a feud is well known, hut even those who are versed in the literature of that infinitely interesting part of the world will 'be interested in what the Westminster’s special correspondent has to say about this amiable characteristic. The corresj pendent kept his eyes about him as | lie was driven through the Xihyber Pass, and Ids ears open for the talk of the officials who were with him. Dotted about the valleys on each side of the pass are little villages, every one of which is almost certain to be at war with its neighbour. In the watch-tower of each village a man will sit most of the day with a rifle across his knees, ready to shoot anybody from an unfriendly village who is rash enough bo do a little wtork in the fields without an escort of armed men. Since the space between two villages is liable to be swept by gunfire, agriculture confined to la,nd under cover of the walls. Where the feud is specially violent, hoys have to be confined tb the compounds until they are of age to carry a rifle, for they may be shot without mercy, on the principle of reducing the number of males i'n the enemy’s camp; and even girls have to be carefully guarded, lest they should be kidnapped and held to ranson. The only sanctuary in the whole' - ' region is the Pass road. Whoever kills on the road or within fifty yards of it is amenable to British justice, and in some places trenches are actually cut from the road to a village, so that men may reach the sanctuary under cover. Yet the very men who maintain these ruthless feuds take service in the Khyber Rifles, and guard'the Pass faithfully for. the English;;iWhen they go i ton leave they, lapphrently return ‘ to the bad old life. It is a practice for men of the corps to take their leave on a different date to that stated to their officers, and to go to a different destination, lest they should be betrayed by an enemy and stalked. But the gem of the article is the following; “At a certain ‘timr of the road before you rgach Ali going; downwards, is a' mound of earth, on which many poles with' rags attached to them are planted. This is the much Venerated tomb 'of a very holy man. Its origin is recent and historical. A few years ago the Zakkakhels had no holy man’s tomb, and for that reason were much derided by the Kukikhels, who had two. Tin's greatly tried their endurance, so they waited by the roadside until one day there came along an ancient and famous sage, ■o* S r eat sanctity, making his journey from Kabul to Lahore. Him they took and cut his throat, 'and planted him under this mound, to which all the tribe bring offerings to tins day, so that the Kukikhels laugh no more.” Some people call these folk the Irish of India. We wonder why.