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Show APPENDIX. Some objections to the scheme in the preceding pages have been noted. The writer is desirous that due attention should be paid to every objection; hence the tollowiug things are appended, The Afghans in Persia have by some been conjectured to be o the ten tribes of Israel. Mr. Vansittart of England has given notice of them. While he was in the east, he met with a Persian abridgemunt ofa book styled, Ararul Aig ainah; orsecrets of the Aighans. ‘This he translated, and sent to sir W. Jones, who then presid ed over the Asiatic Society. He observes that it opens with a very wild description of the origin of that tribe of people , and convéys a narrative, which is by no means to be offered upon the whole as a serious and probable history. This book unfolds some notions of their having descended from Melic Talut, supposed to be King saul. And anum.- ber of things they mention, which seem to have arisen from the ancieut history of Israel. But not a rite or ceremony is nuted of them, which seems to bear any resemblance to cient Israel. “Afghan, a noted ancient the ceremonial system o1 anleader, (they inform) “ made frequent excursions to the mounta ins, where his Dosterity after his’ death established themselves, lived in forts, and exterminated the infidels.”a state of independence, built When Mohammedism wag propagated in the east, the Aighan s embraced it with avidity, and have remained under that delusion to this day. Surely this favours not their being of Israel. This people have latterly divide themselves into d purely Afghan. aid their four classes. mothers mothers were The The first class consists of those who are those second, of of another 4 fghan, and nation. their whose The fathers third were of those, Afghan, fathers of another people. fourth of those whose connexion was still more remote, A question arises, : whose The whether this history of their apparent descent “from Israel, might not have been furnished to this class the grand im ostor, Moham of people irom med ? They were a brave Warlik ’ They at once embraced his “ystem e ; upon which they boast thatrace, said to them, “Come, he O moluc, or kings ;’—that ‘hem his ensign : and said Mohammed gave “ that the faith would be strengthened by |
