ashing soldier, and he is a faithful host to anyone whom he
has admitted under his roof.

~Awans.~--The home of the Awan in the Panjab is the Salt Range and the
parts of Attock and Mianwali, lying to the north of it, and this tract
of country is known as the Awankari. In the N.W.F. Province they are,
after the Pathans, by far the largest tribe, and are specially numerous
in Peshawar and Hazara.

~Shekhs.~--Of the Shekhs about half are Kureshis, Sadikis, and Ansaris of
foreign origin and high social standing. The rest are new converts to
Islam, often of the sweeper caste originally.

~Saiyyids.~--Saiyyids are unsatisfactory landowners, and are kept going by
the offerings of their followers. They are mostly Shias. It is not
necessary to believe that they are all descended from the Prophet's
son-in-law, Ali. A native proverb with pardonable exaggeration says:
"The first year I was a weaver (Julaha), the next year a Shekh. This
year, if prices rise, I shall be a Saiyyid."

~Trading Castes.~--Aroras are the traders of the S.W. Panjab and of the
N.W.F. Province. They share the Central Panjab with the Khatris, who
predominate in the north-western districts. The Khatri of the
Rawalpindi division is often a landowner and a first-class fighting
man. Some of our strongest Indian civil officials have been Aroras. In
the Delhi division the place of the Arora and Khatri is taken by the
Bania, and in Kangra by the Sud or the Brahman. Khojas and Parachas are
Muhammadan traders.

~Artizans and Menials.~--Among artizans and menials Sunars (goldsmiths),
Rajes (masons), Lohars (blacksmiths), and Tarkhans (carpenters) take the
first rank.

~Impure Castes.~--The vast majority of the impure castes, the
"untouchables" of the Hindu religion, are scavengers and workers in
leather. The sweeper who embraces Islam becomes a Musalli. The Sikh
Mazhbis, who are the descendants of sweeper converts, have done
excellent service in our Pioneer regiments. The Hindu of the Panjab in
his avoidance of "untouchables" has never gone to the absurd lengths of
the high caste Madrasi, and the tendency is towards a relaxation of
existing restrictions.

~Mendicants.~--Men of religion living on charity, wandering _fakirs_, are
common sights, and beggars are met with in the cities, who sometimes
exhibit their deformities with unnecessary insistence.

~Kashmiris.~--According to the census return the number of Kashmiri
Musulmans, who make up 60 p.c. of the inha