who was their chief in the 17th century.
The title of "khan" was assumed by Nasir the Great in the middle of the
18th century. The Brahuis are a confederacy of tribes possessing common
lands and uniting from time to time for purposes of offence or defence.
At their head is the khan, who formerly seems to have been regarded as
semi-divine, it being customary for the tribesmen on visiting Kalat to
make offerings at the Ahmadzai gate before entering. The Brahuis are a
nomadic race, who dwell in tents made of goats' hair, black or striped,
and live chiefly on the products of their herds. They are Sunnite
Mahommedans, but are not fanatical. In physique they are very easily
distinguished from their neighbours, the Baluchis and Pathans, being a
smaller, sturdier people with rounder faces characterized by the flat,
blunt and coarse features of the Dravidian races. They are of a dark
brown colour, their hair and beards being often brown not black. They
are an active, hardy race, and though as avaricious as the Pathans, are
more trustworthy and less turbulent. Their ordinary dress is a tunic or
shirt, trousers gathered in at the ankles and a cloak usually of brown
felt. A few wear turbans, but generally their headgear is a round
skullcap with tassel or button. Their women are not strictly veiled.
Sandals of deer or goat skin are worn by all classes. Their weapons are
rifles, swords and shields. They do not use the Afghan knife or any
spears. Some few Brahuis are enlisted in the Bombay Native Infantry.

See Dr Bellew, _Indus to Euphrates_ (London, 1874); Gustav Oppert,
_The Original Inhabitants of India_ (1893); Dr Theodore Duka, _Essay
on the Brahui Grammar_ (after the German of Dr Trumpp of Munich
University).

FOOTNOTE:

[1] Compare Mountstuart Elphinstone's (_History of India_, 9th ed.,
1905, p. 249) description of Scythians with physique of Brahuis. A
relationship between the Jats (q.v.) and the Brahuis has been
suggested, and it is generally held that the former were of Scythic
stock. The Mengals, Bizanjos and Zehris, the three largest Brahui
tribes, are called Jadgal or Jagdal, i.e. Jats, by some of their
neighbours. The Zaghar Mengal, a superior division of the Mengal
tribe, believe they themselves came from a district called Zughd,
somewhere near Samarkand in central Asia. _Gal_ appears to be a
collective suffix in Baluchi, and _Men_ or _Min_ occurs on the lists
of t