'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎28] (161/458)

28
LIEUTENANT H. G. RAVERTY
' The towns of Char, Luddah, and Pranj, which, with the village of
Kazeekhail, form the present Hashtnuggur, are close to each other, and
contain about 7,500 inhabitants. The houses are mostly well built,
both of kiln-burnt and sun-burnt bricks, and are from two to three
stories in height. They have a large and well supplied Bazar, and
carry on a thriving trade. The number of shops is about 500. The
greater part of the produce of the Eusufzai country is brought here,
and great quantities of sugar cane, (the produce both of this district
and that of Doabah) are made into G-oor, a coarse kind of sugar, which
is sent to Peshawur. This place is the largest in the province, after
Peshawur. The ruin known as the Hissar of Hashtnuggur, is properly
called iEsar, and is separated from the town by a branch of the Lundye
river, which at Tungee divides itself into three branches, which again,
after flowing in this manner for about eight miles, unite a little below
the Fort. It consists of a high mound, fifty eight yards in length, and
about the same in breadth, and is visible from an immense distance.
The people of Hashtnuggur have erected walls of stone and mud on
the summit of the mound, with towers at the corners of the same ma
terials. There are numerous trees around, consisting of Orange,
Lemon, Mulberry, Peach, &c. The revenue amounts to 27,000 Ru
pees. The next town of consequence in this district is Nohshaira, which
contains a population of 5,500 souls. It is called Nohshaira, which
means nine towns, from the inhabitants being of nine different branches
of the Mahomedzai, descended from nine different ancestors. They are
as follow:—Abakhail, Matahakhail, Baramkhail, Shurakhail, Khanow-
khail, Barakhail, Shahhussaine, Anthekhail, and Markhail. The Barah
branch first settled here in the time of Timur Shah, who also gave
them the lands for military service; but on being joined by eight other
branches of the tribe, the name of the village was changed from Bara
khail to “ Nohshaira p or the “ Nine Towns.” There are many large
and well built houses in the town, but the greater number are
built of large clods of earth, dried in the sun. The fields are irri
gated by means of wells, the water from which is distributed by the
Persian wheel, and by the rain. The water of the river is not made use
of except for the vegetable crops, which are generally close to the
river banks. To the east of the town is a wonderful grave, which is
twenty eight yards long, known as the “ Kabur-i-chel Guz Baba,” or
(literally) the “ Grave of the Forty yard Father,” The people say