Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 5.djvu/140

 MAHSOOD AVUZEEREES. (255)

HE Wuzeerees have been described in the preceding article. The present Photograph shows three members of the Mahsood division of the clan, who do not differ from the others in any essential respect. They are armed with sword and shield, which appears to be the favourite equipment among them. In the frontier war of 1863, it was expected that the Wuzeerees would rise in sympathy with the more northern clans on the subject of the holy war, and it was fully understood that they had been seriously tampered with by Wahabee missionaries; but they did not move, and the border southwards from Peshawur was at peace. There can be no doubt that the previous experience of the Wuzeerees had led them to a sound conclusion that peace was more advisable than war, and that, notwithstanding their desperate valour, they were yet no match in the field for the disciplined troops of England. Nevertheless the Mahsood section of the Wuzeerees has not been slow to resist the presence of a government of order on its borders. Its position is in the most southern portion of the Wuzeeree hills, and both sides of the Goolaree pass are in its possession. The large caravans which traverse the pass, may be too strong to be assailed; but against ordinary travellers, and the graziers who frequent the pastures at the foot of the hills, they are always active and mischievous. On one occasion they cut off a police patrol of a subordinate officer and twelve men, and in other respects their conduct, at one period, was offensive and dangerous. At present, however, there is little complaint of them, and the somewhat sharp lessons read to other portions of the tribe, may have had a similar influence upon them; but the complete pacification of the frontier tribe, the majority of whom are not British subjects, can only be a work of time.