supposed. The tribes who speak a dialect of the Turkish
language are the most important. Of these the Afshár, which
is composed of two principal branches, the Shámlú and
Kirklú, and are spread over Kirmán, Faristán, Luristán, and
Khúzistán,. consist of nearly 20,000 families.
The Kájárs of Aster-übád, Mazanderán, Khorásán, and
Teherán, 10,000 •; the Turkománs in Azerbayán, in ’Irak,
and near Hamadán, 6000; the Kárá-Gheuzlose, near Hama-
dán, and about fifty other and smallet tribes, which are met
with at different places, but principally in ’Irak, amount to
75,000 or 77,000 ; and thus the whole number of families is
about 127,000.
The tribes of Luristán seem to be the next; and of these
the Luri-Buzurg, or Bakhtiyárí, consist of 28,000.'
The Dilfún, Silásílá, Faili, and other tribes of Lufi
Kuchtik, 56,000.8 Total, 211,000 families.
The Lak3 is a very large tribe, of Persian origin, Which
pretends to have descended from the Ka'fanian dynasty.4 It
is subdivided into the Beifánavend, KhójahVend, Nadávend,
Jelílawend, Abdu-l-Melikí, and many others who are spread
over Persia, but are found principally in Fárs ánd Mázan-
derán.5 One part of them hold the singular doctrine already
alluded to,6 that Ali is God; and they do not acknowledge
the supremacy of Muhammed. They live partly in cities, and
partly in the plains. The total number of these celebrated
thieves is about 20,000.7
In Kurdistán, the Sekkir, Núr-ed-din, Shinkis, and Gel-
lati tribes (estimated by the armed men),8 probably are about
2000; the Jafs9 1700; the Sheikh Ismáili, Kelkore, Mendomi,
Bulbassi, and some fourteen others,10 600Ó. The 20 tirehs,
1 See Major Rawlinson, Vol. IX. Part I., p. 102, of the Royal Geographical
Journal, For the details and subdivisions.
8 Ibid., p. 107.
8 Or Lek.—The Rev. G. G. Renouard, Foreign Secretary of the Royal
Geographical Society.
* Morier, Vol. VII. Part II., p. 232, of the Royal Geographical Journal.
3 Ibid. ’ Chap. V. 7‘ lhid:, p. 233.
8 Rich’s Kurdistán, Vol. I. p. 280.
8 Ibid. ,0 Ibid.
or minor tribes, composing the Mikris, 12,000.' The Bilbás,
wearing steel helmets and shirts of mail, and armed with spear
and shield, 5000.2 The Rehavend in ’Irák, the Anaffje and
Erdilary in Khúzistán, and portions of the Millis Kurds who
occupy the southern slopes of (the Taurus, about 14,000. The
Agakkani, in Lower Fárs, the Bowie, near Ahwáz, the Beni
Houle, near the ri-ver Indian, and the people of Ghaab. The
last number about 65,000 souls, of whom, besides the Id-deris,
the tribe of the Sheikh, there are 25 branches of the Derrees,
in addition to 20 of the family of Shebeat Ben Shems, and 18
sections of peasant Arabs.3 The Kurdish tribes in the vale of
Mushed, Burujud, Khábushán, Isferáyín, Chinárán, and Dere-
jez; some living in houses, and the rest in tents.; and subdivided
into the Shádílú, Kará-Cherehlú, and Yezídí; in nil about
50,000.4 The remainder of the Fai'li,5 spread over the territory
of Shuster, Dizfii], Hawiza, the banks of the Kerkhah
and the Kárún,. &c., number nearly 80,000. The bulk of
the Bakhtiyári (not enumerated with those of Luri Buzurg)
are spread from Kirmán to Kázerun, and from Kom to
Shuster. They live in villages of twenty or thirty houses,
situated in defensible mountain-valleys, and occasionally in
caves of still more difficult access. This portion of the tribe
may number about 72,000.6 The Shekágí, who occupy the
northern province of Azerbaijan,7 about 50,000. The Sháh-
Sewund8 are near Teheran, and in Azerbaijan, and muster
about 20,000.9 And the Memacenni of Fárs, who claim
descent from Záb, the father of Rustam, as well as from that
conqueror, and were originally from Sei'stan, about 10,000.'"
1 Major Rawlinson, Vol. X. Part I., p. 34, of the Royal Geographical Journal.
8 The Pirán, Mengúr, and Mámish, the three principal branches of this
tribe, comprise 25 subdivisions.—Ibid., p. 33.
8 MS. of the late Claudius James Rich, Esq.
8 Morier, Vol.1 VII. Part II;, p. 233, of the Royal Geographical Journal.
3 Not already enumerated with the tribes of Luri-Kuchuk.
6 Morier, Vol. VII. Part II., p. 234, of the Royal Geographical Journal.
7 Ibid., p. 235.
8 Sháh-Sewund in Zend, or Pehlevi, King’s friend, now a separate tribe,
which was originally composed of the different followers of Aghá Muhammed
Khán.
* 10 Ibid., p. 236.