The present work, Schomberg's final book, offers an acount of the pagan Kafirs of the Chitral area, who even then were fast becoming muslim converts. It also contains an excellent description of the region's mountains and glaciers. It is the scarcest of Schomberg's books.

INTRODUCTION
Rather over forty years ago, Chitral was a name well known throughout the British Empire, and the story of its siege and of the subsequent operations that led to its relief aroused great interest, for all happened at a time of profound peace. Since then the state of Chitral has disappeared from public view, and happily nothing has occurred to disturb the serenity which has been its lot. The principality lies in the North West Frontier Province of India and is politically under the care of its Governor; it does not, owing to its peculiar situation, come under the immediate control of the Government of India. The state consists of a large valley, some two hundred miles from north to south. Its situation is remarkable.
At its head the boundary is close to Soviet Russia-inAsia and to Chinese Turkestan where the Pamir-like formation of its upper valleys proves its claim to kinship with Central Asiatic conditions. A low and easy ridge divides Chitral from the Oxus, and the caravans of Kashgaria and Badakhshan find their way through the state to railhead in India. The south of Chitral abuts on the Peshawar plain, and the peaceful conditions of the north are exchanged for the alarms and sallies of the Pathan borderland.
In a country such as this the varieties of climate and scenery are many, and I have tried to give some idea of the singular wealth of beauty to be found in the valley.

Geographically, Chitral has but a doubtful claim to inclusion in the Himalayan system, but that is a geographical nicety. What is more to the point is that northern Chitral possesses magnificent peaks and glaciers whilst the southern part of the country holds glens and forests often of great beauty and richness, abounding in flowers and pastures, with waterfalls and rock scenery that cannot be equalled in India. The fauna, too, should be worth attention, but the famous shooting grounds of forty years ago are now but a memory. The animals of Chitral are being extensively and steadily exterminated; the markhor and ibex will in a few years' time be as mythical as the unicorn or extinct as the quagga.
The people of Chitral are, on the whole, a mixed, indeed a mongrel, collection. The country lends itself to immigration, and the proof of its suitability is the variety of the communities that have established themselves in it.
The Chitrali proper, if indeed a proper Chitrali exists, has few of the virtues but all the defects of other hillmen. I have seen no reason for whitewashing him. I have described him as I found him. I know that he has admirers, but I think his partisans would be wiser to cure his faults than to advertise his virtues. And I am in this respect an optimist. I finished my journey in 1935, and the late Mehtar of Chitral, Shuja-ul-mulk, died on 13th October 1936. He was perhaps unable to shake off the environment of his early boyhood, for though only fifteen years old when he was placed on the blood-stained throne of his ancestors, in those wild regions a boy is a man at that age. Intrigue and murder were the commonplaces of the world into which he was born, and Shuja-ul-mulk could never quite free himself from their influence. His son and successor, Captain Nasr-ul-mulk, is a man of education and experience. He has served in a fine Frontier Force regiment, has been trained in civil administration in the Frontier Province, is well read in English and Persian, and is a remarkably good historian. His knowledge of Eastern politics is exceptional. Besides this, he plays a firstrate game of polo, which counts in Chitral for more than all the book learning in the world. He is active, generous, and sympathetic. I know His Highness well, and I feel that in him lies the one and only hope for the Chitrali. If anything can be done for these people, then the new Mehtar is the only one who can do it.
No one expects him to work miracles, or in the span of a human life to sweep away the rubbish of centuries. But the new ruler will give his people hope. In the past there has been much oppression, intolerance, and confiscation of land, and the Mehtar will do all he can to lift these burdens from the people; for conditions of life in Chitral compare very unfavourably with those in Kashmir, or in the Gilgit Agency. Of course, this very unsatisfactory state of things may be due to inherent defects in the Chitrali character, but if there are other influences at work, they will now be eradicated. Telephones and motor roads have brought no happiness to the country. If His Highness be spared, then in ten years' time I am confident that those who know the country now will find that the people are happier, their simple wants are filled, that at least they can call their souls their own, and that the bogey of confiscation and of daily petty tyranny has gone for ever.

His Highness Nasr-ul-mulk has the heartiest good wishes of all who know him and his subjects, for his task is not an easy one. The great interest of Chitral for the outside world is the Black Kafir or Kalash race. I have, so far, been unable to find any serious account of the habits and customs of this strange and attractive people. I have written about their religious practices and customs as I saw them. I stumbled on their ceremonies and shrines, and have made no effort to associate them with those of other religions or with the customs of other races. There are, of course, a number of brief references, but if any elaborate account exists it has escaped me. I hope that my narrative will interest readers, especially those who can help these Kafirs to preserve the customs and creed of their ancestors, and save them from the consequences of the proselytising that I have reason to believe now exists. It is not fair that these decent harmless folk should not be allowed to live as they always have done.

The Kati or Red Kafirs, once the fellow-heathens, neighbours but fierce enemies of the Kalash, have vanished from the face of the earth. One old man and two old women were, at the time of my visit, the sole professors of their age-long faith; the rest were converted to Islam. Happily, Sir George Robertson and Professor Georg Morgenstierne have written accounts of these fierce pagans, so that at least some record exists.
I received, as I am always fortunate in receiving (far beyond my merits), much kindness from the various personages and officials concerned and, as special leve for travel in Chitral is necessary, and very properly so, I desire to record my thanks. H.E. Lt.-Col. Sir R. E. G. Griffith, K.C.S.I., C.I.E., the Governor of the North West Frontier Province, Mr A. J. Hopkinson, I .C. S., the Chief Secretary, and Captain Alexander Napier, the Assistant Political Agent in Chitral, gave me every help, and much good advice.
To the garrison in Chitral, especially to Major St. G. Adams, M.C., to Captain Geoffrey Vaughan and to Captain R. J. Lawder, both of the Chitral Scouts, and to Captain Pope, R.I.A.S.C., I owe much hospitality and great thanks for their constant help. I have had much help also from Brigadier C. G. Lewis, O.B.E., Surveyor-General of India, as well as from Colonel C. M. Thompson and Colonel E. A. Glennie, both of the Survey of India, and from the Staff at Dehra Dun.
Finally, H.H. Sir Shuja-ul-mulk, K.C.I.E., the late Mehtar of Chitral and a most hospitable ruler, showed me courtesies and thoughtfulness that I often found embarrassing, so constant were they. He gave me every facility to visit his state and, whenever I needed help, it was forthcoming. To him, and to his sons, particularly Captain Shahzada Nasr-ul-mulk, now H.H. the Mehtar, I wish to record my gratitude and indebtedness.
My personal servants consisted of Daulat Shah, a Hunza man, who thus completed his tenth year of service with me and to whose resourcefulness, energy, wit, and help I have made references in this book. It is not often, whether in the East or the West, that an efficient man who will act on his own initiative can be found. My experience is that Hunza is a favourable recruiting ground, and there is a certain detachment in the Hunza character as well as a blithe contempt of others, and a pride of race and country, which make an admirable combination. The permanent shortage of food in Hunza makes its people ready for service and they do not suffer from nostalgia as do so many other races. Indeed, I sometimes think that they do not feel their home ties strongly enough.
Besides Daulat I had Muhib Ali, who was a good cook but a difficult character. One of his peculiarities was an insatiable appetite, amazing to the lustiest trencherman. It was so remarkable that I thought Muhib was entertaining strangers unawares, but I was assured that he was naturally a great eater. He was a small man, and we all wondered where the huge masses of food were stowed away.
There was also Abdulla Rathar alias Subhana, a longsuffering Kashmiri who had been dragged at my chariot wheels for many seasons. He was willing and hardworking and never took the slightest interest in his surroundings. I often tried to break down his detachment, but I never succeeded. I had also another Hunza youth, Inayat Ullah, a very silent child, who only ate, worked and slept. Subhana was loud in his praises, and well he might be, for Inayat always lit the fire-which was not his duty--early in the morning. Inayat had a short violet coat of his own, and a high cap, like a brimless top-hat, a much admired form of head-dress. His most serviceable garments were supplied by me. I never discovered why he had left his
country to drift about India. We had, fortunately, grabbed him in time, ere worse befell him.
R. C. F. S.