4 spans = 1 guz (Maimana). 4 spans = 1 pace. 60 paces = 1 tunnab. 1 tunnab square = 1 jereeb. 16 girahs (cloth) = 1 guz = 5 spans. 1 girah = 4 nookteh. The English equivalent is-- _feet_ _inches_ 1 khoord = 0 0.632 1 girah = 0 2.531 1 guzishah = 0 40.500 1 guz (cloth) = 3 8 1 biswah = 4 0 1 sureeb = 80 0 1 koss = 2 miles. 1 munzil = 24 ” The table of weights is-- 6¾ rupees = 1 khoord. 4 khoords = 1 pow. 4 pows = 1 charrek. 4 charreks = 1 seer = 20 miscals = 24 nukhods. 1 seer = 432 rupees. 8 seers = 1 maund kham. 10 maunds = 1 kharwar. 1 mun (Tabriz) = 260 rupees. The relative equivalent of some of the above in English weights is-- _pounds_ _ounces_ _grains_ 1 nukhod = 0 0 2.958 1 miscal = 0 0 71.000 1 pow = 0 12 .428 1 mum (Herati) = 7 0 0 1 seer = 12 15 0 1 kharwar (Afghan) = 1038 6 0 1 kharwar (Persian) = 649 0 0 It should be remembered, that everything, whether solid or liquid, is sold by weight in Afghanistan. In cloth the conventional measure in the bazaar is from the top of the middle finger to the point of the elbow. [Illustration: ACROSS THE PASSES] [34] One shahi equalled one penny; twelve shahis equalled one rupee Kandahar. [35] One tungeh equals three farthings. [Illustration] CHAPTER XIII ARMY, FORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS Prior to the reign of Dost Mahommed the defensive power of Afghanistan was represented by an association of tribes whose chieftains offered to the Amir of Kabul, as circumstances dictated, a more or less willing service. Such a system, while making the promotion of any settled organisation impossible, was satisfactory only so long as the Amir of Kabul was able to rely upon the fidelity of the Khans. But in an order of government, in which priority of place was secured by dint of might, each chief, as opportunity offered, rose to proclaim his independence of Kabul. By reason of these constant irruptions of disaffection among the tribes composing the confederacy, few rulers were in a better position than Dost Mahommed to realise the disabilities of such a military system.