BANNU.
92
measures, that on the outbreak of the Multan war he was able to hurry to the scene of action with considerable levies from this District,
The
served loyally throughout the campaign.
who
Sikhs in garrison at
Edwardesabad meanwhile rose against their officers, and, having murdered them, marched to join their brethren in arms. A force from the hills at the same time invaded the District, but was held at bay by Lieutenant Rennel Taylor, Edwardes’ successor. In the following year, the Punjab was annexed, and the District passed without a blow under British administration. It received its present administrative area in i86i, having up to that time been divided between the Districts of Dera Ismail Khan and Leiah. The even tenor of administration has been at times disturbed by frontier raids, but no trouble has at any period been given by the inhabitants of the District itself. In the Mutiny of 1857, the country remained perfectly quiet. The border is guarded by a chain of outposts, ten in number. Eight of them are garrisoned by Frontier Militia; but two, namely Kurram and Janikhel, have, besides a few mounted militiamen, strong garrisons of regular native troops, who are relieved monthly from Edwardesabad, where a permanent force is maintained, consisting of one regiment of cavalry, 492 sabres one battery of artillery having four nine-pounder smooth-bores and two regiments of infantry, 1470 bayonets, including men on furlough. Population The first Census of the District in 1854 returned the total population at 237,557. The second Census in 1868 showed 284,816 persons living on the area comprising the present District, and allowing for transfers subsequent to 1868. The last Census in i88r, taken over an area of 3868 square miles, disclosed a total population of 332,577 persons, residing in 477 towns or villages, and
.
—
Allowing for difference of area between 57,106 occupied houses. 1868 and 1881, the population in the latter year showed an increase of 47,761, or 14 per cent. Classified according to religion, the popula-
—
Muhammadans, 301,002; in 1881 was returned as follows: Hindus, 30,643; Sikhs, 790; Jains, 60; and Christians, 82, of whom Classified according to sex, there 70 were Europeans and 12 natives. were males, 177,503; and females, 155,074. The Muhammadans outnumber the remaining population of the District in the proportion of nearly ten to one. Foremost among them, tion
—
both numerically and in respect of political importance, stand the
Afghans or Pathans, who by the Census of 1881 numbered 141,022, of the total population of the District, the most
or 42 '40 per cent,
important tribes of which are the Khataks, Wazfris, Lohdnis (Marwats, Niazais, and others), and Bannuchi's. The Khataks are found in the
Khatak-Niazai range and along the northern border of the towards Kohat.
The
Wazi'n's are settlers
and are only half reclaimed from
their
Dir,trict
upon the western frontier, mountain life beyond the
