Thomas Hungerford Holdich and Charles Jasper Blunt

“ The tribe are Afghans by descent, and are more akin to the Yusafzais than any of their neighbours. The aspect of the Mohmand hills is exceedingly dreary, and the eye is everywhere met by dry ravines between long rows of rocky hills and crags, scantily clothed with coarse grass, scrubwood and the dwarf palm. In summer great want of water is felt, and the desert tracts radiate an intolerable heat. ”

“ MOHMAND, a Pathan tribe who inhabit the hilly country to the north-west of Peshawar, in the North-West Frontier Province of India. They are one of the strongest tribes on the border after the Afridis and Waziris, and have given much trouble to the government of India. The country of the Mohmands may be defined roughly as bounded on the E. by British districts from near Jamrud to Fort Abazai, and thence by the Utman Khel country ”

“ The Mohmands are characterized by great pride and haughtiness, they bear a bad reputation for treachery and ruthless cruelty, and are not as brave as their Afridi neighbours. They number some 18,000 fighting men, giving roughly a population of 65,000; but all the clans would never act together under any circumstances. British punitive expeditions have been sent against the Mohmands in 1851–52, 1854, 1864, 1879, 1880, but the principal operations were those of 1897. ”