Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 3.djvu/318

302 of rougli precipitous mountains, which extend to the east ward with a strike nearly E. and W. to the Sooliman range, in about 29 5 N. lat. and about 69 30 E. long. This tract is almost entirely inhabited by Murrees, Boogtees, and other tribes of Baluch plunderers, and is bounded on the X. by the province of Sewestan. South of these ranges lies the desert country, which touches the Sindh frontier in 28&quot; 27 N. lat. The two principal water-courses which drain the Kohistan portion of Baluchistan E. of Khelat are th e rivers Bolan and Moola, the former rising about 60 miles N.E. of Khelat, the latter at Anjeera, lat. 28 19 K, long, about 66 29 E., about 45 miles south of that city. They both discharge themselves into the plains of Cutchee, the former at Dadur, lat. about 29 28 51* N., long, about 67 26 E., and the latter at Kotra near Gundava, lat. 28 33 47&quot; N., long, about 67 26 E. There is at all seasons a plentiful supply of clear running water in these streams, which is entirely used up for irrigational purposes on issuing into the plains. They are subject to dangerous floods from sudden storms in the neighbouring mountains during the rainy season. The two easiest and safes_t passes from Central Asia into India take their names from these streams. South of the Moola the Gaj River issues into the plains, and its waters are also absorbed in cultivation. The Nara issues into the plains near Kujjuk, N.W. corner of Cutch-Gundava, in lat. about 29 36 N., and long, about 68 2 E.; ordinarily its water is utilized entirely for cultivation in its course through the Afghan province of Seebee ; but at periods of heavy rains in the mountains it is liable to burst its banks, and then inundates immense tracts in the Cutchee desert to the south. West of Khelat, as far as about 65 30 E. long., the mountain ranges have much the same strike, and are of the same nature as those to the eastward, but the ranges are much narrower, more defined, and of a lower altitude. The valleys between them vary from 5 to 15 miles in breadth; they are quite devoid of trees. The water-courses generally follow the direction of the hills from N. to S. and in some instances during heavy rains their waters reach the Arabian Sea ; but as a general rule they are absorbed long before they reach the coast, partly in cultivation, but principally by the sandy arid nature of the soil and excessive dryness of the atmosphere, due, probably, to tho proximity of the great desert west of Kharan, which extends to the confines of Persia. The most important of these water courses is the Dustee or Mooleanee. The climate of Baluchistan is extremely various in the different provinces. The soil in general is exceedingly stony. In the province of Cutch-Gundava, however, it is rich and loamy, and so very productive, that, it ia said, were it all properly cultivated, the crops would be more than sufficient for the supply of the whole of Balu chistan. Gold, silver, lead, iron, tin, antimony, brimstone, alum, sal-ammoniac, and many kinds of mineral salts, and saltpetre, are found in various parts of the country. The precious metals have only been discovered in working for iron and lead, in mines near the town of Nal, about 150 miles S.S.W. of Khelat. The different other minerals above enumerated are very plentiful. The gardens of Khelat produce many sorts of fruit, which are sold at a very moderate rate, such as apricots, peaches, grapes, almonds, pistachio-nuts, apples, pears, plums, currants, cherries, quinces, figs, pomegranates, mulberries, plantains, melons, guavas, &c. All kinds of grain known in India are cultivated in the different provinces of Baluchistan, and there is abundance of vegetables. Madder, cotton, and indigo are also produced ; and the latter is considered superior to that of Bengal. Great attention is given to the culture of the date fruit in the province of Mekran. The domestic animals of Baluchistan are horses, mules, asses, camels, buffaloes, black-cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, and cats, besides fowls and pigeons ; but there are neithei geese, turkeys, nor ducks. The wild animals are tigers, leopards, hyenas, wolves, jackals, tiger-cats, wild dogs, foxes, hares, mangooses, mountain goats, antelopes, elks, red and moose deer, wild asses, &c. Of birds they have almost every species to be met with either in Europe or India. The principal towns in Baluchistan are as follows:— is the capital of the whole country ; Mustoong, of the province of Sarawan ; Kozdar, of Jalawan ; Beyla, of Beyla ; Kej, of Mekran ; Bagh, of Cutch-Gundava ; and Dadur and Gundava are towns in the last-mentioned province. The capital stands on an elevated site 7000 feet above the sea, on the western side of a well-cultivated plain or valley, about eight miles long and two or three broad, a great part of which is laid out in gardens and other enclosures. The town is built in an oblong form, and on three sides is defended by a mud wall, 18 or 20 feet high, Hanked, at intervals of 250 yards, by bastions, which, as well as the wall itself, are pierced with numerous loopholes for matchlock-men. The defence of the fourth side of the city has been formed by cutting away perpendicularly the western face of the hill on which it is partly built. On the summit of this eminence stands the palace, command ing a distinct view of the town and adjacent country. That quarter of the hill on which the khan s residence is erected has been enclosed by a mud wall, with bastions ; the entrance to it is on the south-western side ; and here, as well as at the city gates, which are three in number, there is constantly a guard of matchlock-men. Both town and citadel are, however, completely commanded by the surrounding hills, and are incapable of offering any resist ance against artillery. Within the walls there are upwards of 2500 houses, and the number of these in the suburbs probably exceeds one-half of that amount. The houses are mostly built of half-burnt brick or wooden frames, and plastered over with mud or mortar. In general, the streets are broader than those of native towns, and most of them have a raised pathway on each side for foot-passengers, and have also an uncovered kennel in the centre, which is a nuisance, from the quantity of filth thrown into it, and the stagnant rain-water that lodges there. The upper stories of the houses frequently project across the street, and thereby render the part beneath them gloomy and damp. This seems a very rude attempt to imitate the bazaars of Persia and Cabul. The bazaar of Khelat is extensive, well fur nished with every kind of goods ; all the necessaries of life may be purchased there at a moderate price. The town is supplied with delicious water from a spring in the face of a hill on the opposite side of a plain, whence it meanders nearly through its centre, having the town and suburbs on one side, and on the other the gardens. It may be remarked of this spring, that the waters, at their immediate issue from the smaller channels, possess a con siderable degree of tepidity until after sunrise, when they suddenly become exceedingly cold, and remain so during the day. We have no data from which we can form an accurate computation of the population of Baluchistan, but it may be estimated at about 400,000. The two great races of Baluch and Brahoe, each subdivided into an infinite number of tribes, are clearly distinguished from each other by their language and appearance. The Baluch, or Baluchekee, language partakes considerably of the idiom of the modern Persian, although greatly disguised under a singularly corrupt pronunciation. The Brahoekee, on the other hand, has nothing analogous to Persian, but appears to contain a 