Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 2 (2nd edition).pdf/46

 BALUCHISTAN.

36 during winter

months is

is

exceedingly severe, snow lying on the ground for two

at a time,

even in the

summer the heat Makran are said

while in

fertile valleys,

overpowering on the lower grounds.

Some

parts of

In February and IMarch a good which the dry season commences and lasts till general is exceedingly stony. In the Province

to be the hottest localities in Asia.

deal of rain

falls,

after

September.

The

soil in

and loamy, and so productive, more the supply of the whole of Baluchistan water, how-

of Kachh-Gandava, however, that,

it is

said,

were

than sufficient for

it

all

it

rich

is

properly cultivated, the crops would be

when

the

copper, lead, iron,

tin,

ever, is very scarce, except at certain seasons of the year,

floods descend from the

Gold,

hills.

silver,

antimony, brimstone, alum, sal-ammoniac, and

many kinds

of mineral

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 south-south-west The manufactures of Baluchistan are unimportant, being of Khelat. confined to a few matchlocks and other arms at Khelat. The gardens and orchards in the vicinity of the towns produce many sorts of fruit, which are sold at a moderate rate, such as apricots, peaches, grapes,

and

salts,

almonds, quinces,

saltpetre, are

pistachio figs,

-

apples,

nuts,

plums,

pears,

currants,

cherries,

pomegranates, mulberries, plantains, melons, guavas,

etc.

grown in India are cultivated in the different ProMadder, vinces of Baluchistan, and there is abundance of vegetables. the latter oil-seeds, rice, tobacco, cotton, and indigo are also produced All kinds of grain



is

Great attention

considered superior to that of Bengal.

the culture of the date fruit in the Province of Makran. fish are

The domestic animals

caught in great quantities.

is

On

given to

the coast

of Baluch-

istan are horses, mules, asses, camels, buffaloes, cattle, sheep,

dogs,

and

cats, besides fowls

turkeys, nor ducks.

The

and pigeons

goats,

but there are neither geese,



wild animals are tigers, leopards, hyenas,

wolves, jackals, tiger-cats, wild dogs, foxes, hares, mongooses, mountain goats, antelopes, vidrkhor

{Capra

viegaceros), ibex

{Capra cegagms), wild

Of birds there are sheep or gudd {Ovis cycloceros), wild asses, etc. European and Central Asian species, and also a few Indian. Tcna?is.

—The principal towns

in Baluchistan are as follows

the capital of the whole country

wan



Kozdar, of Jhalawan







many

— Khelat,

Mastang, of the Province of Sara-

Bela, of Bela



Makran

Kej, of

Kachh-Gandava; Dadar and Gandava, towns

in



Bagh, of

the last-mentioned

Province; Nushki, Sarawan, Pasni, Dera, Sonmiani, and Quetta. The inferior towns are Sohrab, Shah Godar, Chihgeh, Diz, Tump, Sami,

Kharan, and Zehri-Gat. Khelat fonns the subject of a separate

article



but as the dimen-

work involve a considerable interval between the publication of the earlier and later volumes, it may here be convenient to give sions of this