BEL 



201 



BEL 



The desert of Beloochistan extends to the north of the 

 Wushutee range, between the provinces of Sarawan and 

 Kohistan, and measures, E. and VV., about 200 miles. No 

 northern boundary can be assigned to it, since it continues 

 northward to the banks of the Hilmend river, where it is 

 called tin' ilesert of Sejestan. Nearly in the middle it is 

 traversed from N. to S. by a river called Boodoor, which 

 flows southward towards the coast, and on both sides of it 

 the desert presents a different aspect. On the east the sur- 

 face is covered by a very light and red sand. This sand is 

 thrown by the wind into an irregular mass of waves running 

 principally E. and W.. and varying in height from ten to 

 twenty I'ect. Most of these waves rise perpendicularly on 

 the opposite side to that on which the prevailing wind 

 blows, and when seen from 9 distance they resemble a new 

 brick wall. The side facing the wind slopes off with a gra- 

 dual declivity to the base of the next windward wave, or 

 near to it, and a hollow or path is thus formed between tne 

 waves. It is difficult, and in some cases impossible, to 

 ascend the leeward or perpendicular face, even for camels 

 Only two plants have been observed growing on this'sand. 

 To the west of the river Boodoor the surface is covered with 

 a hard black gravel, on which no trace of verdure is seen : 

 nor even the most trilling irregularity in the surface. The 

 bed of the river is covered with a thick jungle of different 

 kinds of trees and brushwood, the haunt of wolves, jackals, 

 and other wild animals. The sultry air on this desert is 

 frequently refreshed by tornados, accompanied by torrents 

 of rain, which fall in extremely large drops, but are imme- 

 diately absorbed. Without these tornados it would be im- 

 possible to pass through the desert at any season ; and from 

 Juno to September it cannot be traversed, notwithstanding 

 the prevalence of these gusts, for in this season the winds 

 re so scorching and destructive as to kill both animals and 

 vegetables. They are called Mot or Julo, ' the llame,' or 

 Bade Sumootn, ' the pestilential wind.' This description 

 reminds us of the difficulties experienced by the army of 

 Alexander in traversing the sandy deserts of Gedrosia. 

 (Arrian, vi. 23, &c.) 



It is difficult to guess what portion of Beloochistan is 

 available for agricultural purposes : it is however certain 

 that not one-hundredth part is actually under cultivation. 

 The districts fit for pasture are much more extensive, but 

 both together do not probably amount to one-tenth of the 

 whole surface, even if the desert is not taken into the 

 account. Yet the inhabitants display ingenuity and indus- 

 try in some branches of agriculture. 



All kinds of grain known in India are cultivated in Be- 

 ooehistan, as rice, wheat, barley, bajree (holcu* ijricatut), 

 jawaree, moong (phasfolus mungo), maize or Indian corn, 

 dal (vetch), mutter (a kind of pea), til (tesamum), and 

 chunna (deer arietinum). Rice will not grow in Gundava. 



About Kelat a great variety of vegetables are cultivated, 

 turnips, carrots, cabbages, lettuces, cauliflowers, peas, beans, 

 radishes, onions, celery, parsley, garlic, egg-fruit, cucum- 

 bers. Madder is cultivated with great care in the districts 

 north and east of Kelat, cotton in great abundance in Kutch 

 Gundava, and indigo in different places. The sugar-cane 

 grows chiefly on the plains of Luss. 



The upland country about Kelat abounds in all fruits 

 grown in the countries of Europe, as apricots, peaches, 

 grapes of various kinds, almonds, apples, pears, plums, cur- 

 rants and cherries, figs, pomegranates, mulberries, melons, 

 to which pistachio-nuts, plantains, and guaivas are to be 

 added. The water-melons attain such a size, that one man 

 is unable to raise them. The almonda are excellent in 

 the northern districts of Shawl and Moostoong. The lower 

 countries have other kinds of fruits, especially the date, 

 which is cultivated with great care in Mukran,' where it. i-, 

 considered as the best gift of heaven ; the value of these 

 trees is much enhanced by their thriving best in a gravelly 

 and barren soil. 



The numerous herds of cattle require much fodder, and 

 the culture of artificial grass is not neglected. It does not, 

 however, extend farther than to the culture of oushpoosh, or 

 camel grass, a peculiar kind of clover, which grows with a 

 stalk a foot or two high, and has leaves like shamrock. 



The sides of some mountains are covered with trees, and 

 they am also found in the jungle, which generally covers 

 the wide bed of the rivers. The best timber is produced by 

 hetupoors (a species of Xizyphu* Jujuba) and the tamarind , 

 trees. The former resemble teak, and are very hard. Most 

 of the trees of this Country are not known in Knronc. and 



many of our trees, as the oak, ash, fir, &c. are unknown 

 there. 



The domestic animals consist of horses, mules, asses, 

 camels, dromedaries, buffaloes, sheep, goats, dogs, and cats. 

 The horses are strong, well boned, and large, especially to 

 the south of Kelat, and in Kutch Gundava; hi Luss and 

 Mukran they are small, and deficient in spirit. Sheep are 

 mostly of the flat-tailed kind. Among the domestic animals 

 the camel and dromedary are most highly prized, especially 

 the dromedaries, on account of their fitness for the long 

 and remote marauding expeditions to which the inhabitants 

 are so prone. Camels are not found in the lowland coun- 

 tries. 



Of wild animals there are lions, tigers, leopards, hyenas, 

 wolves, jackals, tiger-cats, wild dogs, foxes, hares, mon- 

 gooses, mountain-goats, antelopes, elks, red and moose deer, 

 wild asses, &c. The wild-dogs are numerous and ferocious. 

 They frequently hunt in packs of twenty or thirty, and will 

 seize a bullock and kill him in a few minutes ; but being 

 timid, they keep in the most impenetrable jungles. Lions 

 and tigers are rare. The hyena alone attacks man, but 

 only when urged by severe hunger, or when irritated, 



Of domestic birds only fowls and pigeons occur : there 

 are no geese, turkeys, or ducks. Of wild birds almost every 

 kind known in Europe and India is met with, and the bus- 

 tards, jungle-fowls, and black partridges are very numerous. 

 Hawking is a favourite pastime with some of the chiefs in 

 the western districts, and they pay great attention to the 

 instruction of their birds. 



In some of the larger rivers, especially in the Poorally, 

 fish are plentiful at some places : and the few inhabitants of 

 the sea-coast gain their chief subsistence by fishing : but it 

 does not seem that fish are abundant along the shore. 



Gold and silver are found in Jhalawan, in the mines near 

 the town of Nal, not far from Khozdur, where these metals 

 have been discovered in working for iron and lead. They 

 are not, however, extracted from the ore at the place, but 

 are sent in their native state to the Punjaub. Lead, iron, 

 copper, tin, antimony, brimstone, alum, and many kinds of 

 mineral salts and saltpetre, occur in various places. Salt- 

 petre is dug up in some places in a native state, but at 

 Kelat is extracted from the earth, and is preferred to that 

 which is found pure. Rock-salt is very common in Ko- 

 histan. 



As many parts of Beloochistan have never been visited by 

 observing travellers, we are very imperfectly acquainted 

 with the races of men that inhabit this extensive country. 

 We know only those which live in the eastern and northern 

 districts, the Belooches and the Brahooes, who differ con- 

 siderably in their figure and language, and partly also in 

 manners and character. 



The Belooches are a tall, active race of men, not possess- 

 ing great physical strength, but adapted and inured to 

 changes of climate and season, and accustomed to undergo 

 every species of fatigue. They have a long face and promi- 

 nent features, a dark complexion, and black hair. The 

 Brahooes are short and strong-boned; their faces are round, 

 and their lineaments flat: numbers of them have brown 

 hair and beards. Their external appearance reminds us of 

 the Mongol race. In activity, strength, and hardiness, few 

 people surpass them ; and they are both inured to the cold 

 of the mountainous regions of Beloochistan and the hot 

 plains of Kntch Gundava. 



The Beloochee language partakes considerably of the 

 idiom of modern Persia, and at least one-half of the words 

 are borrowed from that language, but greatly disguised 

 under a corrupt pronunciation. Lieutenant Pottinger, after 

 travelling for some time among them, was enabled, by his 

 knowledge of the Persian language, to understand almost 

 every sentence spoken by the Belooches in their own tongue. 

 The language of the Brahooes is quite different from the 

 Persian ; but it contains a great number of Hinduostanea 

 words, and strongly resembles as to sound the Punjaubee. 

 or the dialect spoken in the Punjaub. 



Tho Belooches are subdivided into three principal tribes, 

 the Nharoocs, Rhinds, and Mughsees, of which the first are 

 the most distinguished. They inhabit the mountains of 

 Kohistan exclusively, and are settled in considerable num- 

 bers in the eastern upland country to the north and south 

 of Kelat. The other two tribes have settled in Kutch Gun- 

 dava, where they are incorporated with the Juths, or culti- 

 vators of the soil. The Belooches, but especially the Nha- 

 roo"i. consider private theft dishonourable and disgraceful, 



NO. 230. 



[THE PENNY CYCLOPEDIA.] 



VOL. IV.-2 D 



