115 



instruments in use with us. Of the three, 'No. 26, is the most commonly 

 employed. 27, sarrooda, may be called the tenor or second fiddle, and 

 accompanies 26 in chords, played by the bow, or by hand as a guitar. 

 28 is an inferior fiddle, which is mostly to be seen in the hands of strol- 

 ling players, or mendicants, reciters of short plays or poems, and ballad 

 singers. The sarungi has four strings of catgut ; it is played with a bow ; 

 and the execution upon it by accomplished performers is frequently 

 striking and pleasing, while the tones are nearer perhaps in quality to 

 the human voice than those of any other instrument with which I am 

 acquainted. Considering its small size and rude shape, the tone is much 

 more sweet and powerful than would be conceived from its appearance, 

 and this may be accounted for in two ways. First, that the sounding board 

 is of parchment, stretched over the wooden frame ; and, secondly, that 

 below the gut strings which are played upon, there are eleven others of 

 fine steel wire, tuned exactly with the scale, and thus the effect of the 

 notes played is perhaps increased by vibration upon the wire notes be- 

 neath. 



The sarungi is used by Mahomedan musicians more than by Hindu ; 

 and I imagine it may have been introduced into India by the Mahome- 

 dans, possibly from Persia. It forms an excellent accompaniment to the 

 voice; and an old friend of mine, an excellent musician and violin player, 

 the late Captain Giberne, Bombay Army, used to prefer one of these 

 instruments to his own violin for concerted pieces in which the violin 

 took a soprano part. The capability of the sarungi for the execution of 

 chromatic passages and harmonies is, to some extent, equal to our own 

 violin ; but it would be quite possible to improve the native instrument 

 without altering its character, and in such case it might prove a useful 

 addition to our own orchestral effects. 



From its size, the sarrooda is more powerful, but more difiicult of 

 execution ; and it combines the effect of a guitar, as it is sometimes 

 played in accompaniment, and the violin. 



29. (Sar Mundal). 



This may be styled the Indian dulcimer. It is by no means com- 

 mon, and therefore good execution upon it is not often met with, nor 

 indeed at any time is it very pleasing, owing to the continual jangle of 

 the wire strings. 



30. 'SJ^ {Been), 



Wire-strung guitar, which is chiefly used by mendicants and re- 

 ligious devotees in recitations, hymns, and other sacred singing. In 

 some degree it resembles the vina, but has not its power or sweetness, 

 nor indeed capability of execution. This instrument has twenty-three 

 frets, and there are five strings to be played upon, with two others at 

 the side for occasional effects. 



