Beloochistan

Besides the Belooches and Brahooes, there is a considerable number of Hindoos resident at Kelat, who are principally engaged in mercantile specula tions, and are much respected both by the govern ment and people. Their religion is tolerated ; and they have a pagoda at Kelat. The Dehwars, or Dehkans, constitute the only remaining class of the population, which seems worthy of particular notice. They are to be recognised in different districts of the country under various names ; quiet and harm less in their disposition, and addicted to agricultural pursuits. Their colloquial language is common pure Persian ; from which fact their origin may be deduced, although no traces of their first settlement have been discovered.

The fluctuation of power renders it difficult

to define precisely the nature of the government at Kelat. During the reign of Nusseer Khan, the whole kingdom might be said to have been governed by a complete despotism ; yet that ruler so tempered the supreme authority by the privileges granted to the feudal chiefs, within their own tribes, that, to a casual observer, it bore the appearance of a military con federation. The tribes all exercise the right of se lecting their own Sirddr, or head ; the Khan, in deed, has the power of confirming or disapproving of their nomination ; but this power is never exercised, and appears to be merely nominal. The Khan of Kelat has the power of declaring war, and making treaties, connected with the whole of Beloochistan, and can order the Sirdar of each tribe to attend in person with his quota of troops. Agreeably to a code of regulations framed by one of the earliest princes of the Ktunburtmee dynasty, the entire ad ministration of justice was vested in the person at. the head of the government. The Sirdar, however, has the power of adjusting petty quarrels, thefts: and, in short,' disputed points of every description, among the inhabitants of a kheil, or society ; but in all cases of importance, an appeal lies, in the last instance, to the Khan at Kelat.

A register of the Belooche army, drawn up dur ing the reign of Nusseer Khan, exhibits an lae. gate of 250,000 men, but the number was probably exaggerated. At present the same documents com prise a list of 120,000 troops, after excluding all the revolted provinces and districts ; but it is believed, that Muhmood Khan could not, on the greatest ewer muster more than half that number of fight mg men. His total revenues, in their present reduced state, may be estimated at 850,000 rupees annually, a large portion of which is paid in produce. In Nusseer Khan's time, the revenue exceeded 80 lacks of rupees. The duties levied at Kelat are extreme

ly moderate. Horses or cattle pay nothing what ever throughout the Belooche territories; but there is a species of land-tax, payable from all cultivated grounds. The exports from Kelat are, at present, very trifling its imports are iron, tin, lead, steel, copper, indigo, beetel-nut, cochineal, sugar, spices, silks, keemkhab, gold-cloth, chintz, and coarse wool• lens from India.

The climate of Beloochistan is extremely various in the different provinces. The soil, in general, is exceedingly stony. Of the province of Kutch Gundava, however, the soil is rich and loamy, and so very productive, that, it is said, were it all pro perly cultivated, the crops would be more than suf ficient for the consumption of the whole of Beloochis tan. Gold, silver, lead, iron, tin, antimony, brim stone, alum, sal-ammoniac, and many kinds of mineral salts and saltpetre, are found in variousof the country. The precious metals have dis covered in working for iron and lead, at mines near the town of Nal, about 150 miles south south-west of Kelat. The different other minerals, abbve enu merated, are very plentiful. The gardens of Kelat produce many sorts of fruit, which are sold at a very moderate rate, such as apricots, peaches, grapes, almonds, pistachio nuts, apples, pears, plums, cur rants, cherries, quinces, figs, pomegranates, mulber ries, plantains, melons, guaivas, &c. All kinds of grain known in India are cultivated in the different provinces of Beloochistan, and they have abundance Of vegetables. Madder, cotton, and indigo, are also produced ; and the latter is considered superior to that of Benril. The culture of the date limit is conducted with great attention in the province of Mukran. The domestic animals of Beloochistan are horses, mules, asses, camels, dromedaries, buffaloes, black-cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, and cats, besides fowls and pigeons. They have neither geese, tur keys, nor ducks. The wild animals are lions, tigers, leopards, hyenas, wolves, jackalls, tiger-cats, wild dogs, foxes, hares, mongooses, mountain-goats, ante lopes, elks, red and moose-deer, wild asses, &c. Of birds they have almost every species to be met with either in Europe or India.

For the information contained in this article we must be regarded as furnishing a valuable addition to our geographical and statistical knowledge of the Asiatic Continent.

, are entirely indebted to the Travels of Lieutenant Pottinger, recently published ; whose journey, un dertaken by authority of the East India Company,