The lads who have not put on trousers are regarded as children. Their women move fear lessly about the hills, gathering the fronds of the dwarf palm, or collecting fullers' earth. Widows are remarried to their deceased husband's brother. The men wear their beards, and have bushy whiskers. Their turban is of cloth twisted like a rope ; they have a sort of shirt reaching to the knees and plaited at the waist behind, with loose trousers,. and a white sheet as a plaid. The ornaments of the women are necklaces (bassi) a torque of stiff solid metal ; a necklet (chamkalli, a string of twisted silk with pointed gold beads), armlets, bracelets, and anklets.
Their houses are mean, their flocks are small. They are bad riders, though they have a good breed of mares, 13.2 to 14.1 in height, well built, wiry, and hardy, able to carry their rider 50 to 70 miles, with his bedding, food for man and horse, with matchlock,—in all about 13 stone ; they are never shod.
Their arms are sword and shield and matchlock. They are hardy, endure severe privation. They have blood feuds,—Khun-bawur, satisfaction in blood.
The Narui section of Baluch are a tall, handsome, active race, with good features and expressive coun tenances, not possessing great physical strength, but inured to changes of climate and season, and accustomed to undergo every kind of hardship and fatigue. They fight with, great gallantry, fearless of death, only requiring a leader to direct their impetuous valour. They are the most savage and predatory of the Baluch. The Rind and Maghazzi Baluch resemble the Narui Baluch in size and stature, and, like them, have good features and expressive countenances, but are less able to support hardships and labour. They are of a darker colour than the Narui. They are hospit able. They are almost pastoral ; usually reside in (ghidan) tents of black felt or blanket, stretched over a framework of tamarisk (guz). The Narui prefer mud houses to tents. The Baluch are indolent, and only rouse themselves to some favourite amusements. They are sober, using flesh meat, wheat, and barley, cakes, rice, dates, cheese, sweet and sour milk, and soup made of dal or peas, seasoned with pepper. The Narui principally inhabit that portion of Baluchistan which lies to the westward of the desert, and there are likewise clans or kW of them at Nushki and in Seistan.
Tho sections Rind and Maghazzi are settled in Cutch Gandava, to which fertile plain they have migrated at different periods from the province of lakran, and have become incorporated with the Jat, or cultivators of the soil, as the subjects of the Khan of Kalat ' • a few of these likewise re side in the hills to the N.E. of Cutch Gandava,
and ou the skirts of the deserts north of Kalat. Time Baluch, in all the east of Baluchistan, are but the upper stratum of the population ; and there, as also in Seistan and Cutch Gandava, the Jat race form the greatest portion of the agricultural population.
Baluch tribes think much of geod blood and the claims of long descent. Balueh mothers, like those of the Armenians, Hebrews, Chinese, and Afghans, see the proofs of their daughter's marriage.
13aluch have a code of honour, to which they scrupulously adhere, and have far more nobility of character and manliness of disposition than Afghans. The Afghans swore not to molest British troops when retiring from Kabul, never theless destroyed the brigade. The Baluch swore to keep faith with Captain Browne and his garrison in Milai, and escorted them safely to the plains, though quite at their mercy and dependent on them even for water. The Baluch closes with his enemy in the fight, sword and shield in hand ; the Afghan engages with matchlock, firing from a distance, if possible under cover, and seldom closing with his enemy.
Baluch women generally wear the gagh-gho, a long shift resembling an night-shirt, but opening behind between the shoulders, and with half arms. It is usually made of red or white stuff, and reaches almost down to the ankles. Red is the fashionable colour, and elaborately worked at the breast.
The men wear their hair long and flowing over the shoulders, whilst a luxuriant beard falls over the breast. The women tie their hair in a knot behind, brushing it smooth in front, and keeping it in place by a fixature. The colour of the hair is frequently brown or red.
Baluchistan grows wheat, barley, millet, and rice, but mutton and milk preparations are the staple articles of food ; asafoetida is largely used.
Jaloh is a scorching hot wind of the Baluchistan desert. It is frequent in the eastern low-lying province of Cutch Gandava or Cutcbi ; it blows also in the sandy deserts bordering on Southern Afghanistan, and is often fatal to animal life.