The Lahr Kuh--Robat _thana_ and bungalow--Saïd Khan--Persian and
Beluch music, songs and dancing--Beluch musical
instruments--Beluch melodies, love and war songs--Comic
songs--Beluch voices--Persian melodies--Solo
songs--Ululations--Persian instruments--Castanets--Persian and
Beluch dancing--The _chap_.
South-west of Robat (at 210° bearings magnetic) stands a fine mountain,
the Lahr Kuh, and from it descends a little stream flowing towards the
north-east. There is a large _thana_ (fortified post-house) at Robat of
eight rooms and a spacious court for horses. A shop with grain and
provisions is found here, and a post office with the familiar black board
outside on which one was rather amused to read the usual postal notices
in the English language stuck upon it--announcing Queen Victoria's death,
notifying that the office would be closed on such and such bank holidays,
and other public news.
The quarters of the _Jemadar_ and his seven levies, of the _Duffadar_ and
the postmaster, were enclosed in the high-walled _thana_ with its
imposing entrance gate and four towers at the corners. Beyond the _thana_
was the old resting place built of stone, with six rooms, but now rather
in a tumbling-down condition.
Then last, but not least, of the buildings was the new bungalow, with a
nice portico all round. It contained four spacious, lofty rooms with
well-drawing chimneys. There were windows, but not yet with glass in
them, and this was rather an advantage, because the air of the mountains
was pure and better than would have been the shut-in atmosphere of a
room. Each room had a bathroom attached to it--but of course the bath had
to be brought by the traveller himself.
[Illustration: Saïd Khan, Duffadar and Levies at the Perso-Beluch
Frontier Port of Robat.]
This was one of two types of rest-houses which are being built by the
British Government for travellers on the Nushki-Robat route. The other
kind was of similar architecture but with only two rooms instead of four.
These bungalows were solidly built, well ventilated and excellent in
every way--of course in relation to the country they were in. It was not
proposed when they were put up to compete in comfort and _cuisine_ with
the Carlton Hotel in London, that of Ritz in Paris, or the
Waldorf-Astoria of New York. They were mere rest-houses for traders and
travellers accustomed to that particular kind of travelling, and the
British Government ought to be greatly thanked for building these
shelters at the principal halting-places on the route. Only a few are
completed yet between Robat and Nushki, but their construction is going
ahead fast, and within the next year or so, if I understood right, they
would all be ready to accommodate travellers. They were a great
improvement on the old _thanas_, which, although comfortable enough, were
not always quite so clean on account of natives using them.
After travelling in Persia, where one climbs down a good deal in one's
ideas of luxury and comfort and is glad to put up even in the most modest
hovels, it seemed to me quite the zenith of luxury and comfort to set
foot inside a real whitewashed rest-house, with mats on the floor and a
fire blazing in a real chimney. News had come that I should arrive that
afternoon, and the levies with the _Jemadar_ in their best clothes all
turned out to receive me, which involved considerable hand-shaking and
elaborate compliments, after which I was led into the room that had been
prepared for me.
Saïd Khan, who has been employed by the Government to look after the
postal arrangements and other political work on the Persian side of the
frontier, was also here parading with the others, as can be seen in the
illustration.
Saïd Khan was a tall, intelligent, black-bearded, fearless person,
wearing a handsome black frock-coat, a mass of gold embroidery on the
chest, and a beautiful silver-mounted sword--which, by the way, he wore
in a sensible fashion slung across his shoulder; with his well-cut
features, strong, almost fierce mouth, finely chiselled nostrils and
eagle eyes he was quite a striking figure.
The _Duffadar_, who stood on his right hand, had a most honest and
good-natured face, and he, too, looked very smart in his uniform,
cartridge bandolier, silver-handled sword and Enfield rifle. His men
were also armed with this rifle which, although of old pattern, is very
serviceable.
With the exception of Saïd Khan, the people represented in the
illustration formed the entire stationary male population of Robat, but
some small black tents could be seen in a gully a little way off
inhabited by nomad Beluch.
On hearing that I was much interested in music, the _Duffadar_, who was a
bit of a musician himself, arranged a concert in which all the local
talent took part. On this and many other later occasions I heard Beluch
music and singing and saw their dancing, and as I also heard a good deal
of Persian music while in Persia I daresay a few words upon the music and
dancing of the two countries will not be out of place. In many ways they
are akin.
A large instrument called the _Dumbirah_ or _Dambura_--something like an
Italian mandola--was produced which was handsomely carved and inlaid in
silver. It had three strings, two of which were played as bass; on the
third the air was twanged in double notes, as the thumb and first finger
are held together, the first finger slightly forward, and an oscillation
is given from the wrist to the hand in order to sound the note twice as
it catches first in the thumb then in the first finger. The effect
obtained is similar to that of the _Occalilli_ of Honolulu, or not unlike
a mandoline, only with the Beluch instrument the oscillations are slower.
The movement of the favourite Beluch melodies resembles that of a
Neapolitan tarantella, and these airs are generally more lively than
melodies of most other Asiatic people. Endless variations are made on the
same air according to the ability and temperament of the musician. The
notes of the two bass strings of the instrument are never altered, but
always give the same accompaniment on being twanged together with the
violin string on which only the actual melody is picked out.
There is then the _Soroz_, a kind of violin made of a half pumpkin, which
forms the sounding board, and a handle to it with four keys and four
strings. It is played with a bow of horsehair.
The other instruments in use are the _Seranghi_, a kind of superior
violin such as the two central ones represented in the full page
illustration. It has no less than fourteen keys, is hollow and uncovered
in its upper portion, but has a skin stretched in the lower half of its
sounding case. It is also perforated underneath and is played with a bow
called _gazer_.
The _Rabab_ is a larger wooden instrument of a somewhat elongated shape,
and its lower portion is also covered by a tight sheepskin--the remainder
of the uncovered wood being prettily inlaid with silver and bone. This
instrument is twanged with the fingers and has eighteen _killi_ or keys,
twelve with metal strings and six with gut strings.
The _Surna_, or flute, is made of bamboo with a brass funnel. The
mouthpiece is very ingenious, made of crushed cane fastened into a cup
which is firmly applied to the lips, thus preventing any wind escaping at
the sides. It certainly gives a very piercing sound when played loud.
The _Dohl_, or drum, was also of wood with sheepskins drawn tight at the
two ends while wet, rolled up all round the rims of the apertures, and
kept in position by leather strips.
[Illustration: Beluch Musicians (at Sibi.)]
Besides these the Beluch shows much ingenuity in improvising musical
instruments to accompany his songs, out of any article which will give
some sound, such as his rifle rod, which he balances on a bit of string
and taps upon with the blade of his knife, or two pieces of wood which he
uses as castanets, and, failing all these, snapping his fingers and
keeping time with the melody.
There is a certain weird, barbaric charm in Beluch melodies, and, unlike
the Persian, the Beluch possesses a very keen ear, in fact, a thorough
musical ear, even according to our rules of harmony. To an unthoughtful
European there may indeed be a certain monotony in Beluch melodies, but
never a grating discord which will set one's teeth on edge.
Monotony in music, or rather, a repetition of the same melody until it
becomes monotonous, is, rather than otherwise--if one comes to think of
it--a fault on the right side, for if a melody is repeated time after
time it means that the people themselves like it and appreciate it. There
is no doubt that anybody with an unspoilt musical ear rather fancies
listening over and over again to a melody which appeals to him--and we
need not go as far as Beluchistan to be convinced of this--for we
ourselves have been known to take fancies to songs of so high a standard
as _Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay_, _The Honeysuckle and the Bee_, &c., and we hum
them while soaking in our morning tub, we whistle them as we go down to
breakfast, we strum them on the piano after breakfast, we hear them
rattled outside by a barrel organ, as many times as there are forthcoming
pennies from windows, while we are having lunch, we hear them
pathetically sung at afternoon parties by hired entertainers, bands play
them in the restaurants during dinner, and we hear them in the theatres,
in music halls, and everywhere,--so that we cannot very well blame others
for the monotony of their melodies since we largely follow the same
course as theirs.
The Beluch plays and sings because it gives him real pleasure, and he is
quite carried away by his music. Certain notes and combinations of notes,
especially such as are very high and shrill, but in good tune, seem to go
straight to his heart, and he revels in them. When singing, therefore, he
prefers to sing in falsetto--as high as the furthest strain of his voice
permits--and having worked himself into a semi-dazed state gradually
descends to low deep notes, which by contrast appeal to him and not only
give balance and character to his melody but produce quite a good
harmonious effect. The low notes, however, are never ejaculated, but
hummed, almost buzzed, with a vibration in the voice which is most
melodious. The sound is like an indefinite letter U.
The beginning of a song is somewhat sudden and startling, and usually too
loud, as if the singer had not properly gauged the extent of his voice in
relation to the instrumental accompaniment, but he soon manages to get in
most perfect unison with the melody of the dambura and the violin or
other instruments, except in cases of singers endowed with extra musical
genius, when they will go on improvising by the hour, using the theme as
a guide. They generally sing in a minor key, with pretty refrains at the
end of each bar.
[Illustration]
The most common and favourite air is the above on which elaborate
variations are added.
The Beluch singer seldom changes from minor into major or from one key
into another, but he is very fond of repeating the same melody in all the
octaves within the utmost limits of the compass of his voice. It is
considered a feat in singing to hold a note for an interminable time, as
also to go through the greater portion of the melody without taking
breath, and it really seemed extraordinary that some of the singers did
not break a blood vessel in the process. The eyes of the performers got
so swollen and almost shooting out of the head with holding the notes so
long, and the veins of the temples and arteries in the neck swelled to
such an extent as to cause serious apprehension.
On one occasion I heard an improvised song with the accompaniment of the
_soroz_ (violin) only. This time--an exception in my experience--the song
was given in a deep, low, nasal voice, each note being tremulous and held
on for several minutes in a most plaintive manner.
Some of the love songs were quite pathetic and touching, and in the war
songs, the grievances were poured forth very plaintively with an
accompaniment of strings and drums and burst out suddenly into fire and
anger. At this point, when the musicians were carried away by the martial
words of the song, the instrumental accompaniment became next to
diabolical. It was very inspiriting, no doubt, and made them feel very
war-like. The din was certainly such as might have turned any man into a
fighter.
Love songs, in which the singer imitated women's voices to perfection,
were really most graceful and sad, and quite interesting were the musical
recitatives with violin accompaniments which the Beluch render in quite a
masterly way.
Then there was the comic song--quick-timed and full of life--much too
full and too comic to appeal to a European, and so fully illustrated that
personally, I infinitely preferred the more melancholic ones which had
more music in them.
Duets and trios were occasionally attempted with quite good results,
except that there always seemed to be a competition as to who should
start highest, and this had occasionally a grating effect.
The Beluch possess most soft musical voices, well-rounded and graceful,
quite a contrast even in mere conversation to those of their neighbours
the Persians or the Afghans; but the character of the Beluch songs and
music is not dissimilar from the Persian, and both betray a markedly Arab
origin. In Persian songs, too, an _andante_ movement with chorus joining
in every few bars frequently occurs, but in the Persian chorus we
generally find a liking for chromatic diminuendos and crescendos, which
are not so frequent in Beluch music.
Persian music is inspiriting. There are certain musical notes the
vibrations of which seem to go to the heart more than others, and on
these notes the Persian musician will work his melody. Sad love songs in
a falsetto voice are prevalent, and are sung so high that, as with the
Beluch, it makes one really quite anxious for the safety of the singer.
The notes are kept on so long and the melody repeated so often, that the
artery and veins in the singer's neck and temples bulge out in a most
abnormal manner.
There is no actual end to a Persian melody, which terminates with the
exhaustion of the singer, or abruptly by the sign of the hearers who get
tired of it. The musicians every now and then join in the chorus and
repeat the refrain.
Tenor solo songs by boys are much appreciated, and these, too, are very
plaintive with frequent scales in them and certain notes held long at the
end of each bar where the chorus join in. These sustained notes have
modulations in them with infinitesimal fractions of tones. Ululations
with long, nasal, interminable notes and capricious variations at the
fancy of the singer, but based on some popular theme are also much liked
by Persians.
More than in anything else, however, the Persian, like the Beluch,
delights in tremulous notes, of which he makes ample use in his melodies.
The rhythm of Persian and Beluch music is much alike, although as far as
instrumental execution goes the Persian surpasses the Beluch, having a
greater variety in his orchestra and the instruments being more perfectly
constructed.
The _Santurie_, for instance, a kind of zither, with eighteen sets of
three strings each, is a most harmonious instrument from which beautiful
effects can be obtained by the player.
The _thar_> a sort of guitar, has four keys and is played with a
plectrum, and the _Kermanche_, _Cynthour_, _Tchogor_, _the
Tchaminioho_--the latter, a circular instrument covered by a skin, with
one metal and two gut strings, on a long metal stand, is played with a
bow;--the _dumbuk_ (drum), with only one skin pasted round its single
aperture, the lower part being solid; the flute pure and proper, with
five apertures on one side and one on the other, on which very low clear
notes are obtained, and a pretty tremolo,--and other instruments of minor
importance, are all employed in Persia.
The Persians are masters at playing the drum. Most marvellous effects are
obtained by them. They hold the drum on the left leg with the left arm
resting on it, and tap it with the tips of their fingers round its edge.
For broader notes it is struck with the palm of the hand. Soft, gentle
notes as well as the rumbling sound in good time with the air they
accompany, are extracted from the instrument, so fast in its vibrations
as to produce a continuous sound that one would never believe came from a
drum.
[Illustration: Beluch Dance (at Sibi.)]
Metallic castanets are used both by the Persian and Beluch in the
dancing, and it is usually the dancers--one or more boys--who play them.
Many of the songs and melodies I heard in Persia reminded me very
forcibly of Spanish melodies, which, like these, are undoubtedly of Arab
origin.
Whatever fault one may find with Persian or Beluch music, one cannot say
that the performers do not play with an immense deal of feeling and
_entrain_--a quality (the primary one, to my mind,) in music often
lacking in musicians nearer home, but never in Orientals.
The dancing, both Persian and Beluch, is not so interesting. It is
usually executed by effeminate long-haired boys generally dressed in a
long pleated coat with a tight belt, and wearing a number of metal bells
attached to the ankles. The Persian is probably the more lascivious of
the two in his movements, and, having begun by throwing his long shock of
hair backwards twirls round gracefully enough, keeping good time with the
music. This is merely a feat of endurance, resembling the dancing or
spinning dervishes of Egypt, and generally ends by the dancer suddenly
squatting down upon the floor with his flowing gown fully expanded in a
circle around him. The skill of the dancer is shown most in successive
dances, such as the slow progression by merely twisting the feet to right
and left, occasionally varied by raising one foot directly above the
other, then throwing the head far back and the body in a strained curve,
with arms raised fluttering like a flying bird, while the song to which
he dances imitates a nightingale.
Contortions and suggestive waist movements are much indulged in Persian
dancing, as well as throwing the body backwards with the hands almost
touching the ground behind and walking while in this position--not unlike
an exaggerated form of the "cake-walk" of our American cousins.
Each dance is closed by the dancer throwing himself down upon his knees
in front of the musicians, or in turn before each of the spectators.
Beluch dancing was very similar, although much simpler. The two
photographs, reproduced in the illustrations, which I took at Sibi, show
one a row of Beluch musicians, the other a Beluch boy in the act of
dancing a sort of toe-and-heel dance, in which with extended arms he
gradually fluttered round, keeping time with the music. In some of the
quicker movements he either snapped his fingers or used wooden castanets,
or held the pleated skirt of his coat fully extended like butterfly
wings. There was very little variation to his dancing which, like the
Persian was more a feat of endurance and speed than a graceful
performance. The ankle did most of the work.
[Illustration: The Beluch-Afghan Boundary Cairn and Malek-Siah Mountains
in Background.]
Somewhat more wild and primitive was the _chap_ which I witnessed at a
camp in north-west Beluchistan. It consisted in swinging the body from
right to left, lifting up now one leg and then the other, and waving the
head to and fro in a most violent manner. The Beluch get much excited
over this dance, which requires some degree of stubborn tenacity, and the
spectators urge the dancer to continue when he shows signs of getting
tired. All superfluous clothing is discarded in a most alarming manner at
various stages of this performance, and the arms are flapped vigorously
against the naked body which is made to sound like a drum. The
performance is not allowed to stop until the dancer is quite exhausted,
when he simply collapses in the arms of one of his friends. The musical
accompaniment to this dance verges on the diabolical, the rhythm of what
melody there is being interspersed with abundant howls, yells and
snapping of fingers from the enthusiastic crowd all round.