The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-08-21
TnE hINooos A NOISY SET.
1 Rsdism In the Cities-Birds and
Beasts-Tam-Tam, Drum aud Banjo,

1 Rsdism In the Citiss-Birds and
Beast- Drum aud Banjo,
Bombay Cor. New York SUM-
Nothing is done in India without noise.
and in the cities IL Is perfectly appalling
The roar, the howl, the chatter, the rush,
the hustle are mingled 50 intimately that
you feel that you arc intrudipg on Bedlam.
You can scarcely hear yourself speak some-
times, and you look on the hubbub with fear
and trembling, finding no occasion for the
uproar. 4 congregation Of natives is worse
than any swarm Of Italians, and rs one secs
the frantic gesticulations, the imagination
Il OF violent quarrel rather than Of the
amicable hawling that the scene really Is.
What are they talking about Money or
men-nothing else commanding such a
chorus The tones are shrill and the de-
livery is rapid, the "O" "Op Of the voca-
tive case being the invariable form Of
speech.
As am riding
@Ob, Khud, a cowr exclaims one jam
panny.
~Oh, Hawaii, it is Toi Hyder's cowi" an
cowp pipes LAX. "Oh, Khud, and Oh.
LAX, wish I had its milk" chimes In
Dergher Ali. And 90 Of evsrything they
sec. When order halt tine four chorus
shrilly:
"Oh Mem Sahib we stopi" Or, II 1t Ia to
proceed, "Oh, Mem Sahib, we gol"
They never whistle as they 60, and laugh
ter Is never heard.
As ride ! listen not alone to the irritating
hum OF mosquitoes that are not exclusively
Indian, but, II it is not too dry, to the loud
call Of bulfrogs that would do credit to any
New Jersey swamp II it Is dry weather,
the frogs notes are replaced by the monoto-
nous drone and creak Of the wells, All day
long the Hindoo pigeon sends forth Its
booming notss from the woods; the kites cry
long and pisrcingly, and the kasturc, or In,
dian blackbird, is almost the only singing.
bird The minas chatter among the hills,
and the ever-present crow 10 perpetually
cawing everywhere around US A tiny owl,
about as large as q robin, mourns plaintively
just ct dusk. Tree toads hiss, and rasp, and
chirn Jackals growl at night, and occa.
sionally the hyepa may be beard.
So much for the natural sounds. There
are some artificial ones equally familiar,
such as the noise of the tam. TAM which Is
always being beaten, and that of the shep-
herds pipes, which are very like Scotch bag
pipes, and give forth sweet, weird sound.
The Brahmins produce q frightful noise by
pioWlS tu0 shCTou sueil, Chileu u suhk, u
blast that Is held to exercise the evil spirits.
The women sing some wild and plaintivs
notes in minor key, tho accompaniment
being performed on small goatskin drum,
And there are trumpets. enormous things Of
brass, some four feet long. ON which man
will blow some Of tho most excruciating
blasts There arc also little silver-plated
. ones that squsal like young pigs.
The most agreeable music that Is heard In
India ID that Of the banjo. But Hindoo
banjo is not like cns Of ours The lower part
Of the instrument Is made Of O section of
gourd that resembles doep, fat drum, open
j a5 one end. There are four strings. two
passed through blue glass beads, and the
other two raised by cowries. The notes pro-
duced are very pleasant The vocal music
Is the dreary chanting Of the professional
singers In the Hindoo temples. Is Ii monot-
onous. but 1t is worth hearing. The singers
spoil it. though, when they read aloud their
holy books in their grating. sing-song get.
al knx