Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-08
midas MUSICAL GRASS.
Wonderful Effects by Cunning Falirs For
Pooling the superstitious.


There yet rJ.nain certain corners OF tho
earth where natural wonders OF tho ex-
ceptional sort await the inspection OK
the more adventurous and curiously in-
clined. One Of these as yet generally I'M
explored corners lies not far from the old
temple caves Of Bagh, I'm India. Here
there is a lake, in which Is small islet.
Around the shores Of the lake, and OF the
islet especially. ia dense growth OF reed
grass The forest surrounding both swarms
with the deadly serpent tribes and other
dangerous beasts Of prey peculiar to the
jungle.
The islet itself Il but tiny one, and
when viewed at n distance looks like a
pyramidal basket of verdurc, so overgrowD
Is il with tho tall reeds. The only inhab-
itants OF this isolated spot are the ubiqul-
tous monkeys, who rendezvous among q
few mango trees that grow in tho midst.
This reed grass IL seven or eight feet hign
and plumed at the top, the color effect OK
which is a. Of "a waving sea OF black, yel.
low. blue and especially ofrose and green"
But the wonder does not become appar-
ent until the evening wind begins TO blow.
Then the gigantic reeds awake and begin
to toss uneasily, and suddenly in the gen.
eral silence of the forest around there Is
somewhere let loose whole river OF mu'
steal sound. first like that OF an orchestra
"tuning up" and then Hood Of harmo-
nv follows, and the whole island resounds
as with the strains Of hundreds OF folian
harps. 1t swells and deepens, filling the
air with indescribable melody, now SAD
and solemn, as of some funeral march,
now rising and thrilling upon the air like
tho song Of the nightingale, TO die away
into silence with long drawn sigh.
Then again the sounds rise, clashing
like hundreds of silver bells, then sudden
Is changing 20 the heartrending howl OK
a wolf deprived Of her young. a gay Ia
rantelle follows; then comes the articulate
sound of the human voice to the vague,
majestic accords Of violoncello-and all
/ this represented in every direction by hun
/ dreds OF responsive echoes. Let the wind
but rise. tho sounds pour and roll In I'M
restrainable, overwhelming energy-coin-
parable to nothing but n storm in the open
sea. You hear the wind tearing through
the rigging, the swish and turmoil and
laundering shock of the maddened waves.
/ a lull. and the scene Is changed TO tho
dim lit vault of cathedral, throbbing 10
the long drawn roll OF organ notes, end
ing perhaps in the clangor OF an alarm
bell. And so it goes until your ears ache
and your head reels under the strain.
On the opposite side OF the lake you VIII
see the fires of the superstitious natives,
| who congregate to bring offerings IN tue
Indian god Pan and his hosts, who ara
held responsible for the sounds evoked.
| The cunning fakirs alone know better, but
because of certain benefits that accrue to
themselves from these reyerential offerings
do rot care to enlighten these bronze faced
deyotees. The explanation Is very SIM
pie one. This reed grass Is hollow. 1t
sheltersa species of tiny beetle, and these
tiny insects obligingly bore tho holes IN
these innumerablo pipes of the great god
Pan.
Then comes your fakir, and be, with his
knowledge Of acoustics-for the superior
class Of IIindoo ascetics are deeply versed
In natural laws-enlarges and shapes and
finishes until each reed il perfect Lutte,
answering to certain keynote in the mu'
steal scale. The wind is the musician and
blows the pipes thus prepared with re.
suits as described. Why the fakir should
go to the trouble Of attuning the reeds Is
probably due To the habitual fostering OK
native superstitions by the Brahmans Ia
control. -Pittsburg Dispatch.