The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-03-07
lnpIA,s MUSICAL eaAss.
Woaderfui Effects BY Cunning Tatirs 70.
Pooling the superstitious.

Wonderfui Effects BY Cunning Takirs 70.
Pooling the superstitious.
There yet remain certain corners u tho
earth where natural wonders ~ the oN
ceptional sort await the inspection ~
the more adventurous aud curioualy In
clined One of these ms yet generally un-
explored corners lies not far from the old
temple caves OF Bagh. IN India. Here
there IL a lake, In which Is a small islet
Around the shores OF the lake, and Of tho
islct especially, IL a dense growth OF reed
grass. The forest surrounding both awarms
with the deadly serpent tribes and other
dangerous beasts of prey peculiar 20 the
jungle.
The islet itself IL but tiny one. and
when viewed no n distance looks like a
pyramidnl basket Of verdure, 30 overgrown
Is IL with tho tall reeds. The only inhab-
itants OF this isolated spot are the ubiqui-
tous monkeys, who rendezvous among a
few mango trees that grow In tho midst
This reed grnss Il seven or eight feet high
and plumed az the top, the color effect Of
which IL AS Of "a waving sea Of black, yell
low, blue and especially u rose and green"
But the wonder does not become nppar-
ent until the evening wind begins to blow.
Then the gigantic reeds awake and begin
TO toss uneasily, and suddenly in the gen
oral 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 flood OF hhrmO-
ny follows, and the whole island resounds
as with the strains OF hundreds Of Aolan
harps. IL swells and deepens, filing the
air with indcscribahle melody, now sad
and solemn, az OF some funeral march,
now rising and trilling upon the air like
Ia If h.. .fssh0 -. Il
into silence with a long drawn sigh.
Then again the sounds rise, clashing
like hundreds Of silver BELLS then sudden
~ changing 90 the heartrending howl Of
"a wolf deprived Of her young A gay ia
rantelle follows; then comes the articul0te
sound Of the human voice TO the vague,
majestic accords OF Northumberland all
this re- presented In every direction by hun
dreds Of responsive echoes. Let the wind
but rise, the sounds pour and roll in UNI
restrainable, overwhelming energy-com-
parable 10 nothing but 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 lnll, and the scene is changed TO the
dim lit vault of cathedral, throbbing TO
the long drawn roll Of organ notes, end
ing perhaps in the clangor Of an alarm
bell. And so IL goes until your ears ache
aud your head reels under the strain.
On the opposite side of the lake you will
Bee the fires Of the superstitious natives,
who congregHte 20 hiring offerings to the
Indian god Pan and his hosts, who are
held responsible for the sounds evoked.
The cunning fakirs alone know better but
because Of certain benefits that accrue to
themselves from these reverential offerings
do not care TO enlighten these bronze faced
devotees. The explanation is a very sim
pie one. This reed grass is hollow. IL
shelters a species Of tiny beetle, and these
tiny insects obligingly bore the holes in
these innumerable pipes Of the great god
Pan.
Then comes your fakir, and he, with his
knowledge OF acoustics-for the superior
class of Hindoo ascetics are deeply versed
in natural advantages and shapes and
finishes until each reed Is perfect lutte,
answering to a 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 OF
native superstitions by the Brahmans in
control. -Pittsburg Dispatch.