The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-08-08

Prepared by the National Geographic Society,
washington. D. C-wNU service.
TINE Indian province Of Baluchi-
stan lost its most important city
in the recent earthquake that
destroyed Quetta-
Quetta. the capital of Baluchistan
and the only municipality in the pro-
vince, existed primarily for military
purposes. but the Pax Britannica, sub
stitute for the Iawlessness and bandit
~ of former days, had made an impOr-
tant civil community and trading CEN
ter of it as well.
Baluchistan is midas fortress TO the
east. and Quota was its d0njOn keep.
The British have been in control of
the place since 1877, and since 1888
have held il under perpetual lease from
its old ruler, the picturesquely named
Wall Of Kalat.
When the British went in Quetta was
only a little group Of mud huts sur
rounded by unhealthy plains that were
virtually swamps. Drainage and sani-
tatiOn made the place over. The pop
ulatiOn increased to 10000, and once
swampy lowlands furnished setting
for villas and farm houses surrounded
by orchards and planted groves.
The outstanding feature of Quetta
was the cantOnment where six or
eight regiments of British and Indian
troops were Quartered. This extensive
post was 10 the north on relatively high
ground, while the civil town was TO
the south on a lower level. Mud, in
the form Of sun-dried brick was an i'm
pOrtant building material in the town,
though not 70 the extent that it was two
decades ago. Then mud-brick dOmes
formed many of the roofs, and were
considered safe because of Quotas
scant rainfall (abOut 10 inches annual
Iy). But there came an unusually wet
spring. and most Of the buildings melt
ed away. Since then many iron roofs
less picturesque, but better insurance
against weather vagaries-surmOunted
the mud walls of the town.
Western influence had permeated
Quetta and the standard of living had
risen accordingly. Tea, little while
ago a marked luxury, was becoming
a common beverage. Leather footwear
had displaced sandals to a noticeable
degree.
Hot Days, Cold Nights.
Quetta Is in the same latitude as
Cairo, Jacksonville, Fla, and Shanghai,
but because Of its 5000 feet of altitude
and the physical aspect of the sur
rounding country, its climate is very
different. Each day the mercury hobs
up and down through a wide range.
The difference between daily maximum
and minimum has been known to reach
50 degrees; but such excessive changes
are confined TO certain short seasons.
The hills and even the valleys of Ba-
Iuchistan are largely treeless, and when
the sun Is down heat radiates away
rapidly. As a consequence the nights
are always cool, even when the sun
blisters one by day.
The area devastated by the earth
quake extends south of Quetta into
the state of Kalat, vast mountain
streaked region of Baluchistan, where
modern progress has hardly penetrated.
There are no road maps in KaIat,
for good roads are scarce. In recent
years towns of the coastal region and
of the extreme north have been linked
with telegraph lines. The railroad
from Karachi to eastern Persia runs
across the states northern extremity,
but even in the shadows of the tele-
graph poles and along the railroad
right-of-way the natives cling TO their
camels and horses. A network of an
imal paths forms the major communi-
cation system. Few people of the in
terror have seen an automobile. and TO
many coins are curiosiries, for their
wants are satisfied by barter.
Kalat is sparsely settled. The state
is nearly as large as Nebraska but it
has only twice as many Inhabitants
as the city of Omaha Small villages
are sprinkled on the plains and in the
valleys and there are perhaps a dozen
fair-sized towns, but no large cities in
the American sense. KaIat, the capt.
tai, was a cluster OF mud houses and
mating huts climbing hill topped
with the mud-walIed. fortressiize ci-
tadeI of the Khan. Much Of it was de-
str9yed by the earthquake.
The inhabitants Of .KaIat are divided
into tribes. each with a chief Many
tribes Craze sheep and herd goats, fol-
lowing their animals wherever there is
fresh pasrurage. Some OF them live
the year round in mating or cloth-cov-
cred huts; others refuse 20 be bur
dened with cargo when on the move
and build new brushwOod huts at each
stop.
Farming and Fishing.
Kalat farmers occupy the valleys.
While some fruits. cotton and dates
are exported, the farmers are scarcely
abls TO produce enough food for domes-
tic consumption. Normal rainfall is
scanty and the soil is poor. In the
northern part of the state. which is
one of the hottest areas in India, the
sun is relentless in its destruction of
crops. Famine visited the state In
1880 and lasted for ten years.
Here and there farmers have built
crude irrigation works that are fed BY
springs and su-an streams. but more