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diff --git a/3639-0.txt b/3639-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6880616 --- /dev/null +++ b/3639-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8676 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Diary of a pedestrian in Cashmere and Thibet, by William Henry Knight + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: Diary of a pedestrian in Cashmere and Thibet + +Author: William Henry Knight + +Release Date: July 7, 2021 [eBook #3639] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +Produced by: Jeroen Hellingman + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIARY OF A PEDESTRIAN IN CASHMERE AND THIBET *** + + + + + DIARY OF A PEDESTRIAN + IN + CASHMERE AND THIBET. + + By + Captain Knight, Forty-eighth Regiment. + + London: + Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street. + Publisher in Ordinary to Her Majesty. + 1863. + + + + + + + + To + those for whose perusal + the following pages were originally written + they are affectionately + dedicated. + + + + + + + +PREFACE. + + +With the fullest sense of the responsibility incurred by the addition +of another volume to the countless numbers already existing, and daily +appearing in the world, the following Diary has been committed to the +press, trusting that, as it was not written with intent to publication, +the unpremeditated nature of the offence may be its extenuation, and +that as a faithful picture of travel in regions where excursion trains +are still unknown, and Travellers’ Guides unpublished, the book may not +be found altogether devoid of interest or amusement. Its object is +simply to bring before the reader’s imagination those scenes and +incidents of travel which have already been a source of enjoyment to +the writer, and to impart, perhaps, by their description, some portion +of the gratification which has been derived from their reality. With +this view, the original Diary has undergone as little alteration of +form or matter as possible, and is laid before the reader as it was +sketched and written during the leisure moments of a wandering life, +hoping that faithfulness of detail may atone in it for faults and +failings in a literary and artistic point of view. + +Although the journey it describes was written without the advantages of +a previous acquaintance with the writings of those who had already gone +over the same ground, subsequent research has added much to the +interest of the narrative, and information thus obtained has been added +either in the form of Notes or Appendix. Under the latter head, +acknowledgment is principally due to an able and interesting essay on +the architecture of Cashmere, by Capt. Cunningham, and also to a paper +by M. Klaproth, both of whom appear to have treated more fully than any +other writers the subjects to which they refer. + +As differences will be found to occur in the names of places, &c. +between the parts thus added and the remainder of the book, it may be +well to explain that in the former only are they spelt according to the +usually received method of rendering words of Eastern origin in the +Roman character. By this system the letters ā, e, ī, o, and ū, are +given the sounds of the corresponding Italian vowels; i and u are +pronounced as in “hit” and “put;” and the letter a is made to represent +the short u in the word “cut.” In this way it is that Cashmere, +correctly pronounced Cushmere, comes to be written Kashmīr, and Mutun, +pronounced as the English word “mutton,” [1] is written Matan, both of +which, to the initiated, represent the true sound of the words. Those +who have adopted the system, however, have not always employed it +throughout, nor given with it the key by which it alone becomes +intelligible; and the result has been that in many ways, but +principally from the un-English use made of the letter a, it has tended +quite as much to mislead and confuse, as to direct. + +In the narrative, therefore, wherever custom has not already +established a particular form of spelling, the explanation of the sound +has been attempted in the manner which seemed least liable to +misconception, and, except as regards the letters a and u no particular +system has been followed. These have been invariably given the sounds +they possess in the words “path” and “cut” respectively, a circumflex +being placed over the latter to denote the short u in the word “put.” + +Such names, therefore, as Cushmere, Tibbut, Muhummud, Hijra, &c. have +been left as custom has ruled them, and will appear in their more +well-known costume of Cashmere, Thibet, Mahomet, and Hegira. + +The concluding sketch was originally intended to accompany a series of +brightly-coloured Cashmerian designs illustrative of the life of +“Krishna;” and the reproduction of these, in their integrity, not +having been found feasible, the sketch itself may appear de trop. + +It has, however, been retained on the possibility of the translations +which occur in it being of interest to those who may not be acquainted +with the style of Eastern religious literature; while the outline it +presents of some of the religions of the East, bare and simple as it +is, may be acceptable to such as are not inclined to search out and +study for themselves the necessarily voluminous and complicated +details. + + + London. + June, 1863. + + + + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + Preface. vii + + Introduction. 3 + + Part I. + The Pleasures of the Plains. 9 + + Part II. + Cashmere. 39 + + Part III. + A Halt in the Valley. 78 + + Part IV. + Little Thibet. 129 + + Part V. + Ladak and the Monastery of Hemis. 181 + + Part VI. + A Retreat to the Valley. 205 + + Part VII. + Last Days of Travel. 261 + + The Religions of Cashmere and Thibet. 305 + + Appendix A. + The Temples of Cashmere. 347 + + Appendix B. + The Mystic Sentence of Thibet. 362 + + Appendix C. + A Sketch of the History of Cashmere. 376 + + + + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS. + + + 1. Ladak frontispiece. + 2. View in Sirinugger To face p. 84 + 3. Solomon’s Throne 90 + 4. Hurree Purbut 92 + 5. Martund 108 + 6. Pandreton 122 + 7. Lamieroo 164 + 8. Road to Egnemo 176 + 9. Rajah’s Palace, Ladak 182 + 10. Monastery of Hemis 192 + 11. Seventh Bridge, Sirinugger 268 + 12. Hindoo Temple in the Himalayas 306 + 13. Gunesh 311 + 14. Birth of Krishna 312 + 15. Temple Decoration, Himalayas 318 + 16. Ancient Jain Temple 336 + + + 17. Chubootra, or Resting-place in the Himalayas Vignette Title. + 18. The Head of Affairs 3 + 19. An Unpropitious Moment 27 + 20. Kismut 29 + 21. Crossing the Sutlej 30 + 22. A Halting-place in Cashmere 74 + 23. Latticed Window, Sirinugger 102 + 24. Sacred Tank, Islamabad 104 + 25. Painting versus Poetry 111 + 26. Love-lighted Eyes 112 + 27. Vernagh 115 + 28. Cashmerian Temple Sculpture 121 + 29. Patrun 126 + 30. Roadside Monument, Thibet 152 + 31. Road to Moulwee 155 + 32. Rock Sculpture 156 + 33. Thibetian Monument 159 + 34. Natives and Lama 164 + 35. Thibetian Religious Literature 167 + 36. Inscribed Stones 170 + 37. Inscribed Stone 176 + 38. Monument at Hemis 190 + 39. Painted Stone 199 + 40. Buddha 202 + 41. Snow Bridge 241 + 42. Kangree 266 + 43. Ancient Hindoo Temple 305 + 44. Fukeer of Solomon’s Throne 322 + + + + + + + +ERRATUM. + + +Page 116, line 5, for A.D. 1612, read A.D. 1619. + + + + + + + + “Who has not heard of the Vale of Cashmere, + With its roses the brightest that earth ever gave, + Its temples, and grottoes, and fountains as clear + As the love-lighted eyes that hang over their wave?” + + + + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +More than a year and a half had been spent in the hottest parts of the +plains of India, and another dreaded hot season was rapidly making its +approach, when, together with a brother officer, I applied for and +obtained six months’ leave of absence for the purpose of travelling in +Cashmere and the Himalayas, otherwise called by Anglo-Indians “The +Hills.” + +We had been long enough in the country to have discovered that the +gorgeous East of our imagination, as shadowed forth in the delectable +pages of the “Arabian Nights,” had little or no connexion with the East +of our experience—the dry and dusty East called India, as it appeared, +wasted and dilapidated, in its first convalescence from the fever into +which it had been thrown by the Mutiny of 1857–58. We were not long, +therefore, in making our arrangements for escaping from Allahabad, with +the prospect before us of exchanging the discomforts of another hot +season in the plains, for the pleasures of a sojourn in the far-famed +valley of Cashmere, and a tramp through the mountains of the +Himalayas—the mountains, whose very name breathes of comfort and +consolation to the parched up dweller in the plains. The mountains of +“the abode of snow!” + +Our expeditionary force consisted at starting of but one besides the +brother officer above alluded to—the F. of the following pages—and +myself. This was my Hindoo bearer, Mr. Rajoo, whose duty it was to make +all the necessary arrangements for our transport and general welfare, +and upon whose shoulders devolved the entire management of our affairs. +He acted to the expedition in the capacity of quartermaster-general, +adjutant-general, commissary-general, and paymaster to the forces; and, +as he will figure largely in the following pages, under the title of +the “Q.M.G.,” and comes, moreover, under the head of “a naturally dark +subject,” a few words devoted to his especial description and +illumination may not be out of place. + +With the highest admiration for England, and a respect for the +Englishman, which extended to the very lining of their pockets, Mr. +Rajoo possessed, together with many of the faults of his race, a +certain humour, and an amount of energy most unusual among the family +of the mild Hindoo. He had, moreover, travelled much with various +masters, in what are, in his own country, deemed “far lands;” and +having been wounded before Delhi, he had become among the rest of his +people an authority, and to the Englishman in India an invaluable +medium for their coercion and general management. + +To us he proved a most efficient incumbent of the several offices we +selected him to fill. His administration no doubt did display an +occasional weakness; and his conduct as paymaster to the forces was +decidedly open to animadversion; for, in this capacity, he seemed to be +under the impression that payments, like charity, began at home, and he +also laboured under a constitutional and hereditary infirmity, which +prevented him in small matters from discerning any difference between +meum and tuum. + +Having been employed collectively, however, it would be unfair to judge +of his performances in detail; and from his satisfactory management of +the expedition, occasionally under such trying circumstances as a +break-down in the land transport, or an utter failure in his tobacco +supply, we had every reason to be satisfied with our choice. The latter +misfortune was the only one which really interfered at any time with +his efficiency, or upset his equanimity, and it unfortunately occurred +always at the most inopportune seasons, and at a time when he was +undergoing his greatest hardships. + +As long as the supply lasted, the mysterious gurglings of his “Hubble +Bubble,” or cocoa-nut water-pipe, might be heard at almost any hour of +the day or night. “Hubble bubble, toil and trouble,” was the natural +order of his existence; and when in some peculiarly uncivilised region +of our wanderings, the compound of dirt, sugar, and tobacco, in which +his soul delighted, was not forthcoming, he and his pipe seemed at once +to lose their vitality, and to become useless together. The temporary +separation which ensued, being in its way a mensa et thoro, was a +source of trouble and inconvenience to all concerned, and we had, more +than once, cause to regret not having given the tobacco question that +forethought and consideration to which it would be well entitled by any +one undertaking a similar expedition. + +Overlooking these weaknesses, Mr. Rajoo’s character was beyond +reproach, and for the particular work he had to perform, his +combination of efficiency, portability, and rascality, rendered him in +every respect “the right man in the right place.” + +Such was our “head of affairs,” and such the small force he had at +first to provide for. As we passed out of India, and got further from +regions of comparative civilization, his cares increased: cellar, +kitchen, larder, farm-yard, tents, &c. had then to accompany our +wandering steps, and the expedition gradually increased in size, until +it attained its maximum of nearly forty. From this it again as +gradually decreased, and as one by one our retainers disappeared, it +dwindled in dimensions until it finally reached its original limited +proportions, and then “we three met again,” once more upon the plains +of India. + +All our necessary preparations having been completed, and a sacrifice +of three precious weeks having been duly offered to the inexorable +genius who presides over public correspondence, we reduced our +impedimenta to the smallest possible compass, and with about a hundred +pounds to commence life with, all in two shilling pieces, that being +the only available coin of the realm in this our second century of +British administration, we took our departure by railway for Cawnpore. +Here we found ourselves located and hospitably entertained in the house +in which our unfortunate fellow-countrywomen were confined on their +recapture from the river by the Nana Sahib, one of the few mementos of +the mutiny still left standing at Cawnpore. + +Next day we laid our dâk for Simla, and about six o’clock in the +evening, with the Q.M.G. on the roof, and ourselves and our possessions +stowed away in the innumerable holes and corners of the rude wooden +construction called a “Dâk garee,” or post coach, we took our +departure. After a few mishaps with our steed, involving the necessity +of getting out to shove behind, we entered upon the Grand Trunk Road, +and with a refreshing sense of freedom and relief, soon left Cawnpore +in all its native dust and dreariness behind us. + + + + + + + +PART I. + +THE PLEASURES OF THE PLAINS. + + +May 21, 1860.—Being fairly under weigh, our first attention was +directed towards the machine which was to be, in a great measure, our +home for many days to come. Not overburdened with springs, and not much +to look at, though decidedly an extraordinary one to go, our conveyance +was by no means uncomfortable; and, stretched upon a mattress extending +its entire length, F. and I chatted over our plans and projects, and +star-gazed, and soon fell asleep, in spite of the ruts on the road and +the wild discordant bugling of our ragged coachman, who seemed to +consider that, however inferior in other respects, in a matter of music +we were not to be outdone, not even by Her Majesty’s own royal mail. At +first sight, the necessity of trying to clear such lonely roads as we +were travelling was not altogether apparent; but a slight acquaintance +with the general principles and laws of progression of the national +Indian institution called a bullock-cart, or “beil-garee,” soon clears +up the difficulty. Built entirely of wood, and held together by scraps +of ropes and cord, a more hopeless-looking machine cannot exist; and +drivers and bullocks alike share in the general woodenness and +impassibility of the structure. The animals, too, having probably lost +all the better feelings of their nature in such a service, are appealed +to entirely through the medium of their tails, and the operation +occasionally results in the whole creaking mass being safely deposited +in some capacious rut, there to remain until “the Fates”—assuming, +perhaps, the appearance of three additional bullocks—arrive to draw it +out again. Occasionally, too, the institution comes to a halt for the +night, comfortably drawn up in the centre of the line of traffic, with +a delightful disregard for aught but the present, and an air of supreme +contempt for the most eloquent music of all the ragged coachmen on the +Grand Trunk Road. + +Every five miles we stopped to change our horse, and miserable indeed +was the raw-boned little animal that made his appearance on every +occasion. Still the pace was kept up in spite of appearances, and at +seven A.M. we reached “Ghoorsahagunge”—more generally known as +Gooseygunge—sixty miles from Cawnpore, and 197 from Delhi. + +Here we slept in peace until eleven o’clock, and awoke from dreams of +Cashmere to the unpleasant realities of a violent dust-storm. The usual +“Khus-khus tatties,” or screens of fragrant grass, which are kept in a +continual state of moisture at door and window, and convert the +dust-charged scorching blast into a comparative coolness, were not +forthcoming, and our halt was not a pleasant one by any means: still +our faces were towards the mountains, and the pleasures of hope enabled +us to take our misfortunes with entire philosophy. We started again +about five P.M., when the power of the sun was somewhat abated, and +encountered the usual difficulties with refractory horses at every +change. A start was in no case effected without much management and +exertion. A half-naked black generally attaches himself to each wheel; +the driver, from a post of vantage, belabours the miserable horse with +all his might and main; the Q.M.G. takes a firm hold of the rails on +the roof; and all shouting, grunting, and using bad language together, +away we go at full gallop, if we are in unusual luck, for about 300 +yards. Then comes a dead stop: the same operation commences again, and +so on, until the animal is sufficiently far from his last stable to be +able to look forward with some confidence to the one ahead, and resigns +himself to circumstances accordingly. One peculiarity in this peculiar +country we found to be, that in putting our steed-to, the English +custom is reversed. The cart is “put-to,” not the horse; and the latter +being left standing anywhere on the road, the lumbering “garee” is +dragged up to his tail, and fastened up with a combination of straps +and ropes, marvellous to behold. + +May 23.—To-day we arrived at “Etawah,” where we found a very +comfortable little staging bungalow, but no supplies of either beer or +butter procurable. On the road in the early morning there were herds of +deer and antelope in sight, but time being precious we left them +unmolested. + +As yet very little change makes its appearance in the character of the +country. Level plains, with patches of trees, mango and palm, as far as +the eye can reach, and everywhere dust, dust, dust! The palm-trees, +however, with toddy parties scattered about among them, serve to make +the scene look cheerful, and, for an eastern one, comparatively lively. +In the evening we again took the road, with a hot wind blowing strongly +and steadily, and before long we were overtaken by a dust-storm, which +completely enveloped us in its murky folds, and interfered with our +happiness a good deal. Got through the night much as usual, with the +addition of a midnight vocal entertainment, which some hundreds of +wolves and jackals treated us to, while the “authorities” were looking +to our welfare, by taking off and greasing our wheels. Of travellers we +meet but few, generally bullock-train parties, with soldiers, &c., +return dâks, and an occasional old Mussulman, or other native, taking +advantage of the early morning for his journey, and wrapped and +swaddled up as if afraid of being congealed by the coolness of the +morning air. + +Every day’s journey leaves one more and more at a loss to discover the +sources of the wealth of this enormous country. The soil, for miles and +miles a dead flat, is now barren as a desert, and we meet hardly a sign +of active traffic. During the night we certainly did encounter a long +train of heavily-laden bullock-waggons; but the merchandize was +gunpowder, and its destination was up, instead of down the road. + +May 24.—Arrived at “Kurga,” where we found neither bread nor butter +forthcoming—nothing but—“plenty fowl, Sahib!” In the evening we again +encountered a heavy dust-storm, the worst of the season; the whole +night it continued to blow in our teeth; and between the fierce dryness +of the wind and the searching particles of dust, which visited us +without ceremony, we spent anything but an agreeable night. At three +A.M. we reached the “Hingus Nuddee,” or river; and changing our +solitary horse for two fat bullocks, we crossed its sandy bed, and over +a bridge of boats—not so genteelly, perhaps, but much more securely, +than we could have otherwise done. There were the remains here of a +handsome suspension bridge; but the chains had been cut by the rebel +Sepoys, and nothing but the pillars now remained. + +May 25.—At four A.M. we crossed the bridge of boats over the Jumna, and +found ourselves under the gloomy battlements of the Fort of Delhi. + +Entering by the Calcutta Gate, we drove through large suburbs, lighted +up with rows of oil lamps, reminding one, in the dim light, a good deal +of Cairo. Arriving at the dâk bungalow, we found it such a dirty +looking deserted building, and the interior so much of a piece with the +exterior, that we mounted again, and set off to try the Hotel, or +“Pahunch Ghur,”—a name originally intended to convey the meaning “An +arriving house,” but neatly and appropriately corrupted into the term +“Punch Gur,” which speaks for itself, and troubles no one much about +its derivation. We were rather disappointed with the general appearance +of the city: dirt and grandeur were closely combined, and the +combination gave the usual impression of shabby genteelness in general, +not at first sight prepossessing. After driving through what might have +been an Eastern Sebastopol, from the amount of ruin about, we reached a +cut-throat-looking archway; and the coachman, here pointing to a dirty +board, above his head, triumphantly announced the “Punch Gur!” Hot and +thirsty, we got out, with visions of rest and cooling sherbets, too +soon to be dispelled. Passing through long dirty halls, and up +unsavoury steps, we at last reached a sort of court, with beds of +sickly flowers, never known to bloom, and from thence issued to a suite +of musty hot Moorish-looking rooms, with gold-inlaid dust-covered +tables, and a heavily-draped four-post bedstead, the very sight of +which, in such a climate, was almost enough to deprive one of sleep for +ever. Our speech forsook us, and without waiting to remark whether the +lady of the house was an ogress, or possessed of a “rose-coloured body” +and face like the full moon, we fairly turned tail, and drove in all +haste to our despised dâk bungalow, where, meekly and with softened +feelings towards that edifice, we were glad to deposit ourselves on a +couple of charpoys, or “four-legs,” as the bedstead of India is called, +and endeavour to sleep the best way we could. “Delhi,” we found, quite +kept up its reputation of being the hottest place in India. All idea of +sight-seeing was out of the question, and the whole of our energies we +were obliged to expend in endeavouring to keep moderately cool. + +After enjoying the two first of blessings in a hot climate—viz. a +plentiful supply of cold water and a change of raiment, we felt +ourselves able to undergo the exertion of meeting the traditional +grilled fowl at breakfast, and of inspecting the curiosities from the +bazaars. At the first wish on the latter subject, we were invaded by a +crowd of bundle-carrying, yellow-turbaned, rascally merchants, who, in +half a minute, had the whole of their goods on the floor—rings, +brooches, ivory ornaments, and inutilities of all sorts and kinds, all +of them exorbitantly dear, and none of any real value. + +We left Delhi again at about six P.M., after loitering about the city +for a short time, among the teeming bazaars, some parts of which were +picturesque and “Eastern” enough. Outside the city walls, the country +was ruined and dilapidated in the extreme; demolished houses and wasted +gardens telling their tale of the loss of Delhi, and our struggle for +its recapture. + +May 26.—During the night, we got over seventy-three miles, and reached +“Kurnaul” at seven A.M. The bungalow we found unusually comfortable, +being a remnant of the old régime, and one of the few which escaped +from the hands of the rebels during the mutiny. + +The country here begins to improve in appearance—more trees and +cultivation on all sides; and the natives appear finer specimens than +their more southern relations. The irrigation, too, seems to be carried +on with more systematic appliances than further south—the water being +raised by the Persian wheel, and bullock-power introduced in aid of +manual labour. + +May 27.—Arrived at Umballa at three A.M., and found the staging +bungalow full. The only available accommodation being a spare charpoy +in the verandah, F. took a lease of it, while I revelled in the +unaccustomed roominess of the entire carriage, and slept till six, when +we got into our lodgings. Although so near the foot of the Himalayas, +the weather was so oppressive here that exploring was out of the +question; and at six P.M., changing our carriage for palankeens, or +doolies, we commenced a tedious and dusty journey to the village of +“Kalka,” the veritable “foot of the hills,” where we were met by a +string of deputies from the different “dry-lodgings” in the +neighbourhood, soliciting custom. The first house we came to was +guarded by an unmistakeable English hotel-keeper, of some eighteen +stone; and so terrible was the appearance she presented, with her arms +akimbo, rejoicing in her mountain air, that in our down-country and +dilapidated condition, we felt quite unequal to the exertion of +stepping into her little parlour; and passing her +establishment—something in the small bathingplace-style of +architecture—we went on to the next, very much of the same order, and +called the “Brahminee Bull.” Here, to my dismay however, standing in +the selfsame position, weighing the same number of stone, and equally +confident in the purity of her air as her neighbour, stood another +female “Briton,” with the come-into-my-parlour expression of +countenance, regarding us as prey. Under the circumstances, exhausted +nature gave in; though saved from Scylla, our destiny was Charybdis, +and we accordingly surrendered ourselves to a wash, breakfast, and the +Brahminee Bull. During the day, we had a visit from a friend and +ex-brother officer, whom we had promised to stay with, at “Kussowlie,” +on our road up. Kalka was not hot, but grilling, so that a speedy +ascent to the station was soon agreed upon. Not caring to risk a +sun-stroke, I resigned myself to the traditional conveyance of the +country, a “jhampan,” while the other two rode up; but here, for the +second time, it was “out of the fryingpan into the fire.” Such an +infernal machine as my new conveyance turned out never could have +existed in the palmiest days of the Inquisition. It was a sort of +child’s cradle, long enough for a creature of some five or six summers, +made like a tray, and hung after the fashion of a miniature four-post +bedstead, with goat’s-hair curtains. The structure is suspended, +something in the fashion of a sedan-chair which has been stunted in its +growth, between two poles; between the projections of these again, +before and behind, connected by a stout strap, are two shorter bars, +each supported, when in travelling order, on the shoulders of two +bearers. When the machine is in motion, therefore, there are four men +in line between the shafts. + +The pace is always rather fast, and down a declivity the torturers go +at a run; the result is, that prominent parts of one’s body are +continually in collision with the seat or sides of the machine, coming +down from various altitudes, according to the nature of the ground and +the humour of the inquisitors. After getting over about six miles in +this graceful and pleasing manner, we reached the first of the +fir-trees, and as we rose still higher a delicious breeze came over the +hills, as precious to the parched and travel-stained pilgrim from the +plains as a drop of water to the thirstiest wanderer in the desert. +Kussowlie appeared a picturesque little station, perched at the summit +of one of the first of the hilly ranges, and here I found my two +companions, burnt and red in the face as if they, too, had had their +sufferings on the road, occupied in looking over the goods of a +strolling Cashmere merchant; luckily for themselves, however, it was +under the protecting superintendence of our hostess. Our friends were +living on a miniature estate commanding a magnificent view of the +mountain ranges on one side, and, on the other, the plains of the +Punjab, the scorching country from which we had just made our escape +lying stretched out before us like an enormous map in relief. Towards +the mountains were the military stations of “Dugshai” and “Subathoo,” +and the boys’ asylum of “Senore,” the latter rather marring the face of +nature by the workhouse order of its architecture. “Simla” we could +just distinguish, nestled among the blue mountains in the far distance. + +Here we spent a couple of days very pleasantly with our hospitable +entertainers, and satisfactorily pulled up all arrears of sleep—a +luxury none can really appreciate who have not travelled for six days +and nights in the different local conveniences I have mentioned. + +Before leaving we had an opportunity of seeing how England in the +Himalayas makes its morning calls. Walking, which amounts almost to an +impossibility in “the plains,” seems to be voted infra dig. in “the +hills,” and Mrs. Kussowlie according made her appearance seated in +state in a jhampan, and borne on the shoulders of four of her slaves. + +These were active, wiry-looking natives, dressed in long green coats, +bound with broad, red, tight-fitting pantaloons, and with small turbans +of red and green on their heads. Altogether, a more startling-looking +apparition to the uninitiated than this Himalayan morning visitor could +hardly be imagined, even in a tour through the remotest regions of the +earth. + +May 29.—About six o’clock in the evening we remounted our instruments +of torture and took the road to Simla. For about seven miles the path +was down hill, and the bearers being fresh, they huddled us along at a +pace calculated to outrage our feelings most considerably, and, at the +same time, with no more consideration for our welfare than if we were +so many sacks of coal. In spite of the sufferings of the principal +performers, the procession was most amusing; and as we jolted, bumped, +and bundled along, it was impossible to keep from laughing, although +crying, perhaps, would, under the circumstances, have been more +appropriate. My machine led the way, four of the inquisition being in +the shafts, and four in waiting, running along at the side with pipes, +bundles, sticks, &c. Then came F. similarly attended, and finally the +Q.M.G., hubble bubble in hand, and attired in a gold embroidered cap, +surrounded by a lilac turban: seated in a sort of tray, and reclining +at his case in full enjoyment of his high position, he looked the +priest of the procession, and managed to retain his dignity in spite of +the rapid and unceremonious way in which he was being whirled along. As +the moon went down we had the additional effect of torchlight to the +scene, three bearers having the special duty of running along to show +the pathway to the rest. This seemed a service of some danger, and our +torch-bearers at times verged upon places where a stumble would have +apparently extinguished both themselves and their torches for ever. +About half way we stopped for about an hour for the bearers to partake +of a light entertainment of “ghee and chupatties”—otherwise, rancid +butter and cakes of flour and water. This was their only rest and only +meal, from the time they left Kussowlie at six P.M. until they reached +Simla at eight A.M. The same set of bearers took us the entire +distance, about thirty-five miles; and the four men who were not +actually in the shafts used to rest themselves by running, ahead and up +precipitous short cuts, so as to insure a few minutes’ pull at the pipe +of consolation before their turn arrived again. To us, supposed to be +the otium cum dig. part of the procession, the road seemed perfectly +endless. No sooner were we up one ascent than we were down again on the +other side; and when we thought Simla must be in sight round the next +turn, it seemed suddenly to become more hid than ever. In one of these +ups and downs of life my machine, during a heavy lurch, fairly gave way +to its feelings, and with a loud crash the pole broke, and down we both +came, much to my temporary satisfaction and relief. A supply of ropes +and lashings, however, formed part of the inquisitors’ stores, and we +were soon under weigh again to fulfil the remainder of our destiny. + +The entrance to Simla led us through a fine forest of oaks, firs, +cedars, and other large trees; and winding along through these we +could, every now and then, discern, towering over the backs of endless +ranges of blue and hazy mountains, ridge upon ridge of glittering snow, +which cast its icy breath upon us even where we were, helping us to +forget the horrors of the night, and giving us a renewal of our lease +of existence. Simla itself soon opened on our view, a scattered and +picturesque settlement of houses of the most varied patterns perched +about over the mountain top, just as an eligible spot presented itself +for building purposes. It is situated 8,000 feet above the level of the +sea and 7,000 over the average level of “the plains,” Umballa, which is +near the foot of the range, being 1,000 above the sea-level. From our +halting-place we could discern the scene of our night’s journey, with +Kussowlie looking like a mere speck in the distance, and we felt a +proud sort of consciousness of having accomplished a desperate +undertaking in very good style. Passive endurance was, under the +circumstances quite as worthy of praise as the more active virtues +displayed by those who were the cause of our sufferings. After the +first good breakfast I had eaten for three months, we pulled up arrears +of sleep till four P.M. and found, on awaking, that our much expected +letters had arrived from the post, and among them the necessary +permission from the Punjab Government to travel in Cashmere, and +instructions for our guidance while in the territory. From among the +routes laid down in the latter we chose No. 1. [2] The direct line +across the mountains from Simla would have entailed additional delay +and permission, and as time was precious we decided upon descending +again to the plains and making our way through Lahore, not, however, +without a severe pang at leaving so soon the terrestrial paradise of +which we had got a glimpse. After arranging our movements with the +“authorities,” we sallied out to see fashionable Simla airing itself, +which, as far as dress is concerned, it appeared to do very much in the +fashionable watering-place style at home. The jhampans, palkies, +dandies, [3] &c. which took up the entire road, however, loudly +proclaimed India, Simla being much too dainty to touch the ground with +its pretty feet, and too lazy to use its own legs for purposes of +out-door locomotion. The station seems a curious combination of many +styles and places; the scenery and houses, Swiss; the people Anglo +Indians, Affghans, Cashmeeries, &c.; the conveyances, +Inquisito-Spanish; and the bazaars, in their native dirt, pure Indian. + +May 31.—After making our leave secure, we made up our minds for a +plunge into the plains again and a forced march to Lahore, being rather +expedited in the determination by hearing that several travellers had +been recalled from leave in consequence of there being a scarcity of +officers with their regiments. + +With a fine moonlight night in our favour we again took the road; and +practice slightly assuaging our sufferings, we got on smoothly enough +till within a few hours from Hureepore Bungalow, when my machine again +broke with a crash, and the nature of the fracture being compound, I +walked on and left the executioners to repair the instrument at their +leisure. + +June 1.—Reached Hureepore at four A.M., and found the place in +possession of a crowd of monkeys of all sorts and sizes, taking an +early breakfast. Here, chicken and eggs being again written in our +destiny, we halted for an hour or two, and at eleven again took the +road with our cast-iron bearers, and hurried along in the noonday sun, +up hill and down dale, through Kussowlie, and on and on till we were +once more fairly deposited at the feet of “Mrs. Charybdis.” A slight +dinner here, and at 8.30 P.M. we were again in train, shuffling along +through several feet of dust, which the bearers, and torch-carriers, +and the rest of our numerous train, kicked up about us, in clouds +nearly dense enough to cause suffocation. + +June 2.—At 8.30 A.M. we arrived again at Umballa, and with nothing to +comfort us in our dusty and worried condition but the reflection that +our start from Simla was a magnificent triumph of stern determination +over present enjoyment and unwonted luxury, we again resumed our forced +march. At six P.M. we took our departure, in a very magnificent coach, +but in an “unpropitious moment,” for the horse was unusually averse to +an advance of any sort, and when we did get clear of the station his +opinions were borne out by a terrific storm of dust, with a thunder, +lightning, and rain accompaniment, which effectually put a stop to all +further progress. The horse for once had his wish, and was brought to a +regular stand. The wind howled about us, and the dusty atmosphere +assumed a dull red appearance, such as I had only once before seen at +Cawnpore, and the like of which might possibly have prevailed during +the last days of Pompeii. After getting through the worst of the storm, +we pushed along, and had reached the twentieth mile-stone, when, +catching a flavour of burning wood, I looked out and found the wheel at +an angle of some 30 degrees, and rubbing against the side preparatory +to taking its leave altogether. Here was another effect of starting in +an unpropitious moment. The interruption in the great forced march +preyed heavily upon our minds, but, on the principle of doing as “Rome +does,” we took a lesson from the religion of “Islam,” and concurring in +the views expressed by our attendant blacks, viz. that “whatever is +written in a man’s destiny that will be accomplished,” we ejaculated +“Kismut” with the rest, and resignedly adapted ourselves to the +writings in our own particular page of fate. Having sent back to +Umballa the news of our distress, a new conveyance in a few hours made +its appearance; and hauling it alongside the wreck, we unshipped the +stores, reloaded, and eventually reached “Thikanmajura” at eight A.M. + +June 3.—Starting at about three o’clock P.M., we found the unpropitious +moment still hanging over us: first a violent dust-storm, and then a +refractory horse, which bolted completely off the road, and nearly +upset us down a steep bank, proved to demonstration that our star was +still obscured. + +About midnight we reached the river “Sutlej,” and exchanged our horse +for four fat and humpy bullocks, who managed, with very great labour +and difficulty, to drag us through the heavy sands of the river-bed +down to the edge of the water. Here we were shipped on board a +flat-bottomed boat, with a high peaked bow; and, after an immensity of +hauling and grunting, we were fairly launched into the stream, and +poled across to the opposite shore. The water appeared quite shallow, +and the coolies were most of the time in the water; but its width, +including the sands forming its bed, could not have been less than two +miles and a half. It was altogether a wild and dreary-looking scene, as +we paddled along—the wild ducks and jackals, &c. keeping up a concert +on their own account, and the patient old bullocks ruminating quietly +on their prospects at our feet. + +On arriving at what appeared to be the opposite bank, we were taken +out, and again pulled and hauled through the deep sand, only to be +reshipped again on what seemed a respectable river in its own right; +and here, getting out of patience with a stream that had no opposite +bank, I fell asleep, and left the bullocks to their sorrows and their +destiny. + +June 4.—Arrived at Jullundur, where we had to share the bungalow with +another traveller and a rising family, who kept us alive by howling +vigorously all day. The road from this being “Kucha,” literally +uncooked, but here meant to express “unmetalled,” we had yet another +form of conveyance to make acquaintance with. It was a palkee, rudely +strapped upon the body of a worn-out “Dâk garee;” and although a more +unpromising-looking locomotive perhaps never was placed upon wheels, +the actual reality proved even worse than the appearance foreboded. + +Anybody who has happened to have been run away with in a dust-cart +through Fenchurch Street, or some other London pavement, the gas pipes +being up at the time, might form some idea of our sensations as we +pounded along, at full gallop, over some thirty miles of uneven, +uncooked road; but to anybody who has not had this advantage, +description would be impossible. About half way, it appeared that it +was written in my miserable destiny that the off fore-wheel of my shay +was to come off, and off it came accordingly; so that once more I +became an involuntary disciple of Islam, and went to sleep among the +ruins, with rather a feeling of gratitude for the respite than +otherwise. On awaking, I found myself again under way; and effecting a +junction with my companion, we had a light supper off half a +water-melon; and, after crossing the River Beas by a bridge of boats, +and being lugged through another waste of sand by bullocks, we once +again reached a “cooked” road, and arrived at “Umritsur” at six A.M. + +June 5.—Found the heat so great here that we were unable to stir out. + +As a consolation, we received a visit from four “Sikh Padres,” who +rushed in and squatted themselves down without ceremony, previously +placing a small ball of candied sugar on the table as a votive and +suggestive offering. The spokesman, a lively little rascal, with a +black beard tied up under his red turban, immediately opened fire, by +hurling at us all the names of all the officers he had ever met or read +of. The volley was in this style: First, the number of the regiment, +then Brown Sahib, Jones Sahib, Robinson Sahib, Smith Sahib, Tomkins +Sahib, Green Sahib, and so on, regiment after regiment and name after +name, his brother Padres occasionally chiming in in corroboration of +their friend’s veracity and in admiration of his vast stock of military +information. After much trouble, we got rid of the pack, at the price +of one rupee, which was cheap for the amount of relief afforded by +their departure. + +June 6.—Reached Lahore at ten P.M. and had a night in bed, for the +third time only since leaving Cawnpore. The Q.M.G. being at once set to +work to make the necessary arrangements for our final start for +Cashmere, we paid a hurried visit to the Tomb of Runjeet Singh and the +Fort and City of Lahore. These were worth seeing, but they abounded in +sights and perfumes, which rendered the operation rather a trying one, +considering the very high temperature of the weather. + +June 7.—Drove out in a dilapidated buggy, and with an incorrigible +horse, to Mean Meer, the cantonments of Lahore. The place looked burnt +up and glaring like its fellows, and a fierce hot wind swept over it, +which made us glad enough to turn our backs on it and hurry home again +as fast as our obstinate animal would take us. The Q.M.G., we found, +had collected our staff of servants together, and was otherwise pushing +on our preparations as fast as the dignity and importance of the +undertaking would admit. + +The staff consisted of khidmutgar, bawurchie, bhistie, dhobie, and +mihtar; or, in plain English, butler, cook, water-carrier, washerman, +and sweeper. + +Of these, the washing department only brought with it its insignia and +badge of office. This was an enormous smoothing-iron, highly ornamented +with brass, decorated with Gothic apertures, and made to contain an +amount of charcoal that would have kept an entire family warm in the +coldest depths of winter. Being of great weight, we rather objected to +such an addition to our stores—the more so as our linen was not likely +to require much getting-up. The dhobie, however, declared himself +unable to get on without it, and it accordingly had to be engaged with +its master. + +June 8.—To-day Rajoo is still hard at work laying in stores from the +bazaars and arranging means of transport for them; the weather hot +beyond measure; and as neither our food nor quarters are very good, we +begin to forget our lessons of resignation, more especially as the +mosquitoes begin to form a very aggravating item in our destiny. + +June 9.—About four P.M. the Q.M.G. came in triumphantly with about +sixteen tall baskets covered with leather, which he called “khiltas;” +and having ranged them about the room like the oil-jars of “Ali Baba,” +he proceeded to cram them with potatoes, tea, clothes, brandy, and the +whole stock of our earthly goods, in a marvellous and miscellaneous +manner, very trying to contemplate, and suggestive of their entire +separation from us and our heirs for ever. + +Coolies not being procurable in sufficient numbers to carry away all +our stores together, F. and I agreed to start in the morning, leaving +the head of affairs with the rearguard to follow at his leisure. Got +away at last in two “palkees,” with four “banghy wallahs,” or +baggage-bearers, carrying our immediate possessions, guns, &c. Spent +the night wretchedly enough, the roads being of the worst, and covered +nearly a foot deep everywhere with fine dust, which our bearers very +soon stirred up into an impenetrable cloud, enveloping us in its folds +to the verge of suffocation. + +The sensation is strange enough, travelling in this way along a lonely +road at dead of night, closely shut up in an oblong box, and surrounded +by some twenty or more dusky savages, who could quietly tap one on the +head at any time, and appropriate the bag of rupees—inseparable from +Indian travelling—without the slightest difficulty. That they do not do +so is probably from the knowledge they possess that with the bag of +rupees there is generally to be found a revolver, and that an English +traveller is of so generous a disposition that he seldom parts from his +money without giving a little lead in with the silver. + +June 10.—After a dusty jolt of forty miles, we reached “Gugerwalla” at +eight A.M., and felt the change from Lahore most refreshing. The +village seemed a quiet little settlement, very little visited by +Englishmen, and the inhabitants, probably on that account, appeared of +a different stamp from those we had hitherto met. The women, in +particular, were more gaily dressed, and not so frightened at a white +face as more south. The rearguard not having come up at six P.M. we +started off without it. Crossed the Chenab during the night. The fords, +by torchlight, were most picturesque, and rather exciting, in +consequence of the water at times taking it into its head to see what +was inside the “palkee.” The Chenab makes the fourth out of the “five +waters” from which the “Punjab” takes its name. The Jhelum only +remains—the ancient Hydaspes of Alexandrian notoriety. + +June 11.—Reached “Goojerat” at five A.M. and enjoyed a few hours of +quiet sleep in a very comfortable bungalow. The “khiltas” not making +their appearance, we halt here for the night. In the evening we +explored the city—a straggling rabbit-barrow settlement, inclosed by a +mud wall, and boasting the narrowest streets I had ever seen. In an +open space we came upon a marvellously-ornamented “mundir,” or Hindoo +temple, painted in the most florid style, with effigies of dark +gentlemen in coloured pants riding on peacocks, antelopes, and other +beasts of burden common in the country. It seemed the centre of +attraction to a numerous concourse of strangers from the north; among +others, a bevy of young ladies with loose trousers and fair +complexions, evidently “Cashmeeries,” who seemed to regard the “heathen +temple” as one of the wonders of the world. In the middle of the night +the rearguard came in with the supplies, and we at once turned it into +an advanced-guard, and packed it off to make preparations for our +arrival at “Bimber.” + +June 12.—Spent a very hot day at Goojerat, and amused ourselves by +inspecting the gold-inlaid work for which the place is famous. At 5.30 +P.M. we started for our last night’s journey in British territory; and +thus terminated, for the present, our experiences of all the hot and +dusty “pleasure of the Plains.” + + + + + + + +PART II. + +CASHMERE. + + +June 13.—About two A.M. we passed out of India into the territory of +His Highness the Maharajah of Cashmere, and halted at Bimber. The +accommodation here turned out to be most indifferent, although in our +route the edifice for travellers was called a “Baraduree,” which +sounded grandly. It means a summer-house with twelve doors; but beyond +the facilities it afforded of rapid egress, we found it to possess but +few advantages. + +Putting a couple of charpoys outside, we managed a few hours’ sleep al +fresco, in spite of the flies and mosquitoes innumerable, who lost no +time in taking possession of their new property. On being able to +discern the face of the country, we found ourselves at the foot of a +range of hills of no great height, but still veritable hills; and +although the sun was nearly as hot as in the plains, we felt that we +were emancipated from India, and that all our real travelling troubles +were over. In the evening we inspected the Maharajah’s troops, +consisting of eight curiously-dressed and mysteriously-accoutred sepoys +under a serjeant. These same troops had rather astonished us in the +morning by filing up in stage style in front of our two charpoys just +as we awoke, and delivering a “Present arms” with great unction as we +sat up in a half-sleepy and dishevelled condition, rubbing our eyes, +and not exactly in the style of costume in which such a salute is +usually received. We now found the “army” in the domestic employment of +cooking their victuals, so that we were unable to have much of a +review. However, we looked at their arms and accoutrements; ammunition +they had none; and saw them perform the “manual and platoon.” Their +arms had been matchlocks, but had been converted, these stirring times, +into flintlocks! In addition to these, which were about as long as a +respectable spear, they had each a sword and shield, together with a +belt and powder-horn, all clumsy in the extreme. In loading, we found +an improvement on the English fashion, for, after putting the imaginary +charge in with the hand, they blew playfully down the muzzle to obviate +the difficulty of the powder sticking to the sides. After presenting +the troops with “bukhshish,” we strolled through the village and met +the “thanadar,” or head man, coming out to meet us, arrayed in glorious +apparel and very tight inexpressibles, and mounted on a caparisoned +steed. Dismounting, he advanced towards us salaaming, and holding out a +piece of money in the palm of his hand; and not exactly knowing the +etiquette of the proceeding, we touched it and left it where we found +it, which appeared to be a relief to his mind, for he immediately put +it in his pocket again. + +His chief conversation was on the subject of the Maharajah and the +delights of Cashmere, and anxiety as to our having got all supplies, +&c. which we required, as he had been appointed expressly for the +purpose of looking after the comfort of the English visitors. What with +our friend and his train, and the detachment of “the army” which had +accompanied us, our retinue began to assume the appearance of a +procession; and it was with great difficulty that we induced them all +to leave us, which they did at last after we had expressed our full +satisfaction at the courtesy displayed by the Maharajah’s very +intelligent selection of a “thanadar.” + +June 14.—Broke up our camp about three A.M. and started our possessions +at four o’clock, after some difficulty in prevailing upon the coolies +to walk off with their loads. On mustering our forces, we found that +they numbered thirty-seven, including ourselves. Of these twenty-four +were coolies, carrying our possessions—beer, brandy, potatoes, &c.; our +servants were six more; then there were four ponies, entailing a native +each to look after them; and, last of all, one of the redoubtable +“army” as a guard, who paraded in the light marching order of a sword, +shield, bag of melons, and an umbrella. F. and I travelled on “yaboos,” +or native ponies—unlikely to look at, but wonderful to go. Mine was +more like a hatchet than anything else, and yet the places he went over +and the rate he travelled up smooth faces of rock was marvellous to +behold. + +About eight o’clock we found ourselves once more among the pine-trees; +and, although the sun was very powerful, we had enough of the freshness +of the mountain air to take away the remembrance of the dusty plains +from our minds. No rain having fallen as yet, the springs and rivers +were all nearly dry; but we saw several rocky beds, which gave good +promise of fly-fishing, should they receive a further supply of water. + +About nine A.M. we reached our halting-place, “Serai Saidabad,” a +ruined old place, with a mud tenement overlooking, at some elevation, +the banks of a river. + +Here we were again received with a salute, by a detachment of warriors +drawn up in full dress—viz. red and yellow turbans, and blue trousers +with a red stripe. + +After undergoing a refreshing bath of a skin of water, taken in our +drawing-room, we got our artist to work at breakfast, and shortly after +found, with considerable satisfaction, that we were in for the first of +the rains. This welcome fact first proclaimed itself by the +reverberation of distant thunder from among the mountains to the north; +then an ominous black cloud gradually spread itself over us, and, with +a storm of dust, down came the rain in torrents, making the air, in a +few minutes, cool and delicious as possible, and entirely altering the +sultry temperature which had previously prevailed. The thirsty ground +soaked up the moisture as if it had never tasted rain, and the trees +came out as if retouched by Nature’s brush; while as, for F. and +myself, we turned the unwonted coolness to the best account we could, +by setting ourselves to work to pull up all arrears of sleep forthwith. + +June 15.—Started at four A.M., with our numerous train, and found the +road all the pleasanter for the rain of the previous evening, and all +things looking green and fresh after the storm. Our path led us up a +rocky valley, with its accompanying dashing stream, in the bed of which +we could see traces of what the brawler had been in his wilder days, in +huge and polished boulders and water-worn rocks, which had been hurled +about in all directions. We afterwards went straight up a precipitous +mountain, wooded with pine, which was no light work for the coolies, +heavily laden as they were. No sooner, however, were we on the top of +this than down we went on the other side; and how the ponies managed +their ups-and-downs of life was best known to themselves; certainly, +nothing but a cat or a Cashmere pony could have got over the ground. +About nine A.M. we reached “Nowshera,” under another salute, where we +found an indifferent-looking “Baraduree,” completely suffocated among +the trees of a garden called the “Bauli Bagh,” or “Reservoir Garden,” +from a deep stone well in the centre of it. Here we got on +indifferently well, the weather being close after the rain, and the +place thickly inhabited by crowds of sparrows, all with large families, +who made an incessant uproar all day long; besides an army of +occupation of small game, which interfered sadly with our sleeping +arrangements at night. In the evening we made the acquaintance of a +loquacious and free-and-easy gardener, entirely innocent of clothes, +who came and seated himself between F. and myself, as we were perched +upon a rock enjoying the prospect. According to his account, the +Maharajah’s tenants pay about seven rupees, or fourteen shillings, per +annum for some five acres of land. In the middle of the night we came +in for another storm of thunder and lightning, which took a good many +liberties with our house, but cooled the air; and only for the +mosquitoes, and other holders of the property, whose excessive +attentions were rather embarrassing, we would have got on very well. As +it was, however, I hardly closed an eye all night, and spent the +greater part of it in meandering about the Bauli Bagh, vestito da +notte—in which operation I rejoice to think that, like the Russians at +the burning of Moscow, I at least put the enemy to very considerable +inconvenience, even at the expense of my own comfort. + +June 16.—About half-past four A.M. we got under weigh again, heartily +delighted to leave the sparrows and their allies in undisputed +possession of their property. + +The “kotwal,” and other authorities, who had been extremely civil in +providing supplies, coolies, &c., according to the Maharajah’s order, +took very good care not to let us depart without a due sense of the +fact, for they bothered us for “bukhshish” just as keenly as the lowest +muleteer; and when I gave the kotwal twelve annas, or one shilling and +sixpence, as all the change I had, he assured me that the khidmutgar +had more, and ran back to prove it by bringing me two rupees. I gave +the scoundrel one, and regretted it for three miles, for he had robbed +the coolies in the morning, either on his own or his master’s account, +of one anna, or three-halfpence each, out of their hardly-earned wages. +To-day we find ourselves once more among the rocks and pines, and as we +progressed nothing could exceed the beauty of the views which opened +upon us right and left. A mountain stream attended our steps the whole +way sometimes smoothly and placidly, sometimes dancing about like a mad +thing, and teasing the sturdy old battered rocks and stones which long +ago had settled down in life along its path, and which, from the amount +of polish they displayed, must themselves have been finely knocked +about the world in their day. Rounding a turn of the river, where it +ran deeply under its rocky bank, we came suddenly upon the ghastly +figure of a man carefully suspended in chains from a prominent tree. +His feet had been torn off by the wolves and jackals, but the upper +part of the body remained together, and there he swung to and fro in +the breeze, a ghastly warning to all evildoers, and a not very pleasing +monument of the justice of the country. He was a sepoy of the +Maharajah’s army, who had drowned his comrade in the stream below the +place where he thus had expiated his crime. Not far from this spot we +discovered traces of another marauder, in the shape of a fresh +footprint of a tiger or a leopard, just as he had prowled shortly +before along the very path we were pursuing. + +From this we gradually got into a region of fruit-trees, interspersed +with pines; and sometimes we came upon a group of scented palms, which +looked strangely enough in such unusual company. Through clustering +pomegranates, figs, plums, peach-trees, wild but bearing fruit, we +journeyed on and on; and, as new beauties arose around us, we could not +help indulging in castles in the air, and forming visions of earthly +paradises, where, with the addition only of such importations as are +inseparable from all ideas of paradise, either in Cashmere or +elsewhere, one might live in uninterrupted enjoyment of existence, and, +at least, bury in oblivion all remembrance of such regions as the +“Plains of India.” + +About ten A.M., after a continuous series of ups-and-downs of varied +scenery, we arrived at “Chungas,” a picturesque old serai, perched upon +a hill over the river. It was marked off in our route as having no +accommodation, but, located among the mouldering remnants of grandeur +of an old temple in the centre of the serai, we managed to make +ourselves very comfortable, and thought our “accommodation” a most +decided improvement upon our late fashionable but rather overcrowded +halting-place. From the serai we can see, for the first time, the snowy +range of the Himalayas, trending northwards, towards the Peer Punjal +Pass, through which our route leads into the Valley of Cashmere. + +June 17.—Another ride through hill and dale to “Rajaori,” or “Rampore,” +a most picturesque-looking town, built in every possible style of +architecture, and flanked at one extremity by a ruined castle. Our +halting-place was in an ancient serai, with a dilapidated garden, +containing the remains of some rather handsome fountains. It was +situated on a rock, several hundred feet above the river which +separated us from the town; and, from our elevated position, we had a +fine view of the whole place, and got an insight into the manners and +customs of the inhabitants, without their being at all aware of our +proximity. + +The women and children appeared to be dressed quite in the Tartar +style: the women with little red square-cornered fez caps, with a long +strip of cloth thrown gracefully over them, and either pyjamas of blue +stuff with a red stripe, or a long loose toga of greyish cloth, +reaching nearly to the feet. The little girls were quite of the +bullet-headed Tartar pattern, of Crimean recollection, but wore rather +less decoration. The Crimean young ladies generally had a three +cornered charm suspended round their necks, while the youthful fashion +of Rajaori, scorning all artificial adornment, selected nature only as +their mantua-maker, and wore their dresses strictly according to her +book of patterns. After enjoying a delightfully cool night in our +elevated bedroom, we started for “Thanna.” + +Our path led through a gradually ascending valley, cultivated, for the +rice crop, in terraces, and irrigated by a complicated net-work of +channels, cut off from the mountain streams, and branching off in every +direction to the different elevations. The ground was so saturated in +these terraces that ploughing was carried on by means of a large +scraper, like a fender, which was dragged along by bullocks, the +ploughman standing up in the machine as it floundered and wallowed +about, and guiding it through the sea of mud. + +June 18.—Reached Thanna at nine A.M. and came to a halt in a shady spot +outside the village. There was an old serai about half a mile off, but +it was full of merchants and their belongings, and savoured so strongly +of fleas and dirt, that we gave it up as impracticable. + +This was the first instance of our finding no shelter; and, as ill luck +would have it, our tents took the opportunity of pitching themselves on +the road, a number of coolies broke down, and one abandoned our +property and took himself off altogether. Under these interesting +circumstances, we were obliged to spend the day completely al fresco, +and to wait patiently for breakfast until the fashionable hour of +half-past two P.M. The inhabitants took our misfortunes very +philosophically, and stopped to stare at us to their heart’s content as +they went by for water, wondering, no doubt, at that restless nature of +the crazy Englishman, which drives him out of his own country for the +sole purpose, apparently, of being uncomfortable in other people’s. Our +position, although at the foot of the grander range of mountains, we +found very hot, and a good deal of ingenuity was required in order to +find continued shelter from the scorching rays of the sun. The natives +here, seemed to suffer to a great extent from goitre, and one of our +coolies in particular had three enormous swellings on his neck, +horrible to look at. During the night, Rajoo came in with the missing +baggage, except two khiltas, for which no carriage could be procured, +and which he was in consequence obliged to abandon on the road until +assistance could be sent to them. + +June 19.—Started at daybreak from our unsatisfactory quarters, and +enjoyed some of the finest scenery we had yet encountered. The road +ascended pretty sharply into what might be called the real mountains, +and finding our spirits rise with the ground, we abandoned our ponies +and resolved to perform the remainder of our wanderings on foot. As we +reached the summit of our first ascent, and our range of view enlarged, +mountain upon mountain rose before us, richly clothed with forest +trees; while, overtopping all, peeped up the glistening summits of the +snowy range, everything around seems cool and pleasant, in spite of the +hot sun’s rays, which still poured down upon us. Our road from this, +descending, lay among the nooks and dells of the shady side of the +mountain; and the wild rose and the heliotrope perfumed the air at +every step as we walked along in full enjoyment of the morning breeze. +Our sepoy guide of to-day was not of the educated branch of the army. +He was the stupidest specimen of his race I had ever met; and as his +language was such a jargon as to be nearly unintelligible, we failed +signally in obtaining much information from him. + +Among other questions, I made inquiries as to woodcock, the cover being +just suited to them, and after a great deal of difficulty in explaining +the bird to him, he declared that he knew the kind of creature +perfectly, and that there were plenty of them. By way of convincing us, +however, of his sporting knowledge, he added that they were in the +habit of living entirely on fruit; and he was sadly put out when F. and +I both burst into laughter at the idea of an old woodcock with his bill +stuck into a juicy pear, or perhaps enjoying a pomegranate for +breakfast. Shortly after, we came suddenly upon quite a new feature in +the scene—a strange innovation of liveliness in the midst of solitude. + +At a bend in the road, what should appear almost over our heads but a +troop of about a hundred monkeys, crashing through the firs and +chestnuts, and bounding in eager haste from tree to tree, in their +desire to escape from a party of natives coming from the opposite +direction. They were large brown monkeys, of the kind called lungoors, +standing, some of them, three feet high, and having tails considerably +longer than themselves. Their faces were jet black, fringed with light +grey whiskers, which gave them a most comical appearance; and as they +jumped along from tree to tree, sometimes thirty and forty feet, +through the air, with their small families following as best they +could, they made the whole forest resound with the crashing of the +branches, and amused us not a little by their aërial line of march. + +After crossing a dashing mountain-torrent by a rude bridge of trees +thrown across it, we arrived at the village of Burrumgulla. Here our +guide wanted us to halt in a mud-built native serai, but, with the +recollection of past experience fresh upon us, we declined, preferring +to choose our own ground and pitch our first encampment. The ground we +selected was almost at the foot of a noble waterfall, formed by a huge +cleft in a mass of rugged rock. The water, dashing headlong down, was +hidden in the recess of rock below, but the spray, as it rose up like +vapour and again fell around us, plainly told the history of its birth +and education. Even had we not seen the snowy peaks before us from the +mountain top, there was no mistaking, from its icy breath, the nursery +in which its infant form had been cradled. Just at our feet was one of +the frail and picturesque-looking pine bridges spanning the torrent; +while just below it another mountain river came tumbling down, and, +joining with its dashing friend, they both rolled on in life together. +As soon as our traps arrived, F. and I had a souse in the quietest pool +we could find, and anything so cold I never felt; it was almost as if +one was turned into stone, and stopping in it more than a second was +out of the question. After breakfast and a siesta, we sallied out to +try and explore the head of the cataract above us. After rather a +perilous ascent over loose moss and mould, and clutching at roots of +shrubs and trees, we were brought to a stand by a huge mass of +perpendicular rock, which effectually barred us from the spot through +which the water took its final leap. The upper course of the torrent, +however, amply repaid us for our labour, for it ran through the most +lovely dell I ever saw; and as it bounded down from rock to rock, and +roared and splashed along, it seemed to know what there was before it, +and to be rejoicing at the prospect of its mighty jump. Torrent as it +seemed, it was evidently nothing to what it could swell to when in a +rage, for here and there, far out of its present reach, and scattered +all about, were torn and tattered corpses of forest trees, which had +evidently been sucked up and carried along until some rock more abrupt +than its neighbours, had brought them to a stand and left them, +bleached and rotting, in the summer’s sun. At night we found ourselves +glad to exchange our usual covering of a single sheet for a heavy +complement of blankets, and found our encampment not the least too +warm. The authorities here were particularly civil and obliging, and +supplied us with the best of butter, eggs, and milk. The latter was +particularly good, and, not having often tasted cow’s milk in the +Plains, we did it ample justice here. + +June 20.—Found it rather hard to turn out this morning, in consequence +of the great change in the temperature, but got under weigh very well +considering. Our path led us up the main torrent towards the snow, and +in the first three miles we crossed about twenty pine-tree bridges +thrown across the stream, some of them consisting of a single tree, and +all in the rudest style of manufacture. Near one of these, under an +immense mass of rock, we passed our first snow. It looked, however, so +strange and unexpected, that we both took it for a block of stone; and +being thatched, as it were, with leaves and small sticks, &c., and +discoloured on all sides, it certainly bore no outward resemblance to +what it really was. + +After an almost perpendicular ascent up natural flights of steps, we +reached our next stage, Poshana—a little mud-built, flat-roofed +settlement on the mountain-side. Here we engaged a couple of +“shikàrees,” or native sportsmen, and made preparations for a détour +into the snows of the Peer Punjal in search of game. + +June 21.—Having made a division of our property, and sent the Q.M.G. +with an advanced guard two stages on to Heerpore, F. and I started at +daybreak for a five-days’ shooting expedition in the mountains. + +We took with us a khidmutgar and bhistie—both capital servants, but +unfortunately not accustomed to cold, much less to snow. Besides these, +we had ten coolies to carry our baggage, consisting of two small tents, +bedding, guns, and cooking utensils, &c.; and our two shikàrees with +their two assistants. The two former wore named Khandàri Khan and Baz +Khan,—both bare-legged, lightly clothed, sharp-eyed, hardy-looking +mountaineers, and well acquainted with the haunts of game, and passes +through the snow. + +For the first time we had now to put on grass shoes or sandals; and +though they felt strange at first, we soon found that they were +absolutely necessary for the work we had before us. Our shoemaker +charged us six annas, or ninepence, for eight pairs, and that was +thirty per cent. over the proper price. However, as one good day’s work +runs through a new pair, they are all the better for being rather +cheap. Along the road in all directions one comes across cast-off +remains of shoes, where the wearer has thrown off his worn-out ones and +refitted from his travelling stock; and in this way the needy +proprietor of a very indifferent pair of shoes may, perchance, make a +favourable exchange with the cast-off pair of a more affluent +pedestrian; but, to judge from the specimens we saw, he must be very +needy indeed in order to benefit by the transaction. On leaving +Poshana, we immediately wound up the precipitous side of a mountain +above us, and soon found that, from the rarification of the air, and +the want of practice, we felt the necessity of calling a halt very +frequently, for the purpose, of course, of admiring the scenery and +expatiating upon the beauties of nature. About two miles on the way we +came to a slip in the mountain-side, and just as we scrambled, with +some difficulty, across this, our foremost shikàree suddenly dropped +down like a stone, and motioning us to follow his example, he +stealthily pointed us out four little animals, which he called +“markore,” grazing at the bottom of a ravine. Putting our sights to +about 250 yards, we fired both together, with the best intentions, but +indifferent results; for they all scampered off apparently untouched, +and we again resumed our march. + +Our encamping ground we found situated among a shady grove of +fir-trees, with a mountain-torrent running beneath, bridged over, as +far as we could see, with dingy-looking fields of snow and ice. Here, +in the middle of June; with snow at our feet, above us, and around us, +we pitched our tent, and had breakfast, and laid our plans for a search +for game to-morrow. Though the wind blew cold and chilly off the snows, +we soon found that the midday sun still asserted his supremacy, and our +faces and hands soon bore witness to the fierceness of the trial of +strength between the two. Our camp, although so high up, was not more +than six miles from Poshana, and from thence we drew all our supplies, +such as milk, eggs, and fowls, &c., the coolies’ and shikàrees’ +subsistence being deducted from their pay. Our own living was not +expensive: fowls, threepence each for large, three-halfpence small; +milk, three-halfpence per quart, and eggs, twelve for the like amount, +or one anna. For the rest, we lived upon chupatties, or unleavened +cakes of flour—very good hot, but “gutta-percha” cold—potatoes from +Lahore, and, in the liquid line, tea and brandy. At night we slept upon +the ground—pretty hard it was while one was awake to feel it—and not +having any lamp, we turned in shortly after dark, while in the morning +we were up and dressed before the nightingales had cleared their +voices. These latter abounded all about us, and formed a most agreeable +addition to our establishment. + +June 22.—Left our camp before sunrise, and crossing a large field of +snow over the main torrent, we clambered up the precipitous side of our +opposite mountain. The snow at first felt piercingly cold as it +penetrated our snow-shoes, but before we reached the top, we had little +to complain of in the way of chilliness. Our sharp-sighted guides soon +detected game on the rocks above us, and off we went on a stalk, over +rocks and chasms of snow—now running, now crawling along, more like +serpents than respectable Christians, and all in a style that would +have astonished nobody more than ourselves, could we have regarded the +performance in the cool light of reason, and not influenced by the +excitement of chasing horned cattle of such rare and curious +proportions. + +The markore, however, were quite as interested in the sport as we were, +and after an arduous and protracted stalk, they finally gave us the +slip, and we called a halt at the summit of a hill for breakfast and a +rest during the heat of the day. The former we enjoyed as we deserved, +but for the latter I can’t say much: occasionally a cold blast from off +the snow would run right through us, while the sun bore down upon our +heads with scorching power, making havoc with whatever part of us it +found exposed to its rays, and blistering our hands and legs. The +guides helped us out by building up a most ricketty-looking shanty with +sticks and pieces of their garments and our own, and under this apology +for shelter, with our feet almost in the snow, we passed the day, until +it was cool enough again to look for game. In the evening we came +suddenly upon a kustura, a sort of half goat, half sheep, with long +teeth like a wolf. He was, however, in such thick cover, that we were +unable to get a shot at him. + +Our camp, we found, moved, according to order, some three miles higher +up, to facilitate the shooting on that side: it was still, however, +among the firs and nightingales. + +June 23.—Up again before sunrise, and off to the tops of the mountains +in search of game. The pull-up took us about an hour and a half, and on +reaching the summit, we found ourselves above the pass of the Peer +Punjal, the rocky and snow-covered ranges of mountain around us +gradually trending off on all sides, and losing themselves in +pine-covered slopes, till they finally blended with the blue outlines +of the ranges of Pills we had crossed on our route from Bimber. While +taking a sharp look around us for a herd of some twenty animals which +we had seen the day previously, we suddenly found ourselves close to a +party of five markore, but they scampered off so fast over rock and +snowdrift, that they gave us no opportunity of getting a shot. + +Following them up, we came, while clinging to an overhanging ledge of +rock, upon one solitary gentleman standing about 150 yards below. We +both fired together, but the pace we had come, and the ground we had +crossed, had unsteadied our aim, and though my second bullet parted the +wool on his back, it was not written that our first markore was to fall +so easily. After this we tracked the first herd for a long distance +over the snow, until they scampered down an almost perpendicular face +of snow and ice, and here we gave them up, halting on a spur of the +mountain for a repast of chicken, eggs, chupatties, and cold tea. +During our morning’s work we had come across some most break-neck +places, and had one or two narrow escapes, which, at the time, one was +hardly conscious of. The snow was wedged into the ravines like sheets +of ice, and being most precipitous, and continuing to the very foot of +the mountains, terminating in the numerous torrents which they fed, a +single false step in crossing would have sent one rolling down, without +a chance of stopping, to be dashed to pieces at the bottom. In this +way, a couple of years before, two coolies and a shikàree had been +killed, while shooting with an officer. F. and I generally crossed +these places in the footsteps of the guides, or in holes cut by them +for our feet with a hatchet; but the men themselves passed them with a +dash, which only long practice and complete confidence could have +imitated. During our halt we suffered a good deal from the sun, +although the snow was only six inches off. In spite of the shade which +our guides constructed for us out of mysterious portions of their +dress, both our wrists and ankles were completely swollen and blistered +before evening, while our faces and noses in particular began to assume +the appearance so generally suggestive of Port wine and good living. + +Our descent to the camp was a good march in itself, and we arrived +there about five P.M. hot and tired, ‘but quite ready for our mountain +fare. On our road, we luckily discovered a quantity of young rhubarb, +growing in nature’s kitchen-garden, and pouncing on it, we devoted it +to the celebration of our Sunday dinner. [4] We also saw a number of +minaur, or jungle-fowl, something of the pheasant tribe; but they were +so wild that nothing but slugs would secure them, and they entirely +declined the honour of an invitation to our Sunday entertainment. + +June 24.—We were not at all sorry to remember this morning, as the sun +rose, that it was a day of rest, for after our last few days of work we +were fully able to enjoy it. Amused ourselves exploring all about us, +and picking wild flowers in memory of our camp. The commonest were wild +pansy and forget-me-not, and the rhododendron grew in quantities. In +the afternoon we made a muster of our standing provisions, having only +brought four days’ supply, and seeing little chance of getting back for +ten. The result was., that tea was reported low, potatoes on their last +legs, and brandy in a declining state. Under these melancholy +circumstances, we agreed to stop another day for shooting, and then +march over the snows for Aliabad and Heerpore, to join our main body at +the latter place. A road by Cheta Panee was declared impracticable for +coolies, in consequence of the hardness of the snow; so we gave it up. + +June 25.—All over the mountains again this morning before daybreak, and +up to breakfast-time without seeing game. However, one of our +sharp-sighted guides then detected markore, grazing at a long distance +up the mountains; even through the glasses they were mere specks, and, +to our unpractised eyes, very like the tufts and stones around them; +but in all faith that our guides were right, off we started in pursuit. +The first step was to lose all our morning’s toil by plunging for a +mile or so down a steep descent. After that being accomplished, up we +went again, up and up an apparently interminable bank of snow, at an +angle of about sixty degrees, and slippery as glass. At the summit, +exhausted and completely out of breath, we did at last arrive, and from +this our friends of the morning were expected to be within shot. Not a +sign of a living creature appeared, however, to enliven the solitude +around us, and we began to think that our guides were a little too +clear-sighted this time, when what should suddenly come upon us but a +solitary old markore, slowly and leisurely rounding a rugged point of +rock below. We were all squatted in a bunch upon a space about as large +as a good-sized towel; but, hidden as we thought ourselves, I could +discern that our friend had evidently caught a glimpse of something +which displeased him in his morning cogitations. Still, on he came, and +just as he crossed a small field of snow, F. opened fire at him across +the ravine: the ball struck just below his body, and, as he plunged +forward, I followed with both barrels. On he went, however, and before +another shot could be fired he was coolly looking down upon us from a +terrace of inaccessible rocks, completely out of range. Nothing +remained but to descend again, and this we accomplished very much more +speedily, though perhaps not quite in such a graceful style as we had +ascended. The shikàrees merely sat down on the inclined plane, and with +a hatchet or a stick firmly pressed under the arm as a lever to +regulate the pace, or a rudder to steer clear of rocks as occasion +might require, down they went at a tremendous pace, until the slope was +not sufficient to propel them further. + +Our own wardrobe being limited in dimensions we declined adopting this +mode of locomotion, and slipping and sliding along, soon accomplished +the descent, in a less business-like but equally satisfactory manner. +While taking the direction of our camp, we espied seven more animals, +perched apparently upon a smooth face of rock; and after a short +council of war off we started on a fresh stalk, down another descent, +over more fields of snow, and up a place where a cat would have found +walking difficult. + +While accomplishing this latter movement, our guides detected two huge +red bears, an enormous distance off, enjoying themselves in the evening +air, and feeding and scratching themselves alternately, as they +sauntered about in the breeze. Abandoning our present stalk, which was +not promising, down we went again, and crossing about a mile and a half +of broken ground, snow, rocks, &c., we reached a wood close to the +whereabouts of our new game. F. and I, separating, had made the place +by different routes, and just as I had caught sight of one enormous +monster, F. and the shikàree appeared, just on the point of walking +into his jaws. Having, by great exertion, prevented this catastrophe, +we massed our forces, and taking off our hats, just as if we were +stalking an unpopular landed proprietor in Tipperary, we crept up to +within sixty yards of the unsuspicious monster, and fired both +together. With a howl and a grunt, the huge mass doubled himself up, +and rolled into the cover badly wounded. Being too dangerous a looking +customer to follow directly, we reloaded and made a circuit above him; +and after a short search, discovered him with his paws firmly clasped +round a young tree. By way of finishing him, I gave him the contents of +my rifle behind the ear, and we then rolled him down a ravine on to the +snow beneath, where, a heavy storm of rain, hail, and thunder coming +on, we left him alone in his glory. Putting our best legs foremost, we +made for our camp, amid a pelting shower of hail like bullets and an +incessant play of lightning around us, as we pushed our way along the +frozen torrent. About five P.M., tired and drenched, we reached the +camp, when we discovered that our tents, though extremely handy for +mountain work, were not intended to keep out much rain, and that all +our rugs, and other comforts, were almost in as moist a state as +ourselves. During the entire night it continued to hail, rain, thunder, +and lighten; and with the exception of the exact spots we were each +lying on, there was not a dry place in the tent to take refuge in. + +June 26.—After an exceedingly moist night, we made the most of a little +sunshine by turning out all our property, and hanging it around us on +stones and bushes to dry. After we had distinguished ourselves in this +way, for a couple of hours, down came the rain again; and after stowing +our half-dried goods, we assembled under a tree, and held a council of +war as to our future movements. The rain had swelled the mountain +torrents considerably, and the hail, lying on the old snow, had made it +slippery as glass, so that we were obliged to give up the mountain pass +we had agreed upon, and decided on a retreat to “Poshana,” our present +ground being fairly untenable. Sending off our tents and traps, and +half-drowned servants, who were completely out of their element, we +remained behind under the pines till the rain a little abated, and +having secured the bear-skin for curing, we started off with our +rear-guard for Poshana. The road was so slippery, that even with +grass-shoes we could hardly keep from falling; and the snow we found as +hard as ice, and proportionately difficult to cross. The consequence +was, that in passing a steep incline with the guide, he slipped, and I +followed his example, and down we both went like an engine and tender, +the guide fishing about with his legs for obstacles, and I above him, +endeavouring to use my pole as an anchor to bring us to. + +Luckily, we both reached terra firma safely, after a perilous run, +though at the same side we started from, and a long distance from our +point of previous departure. On at length reaching the opposite side, +we found a disconsolate coolie bemoaning himself and reckoning his +bones, having also fallen down the snow, while a little further on we +came upon the bhistie lamenting over a similar disaster. The latter +functionary had also lost a valuable pot of virgin honey, which had +only come up from Poshana the day before, and which we had not had time +to see the inside of even, ere it was thus lost to us for ever, and +made over as a poetical reparation to the bears of the country for the +ruthless murder we had committed on one of their number. Found the hut +at Poshana empty, and were glad to get into its shelter again. The rain +seeming quite set in, we determined to discharge our shikàrees, and +after paying them three rupees each for their week’s work, we sent them +away perfectly happy, with a few copper caps and a good character +apiece. + +June 27.—Left Poshana at five A.M., and made for the Peer Punjal pass. +A sharp struggle brought us to the summit, where we found a polygon +tower erected, apparently as a landmark and also a resting-place for +travellers to recover themselves after their exertions. [5] At the +Cashmere side of the pass I had expected to see something of the +far-famed valley, but nothing met the eye but a wild waste of land, +bounded on all sides by snow, while a few straggling coolies toiled up +towards us with some itinerant Englishman’s baggage like our own. + +This turned out to belong to a party returning to Sealkote, and we were +rather elated by seeing among their possessions several enormous +antlers, which promised well for sport at the other side of the valley. +They turned out, however, to have been bought, and, as their owners +informed us, there was no chance of meeting such game until October or +November. About two miles down the pass we reached the old serai of +Aliabad, and found the only habitable part of it in possession of a +clergyman and a young Bengal artilleryman bound for the +shooting-grounds we had just left. With much difficulty we obtained a +few eggs, and a little milk with which we washed down the chupatties we +had brought with us; but the coolies were so long getting over the +path, that no signs of breakfast made their appearance until about two +o’clock. At mid-day it came on to rain heavily, and we took up our +quarters in a miserable den, with a flooring of damp rubbish and a +finely carved stone window not very much in keeping with the rest of +the establishment. Here we spent the day drearily enough, the prospect +being confined to a green pool of water in the middle of the serai, +around which the Pariah dogs contended with the crows for the dainties +of offal scattered about. As soon as it was dark, we were glad enough +to spread our waterproof sheets on the ground, and sleep as well as the +thousands of tenants already in possession would allow us. + +June 28.—Up at sunrise, and packed off our things down the mountain for +Heerpore, where the main body of our possessions were concentrated. + +Shortly after their departure it began to rain an Irish and Scotch +combined mist, and after warming our toes and blinding our eyes over a +wood fire for about three hours, in hopes of its clearing, we donned +grass-shoes and, putting our best legs foremost, accomplished about +thirteen miles of a most slippery path without a halt, except for the +occasional purpose of adjusting our dilapidated shoes. + +After the first five or six miles the path entered a beautifully-wooded +valley, and at one spot, where two torrents joined their foaming waters +at the foot of a picturesque old ivy-grown serai, the landscape was +almost perfection. Passing this, we entered a thickly-shaded wood, +studded with roses and jessamine, and peopled with wood-pigeons and +nightingales, who favoured us with a morning concert as we passed. +Crossing a wooden bridge over the torrent, we reached a fine grass +country, and here the presence of a herd of cows told us we were near +our destination. At Heerpore we found Mr. Rajoo located with all our +belongings in a little wooden sort of squatter’s cabin, where we were +glad to take shelter out of the dripping rain. It reminded one strongly +of Captain Cuttle’s habitation and a ship’s cabin together, and made +one feel inclined to go on deck occasionally. It was on the whole, +however, very comfortable, and seemed, after our late indifferent +quarters, to be a perfect palace. After breakfast, we made inquiries as +to our worldly affairs, and found that all were thriving with the +exception of the potatoes, which had been taken worse on the road, and +were already decimated by sickness. We added a sheep to our stock, for +which we paid three shillings, and laid in a welcome supply of butter. +The khidmutgar and bhistie, we found, had retailed the history of their +many sorrows to the other servants, and, having expatiated most fully +on the horrors they had endured among the snows and thunderstorms of +the mountains, were promising themselves a speedy end to all their woes +among the peace and plenty of the promised land of Cashmere. + +June 29.—After some trouble in procuring coolies, we started at eleven +in a shower of rain, and found ourselves gradually passing into the +valley, and exchanging rocks and firs for groves of walnut; and moss +and fern for the more civilized strawberry and the wild carnation. The +strawberries, though small, had a delicious flavour, and we whiled away +the time by gathering them as we passed. About two o’clock we reached +the village of Shupayon, and here began to perceive a considerable +change in the style of architecture from what we had been accustomed +to; the flat mudden roof giving place to the sharply-pitched wooden +one, thatched with straw, or coarsely tiled with wood. + +Our halting-place we found, for the first time, to possess a staircase +and upper story. A little square habitation it was, with a verandah all +round it, and built entirely of wood. From this, as the clouds lifted +from the mountain-tops around, a most lovely view opened out before us. + +Wherever the eye rested toward the mountains, the snow-capped peaks +raised themselves up into the clear blue sky; while at our feet lay the +far-famed valley, reaching towards the north, to the very base of the +mountain range, and rising gradually and by a gentle slope to our +halting-place, and so back to the pass from which we had just +descended. + +As the sun appeared to have come out again permanently, we took the +opportunity of getting our tents and other property which had suffered +from the wet out for a general airing. + +June 30.—Marched about nine miles through fertile slopes of +rice-fields, shaded by walnuts and sycamores, and found our +halting-place situated in a serai, shrouded in mulberry and cherry +trees, and with a charming little rivulet running through it, +discoursing sweet music night and day. Our habitation was a baraduree, +or summer-house, of wood, and having an upper room with trellised +windows, where we spent the day very pleasantly. At dinner we had the +first instalment of the land of promise, in the shape of a roly-poly +pudding of fresh cherries, a thing to date from in our hitherto +puddingless circumstances. + +July 1.—Started at daybreak for our last march into the capital. The +first appearance of the low part of the valley was rather +disappointing, for there was nothing striking in the view; still, the +country was extremely fertile, and its tameness was redeemed by the +glorious mountain range, which bounded the valley in every direction, +with its pure unsullied fringe of snow. Our path was occasionally +studded with the most superb sycamores and lime-trees; and as we +approached the town we entered a long avenue of poplars, planted as +closely together as possible, and completely hiding all the buildings +until close upon them. Passing through the grand parade-ground, we +found a bustling throng of about four hundred Cashmeeries, with heavy +packs beside them, waiting for an escort to take out supplies to the +Maharajah’s army, now on active service at a place called Girgit, in +the mountains. The said army seemed to be fighting with nobody knew +who, about nobody knew what; but report says that his Highness, having +a number of troops wanting arrears of pay, sends them out periodically +to contend with the hill tribes, by way of settlement in full of all +demands. + +Having engaged a boat’s crew at Ramoon, we were, on arriving at the +River Jhelum, which runs through the city, immediately inducted to the +manners and customs of the place; and being safely deposited in a long +flat-bottomed boat, with a mat roof and a prow about twelve feet out of +the water, we were paddled across by our six new servants, and landed +among a number of bungalows on the right bank, which were erected by +the Maharajah for the reception of his English visitors. These are +entirely of wood, of the rudest construction, and are built along the +very edge of the river, which is here about a hundred yards broad. + +We were received on landing by the Baboo and Moonshee, the native +authorities retained by the Maharajah for the convenience of his +visitors; and learning from them that there were no bungalows vacant, +we pitched our little camp under a shady grove of trees close by; and +thus, in the capital of the land of poetry and promise, the far-famed +paradise of the Hindoo, we brought our wanderings to an end for the +present, and gave ourselves and our retainers a rest from all the toils +and troubles of the road. + + + + + + + +PART III. + +A HALT IN THE VALLEY. + + +Being fairly settled in our quarters, we were not long in putting our +new staff of dependants into requisition; and, taking to our boat, +sallied forth to get a general view of the city of Sirinugger. [6] +Finding, however, a review of the army going on, we stopped at the +parade-ground to witness the interesting ceremony. The troops we found +drawn up in lines, forming the sides of a large square, and dressed in +what his Highness Rumbeer Singh believes confidently to be the English +costume. As far as one could see, however, the sole foundation for this +belief lay in the fact of their all wearing trousers! These were +certainly the only articles of their equipment that could in any way be +called English in style; and they bore, after all, but a slender +resemblance to the corresponding habiliments of the true Briton. + +The head-dress, generally speaking, was a turban. One regiment, +however, had actually perpetrated a parody on the English shako—a feat +which I had always hitherto considered absolutely impossible. + +The cavalry were mounted upon tattoos, or native ponies, and wore white +trousers, with tight straps, which rendered them for the time being the +most miserable of their race. + +A few of them had imitations of Lancer caps, some had boots, some +slippers, some spurs, others none; some had wondrous straps of tape and +cord, others wore their trousers up to their knees; but one and all +were entirely uniform in looking completely ill at ease and out of +their element in their borrowed would-be-English plumage. Just as we +had finished taking a general view of the army, the Maharajah appeared +upon the stage, dressed in a green-and-gold embroidered gown and turban +and tight silk pantaloons, mounted on a grey caparisoned Arab steed. +After riding round the lines with his retinue, he came up, and we were +presented in due form; and after asking us if we had come from +Allahabad, and expressing his opinion that it was a long way off, in +which we entirely concurred with him, he shook hands in English style; +and, taking his seat in a chair which was placed for him, we collected +ourselves around, and, similarly seated, prepared to inspect the +marching past of his highness’s redoubtables. Before this began, +however, the Maharajah’s little son made his appearance, dressed in all +respects like his papa, with miniature sword and embroidered raiment; +and to him we were also introduced in form. During the marching past, I +congratulated myself upon being several seats distant from his +highness’s chair, for the effect was so absurd that it was almost +impossible to preserve that dignity and composure which the occasion +demanded. + +The marching was in slow time, and the step being fully thirty-six +inches the fat little dumpy officers nearly upset themselves in their +efforts to keep time, and at the same time prevent their slippers from +deserting on the line of march; while, in bringing their swords to the +salute, they did it with a swing which was suggestive of their throwing +away their arms altogether. Besides artillery, five regiments of +infantry and two of cavalry marched past—in all, little over 2,000 +men—colours flying and bands playing “Home, sweet home!” After this the +irregulars began to appear; and although the first part of the army +might have almost deserved the name, these put them completely in the +shade. One colonel had a pair of enormous English gold epaulettes and a +turban; another a black embroidered suit, with white tape straps, and +slippers; and as for the men, there were no two of them dressed alike, +while in the way of arms, each pleased his own particular fancy also. A +long gun over the shoulder was the most popular weapon; but each had, +in addition, a perfect armoury fastened in his girdle: pistols with +stocks like guns, daggers and even blunderbusses made their appearance; +and the general effect, as the crowd galloped independently past, +dressed in their many-coloured turbans, and flowing apparel, was most +picturesque. As soon as the last of the flags and banners and prancing +horses had gone past, the Maharajah set us the example of rising, and +mounting his grey steed, cantered off in state, surrounded by the crowd +of dusky parasites, arrayed in gold and jewels, who formed his court. + +His Highness appeared to be about thirty-eight years old, and was as +handsome a specimen of a native as I had ever seen. He wore a short, +jet-black beard, and mustachios, turned up from the corners of his +mouth, and reaching, in two long twists, nearly to his eyes. He +appeared absent and thoughtful which, considering the low state of his +exchequer, was perhaps not to be wondered at. [7] His English visitors +spend a good deal of money every summer in his kingdom; and for this +reason alone, he is anxious enough to cultivate their acquaintance, and +gives naches, or native dances, and champagne dinners periodically to +amuse them. He presents, also, an offering to each traveller that +arrives, and we in due course received two sheep, two fowls, and about +fourteen little earthen dishes containing rice, butter, spices, eggs, +flour, fruit, honey, sugar, tea, &c., all of which were laid at the +door of our tent, with great pomp and ceremony, by a host of +attendants. + +After the review, we took boat again and paddled down the stream to +look at the town, and a quainter and more picturesque-looking old place +it would be hard to conceive. The houses are built entirely of wood, of +five and six stories, and overhanging the river, and are as close as +possible to each other, except where here and there interspersed with +trees. Communication is kept up between the banks by means of wooden +rustic bridges, built on enormous piles of timber, laid in entire +trees, crossing each other at equal distances. Not a single straight +line is to be seen in any direction—the houses being dilapidated and +generally out of the perpendicular; and everywhere the river view is +bounded by the snow-capped ranges of mountain, which, towards the +north, appear to rise almost from the very water’s edge. + +July 2.—Taking the Q.M.G. as a guide, we sallied out immediately after +breakfast to explore the land part of this Eastern Venice. Entering at +the city gate, on the left bank of the river, near the Maharajah’s +palace, we walked past a row of trumpery pop-guns, on green and red +carriages, and so through the most filthy and odoriferous bazaar I ever +met with, till we reached the residence of Saifula Baba, the great +shawl merchant of Sirinugger. Here we found a noted shawl fancier +inspecting the stock, and were inducted to the mysteries of the +different fabrics. Some that we saw were of beautiful workmanship, but +dangerous to an uninitiated purchaser. They ranged from 300 to 1,000 +rupees generally, but could be ordered to an almost unlimited extent of +price. After inspecting a quantity of Pushmeena and other local +manufactures, Mr. Saifula Baba handed us tea and sweetmeats, after the +fashion of his country; and we adjourned to the abode of a worker in +papier maché, where we underwent a second edition of tea and +sweetmeats, and inspected a number of curiosities. The chief and only +beauty of the work was in the strangeness of the design; and some of +the shawl patterns, reproduced on boxes, &c., were pretty in their way, +but as manufacturers of papier maché simply, the Cashmeeries were a +long way behind the age. + +On reaching home, we found that the Maharajah had sent his salaam, +together with the information that he was going to give a nach and +dinner, to which we were invited. + +July 3.—After continuing our explorations of Sirinugger, we repaired, +about seven o’clock, to the Maharajah’s palace, where we were received +by a guard of honour of sixty men and four officers, the latter in gold +embroidered dresses, and hung all over with ear-rings and finery of +divers sorts and kinds. + +Ascending the stairs, we were met by the Deewan, or prime minister, who +conducted us into an open sort of terrace over the river, where we +found the Maharajah with the few English officers already arrived +seated on either side of him, and the nach-girls, about twenty in +number, squatted in a semicircle opposite them. Standing behind his +Highness were colonels of regiments and native dignitaries of all +sorts, dressed in cloth of gold and jewels, and in every variety and +hue of turban and appointments. A number of these were Sikhs; and +magnificent-looking men they were, with their flowing dress and +fiercely-twisted whiskers and mustachios. The nach-girls, too—a motley +group—were attired in all the hues of the rainbow, and with the +white-robed musicians behind them, awaited in patience the signal to +commence. In singular contrast to this glittering throng, which formed +the court, were the guests whom the Maharajah, on this occasion, +delighted to honour. The British officer appeared generally in the +national but uncourtly costume of a shooting jacket! and though some +few had donned their uniform, and one rejoiced in the traditional +swallow-tail of unmistakeable civilization, neither the one nor the +other contrasted favourably in point of grace with the Cashmerian rank +and fashion. + +After shaking hands with his Highness, who prides himself upon his +English way of accomplishing that ceremony, and does it by slipping +into one’s hand what might be taken for a dying flat fish, we took our +seats, and the dancing began shortly afterwards. Though on a more +magnificent scale than anything I had seen of the kind before, the +programme was flat and insipid enough. The ladies came out two and two, +and went through a monotonous die-away movement, acting, dancing, and +singing all at the same time, and showing off their red-stained palms +and the soles of their feet to the best advantage. Some of the women +were very pretty, but very properly they modified their charms by +dressing in the most unbecoming manner possible. Their head-dress was a +little cloth of gold and silver cap hung all round with pendent +ornaments, and these were becoming enough, but the remainder of the +dress was much more trying. A short body of shot silk was separated by +a natural border from a gauze skirt, which hung down perfectly straight +and innocent of fulness, and allowed a pair of white pyjamas to appear +beneath. These were fastened tightly round the ancles, which were +encircled by little bunches of the tinkling bells, which the ladies +make such use of in the dance. Round the shoulders comes a filmy scarf +of various colours, which also plays a prominent part in all their +movements, and answers in its way to the fan of more accomplished +Western belles. + +After each couple had gone through the whole of their performances, +they used to squat themselves down suddenly in the most ungraceful +style imaginable, and were then relieved by another pair of artistes +from the group. + +One lady, in addition to the dance, favoured us with “the Marseillaise” +with the French words, being occasionally prompted by the head of the +orchestra, who nearly worked himself into a frenzy while accompanying +the dancers with both vocal and instrumental music at the same time. +The Maharajah himself was plainly dressed in white robes, with a pair +of pale-green striped silk pantaloons fitting his legs like stockings +from the knee down, and terminating in a pair of English socks, of +which he seemed immensely proud. His turban was of the palest shade of +green, and (in strong contrast to the rest of his court) without any +ornament whatever. The little heir to the throne—a nice little +blackamoor of about eight years of age—was, like his father, perched +upon a chair, and arrayed in a green and gold turban, pants, and socks, +with the addition of a velvet gold-embroidered coat, while round his +neck were three or four valuable necklaces, one of pear-shaped emeralds +of great size and beauty. After a few dances the doors of the +banqueting-room were thrown open, and his Highness led the way into +dinner with the commissioner. On entering, we found a capital dinner +laid out English fashion, and with a formidable army of black bottles +ranged along the table. The Maharajah, however, had disappeared, and we +were left to feed without a host. The grandees, meanwhile, remained +outside, and still enjoyed the dances, ranging themselves upon their +haunches in front of the rows of chairs which not one among them would +have dared to trust himself in for either love or money. Considering +that our entertainer was a Hindoo, and that his dinner-giving +appliances were limited, each person having to bring his own knife, +fork, spoon, and chair, we fared very well, and after having drunk his +health, again assembled in the court, where we found Rumbeer Singh +still occupied with the wearisome nach, and reattired in a gorgeous +dress of green velvet and gold. After a short stay he got up, and we +all followed his example, glad enough to bring the entertainment to an +end, and betake ourselves to our boats. At the stairs there was a +desperate encounter with innumerable boatmen, each boat having six, +eight, or ten sailors, and all being equally anxious to uphold the +credit of their craft by being the first to land their masters safe, at +home. We were fortunate enough to reach our own at once, and, with a +shouting crew, away we dashed up the river, leaving the others +struggling, fighting, and flourishing their paddles in the air, in a +way which was more suggestive of an insurrection scene in Masaniello +than the departure of guests from a peaceable gentleman’s own hall door +on the night of an evening party. + +On the stairs there was an extraordinary assemblage of slippers, which +seemed to hold the same relative position that hats and cloaks do in +more enlightened communities—that is, the good ones were taken by the +owners of the bad, and the proprietors of the bad ones were fain to +make the best of the exchange. Next morning our khidmutgar came up with +a most doleful countenance and presented to our notice a pair of +certainly most ill-favoured slippers, which a fellow true-believer had +inadvertently substituted for a pair of later date. The lost ones had, +in fact, only recently been received from the boot-maker; and the blow +was difficult to bear with resignation, even by the saintliest follower +of Islam—a reputation which our retainer came short of by a very long +way indeed. + +July 4.—Having an accumulation of letters to answer, we devoted the day +to writing—merely enjoying a little otium cum dig.—in the evening, +reclining in our boat while serenaded by the crew of boatmen. + +July 5.—Walked up, before daybreak, to the Tukht e Sûleeman, or +Solomon’s throne, “the mountainous Portal,” which Moore speaks of +in Lalla Rookh, and which forms the most striking landmark in the +valley.[8] + +From the summit there was a curious view of the multitudinous wooden +houses and the sinuous windings of the river, which could alone be +obtained from such a bird’s-eye point of inspection. An old temple at +the top was in the hands of the Hindoo faction, being dedicated to the +goddess Mahadewee, and in charge of it I found two of the dirtiest +fukeers, or religious mendicants, I ever had the pleasure of meeting. +One was lying asleep, with his feet in a heap of dust and ashes, and +the other was listlessly sitting, without moving a muscle, warming +himself in the morning sun. Both were almost naked, and had their +bodies and faces smeared with ashes and their hair long and matted. +They appeared to have arrived at a state of almost entire abstraction, +and neither of them even raised his eyes or seemed to be in the +slightest degree aware of my presence, although I took a sketch of one +of them, and stared at both, very much as I would have done at some new +arrival of animals in the Zoological Gardens. + +In the evening we went again to Saifula Baba’s and visited the +workrooms, where we were much astonished by the quickness with which +the people worked the intricate shawl patterns with a simple needle, +and no copy to guide them. + +The first stages of the work are not very promising, but the finished +result, when pressed and rolled and duly exhibited by that true +believer Saifula Baba, in his snowy gown and turban, was certainly in +every way worthy of its reputation. + +Returning home, we visited a garden where any of the English visitors +who die in the valley are buried—the Maharajah presenting a Cashmere +shawl, in some instances, to wrap the body in. There were about eight +or ten monuments built of plaster, with small square slabs for +inscriptions. One of these was turned topsy-turvey, which was not to be +wondered at, for a native almost always holds English characters +upside-down when either trying to decipher them himself or when holding +them to be read by others. + +July 6.—In the early morning I ascended to the throne of Solomon, in +order to get a sketch of the Fort of Hurree Purbut, and in the +afternoon we repaired to the lake behind the town, where there was a +grand Mela or fair, on the water, to which the Maharajah and all his +court went in state. The lake is beautifully situated at the foot of +the mountains, and was covered so densely in many parts with weed and +water-plants that it bore quite the appearance of a floating garden; +and as the innumerable boats paddled about, with their bright and sunny +cargoes, talking and laughing and enjoying themselves to their heart’s +content, the scene began to identify itself in some measure with +Moore’s description of the “Sunny lake of cool Cashmere,” and its +“Plane-tree isle reflected clear,” although the poet’s eyes had never +rested on either lake or isle. Putting poetry on one side, however, for +the present, we made our way to the extremity of the lake, in order to +pay a visit to his Highness’s gaol, where we were received by a very +civil gaoler, equipped with a massive sword and dilapidated shield. We +found 110 prisoners in the place, employed generally in converting dhan +into chawul, or, in other words, clearing the rice-crop. There was also +a mill for mustard oil, and the most primitive machine for boring +fire-arms ever invented, both worked by water-power. The prison dress +was uniform in the extreme: it consisted simply of a suit of heavy +leg-irons and nothing more! + +After seeing the fair, we paddled across through a perfect water-meadow +to the Shalimar gardens, where we found the Rajah and his suite just +taking their departure. The vista on entering the gardens was extremely +pretty: four waterfalls appear at the same moment, sending a clear +sheet of crystal water over a broad stone slab, and gradually receding +from sight in the wooded distance. A broad canal runs right through the +gardens, bridged at intervals by summer-houses and crossed by carved +and quaintly-fashioned stepping stones. At the extremity there is a +magnificent baradurree of black marble, which looks as if it had been +many centuries in existence, and had originally figured in some very +different situation. The pillars were entire to a length of seven feet, +and were highly polished from the people leaning against them. Around +this, in reservoirs of water, were about two hundred fountains, all +spouting away together, and on one side a sheet of the most perfectly +still water I ever saw. It appeared exactly like a large looking-glass, +and it was impossible to discern where the artificial bank which +inclosed it either began or terminated. + +In these gardens it was that Selim, or Jehangeer the son of Akbar, used +to spend so many of his days with the far-famed Noor Jehan in the +beginning of the seventeenth century, and here was the scene of their +reconciliation, as related by Feramorz to Lalla Rookh ere he revealed +himself to her as her future lord, the king of Bucharia. From these +founts and streams it was that the fair Persian sought to entice her +lord, with “Fly to the desert, fly with me!” + + + “When breathing, as she did, a tone + To earthly lutes and lips unknown; + With every chord fresh from the touch + Of Music’s spirit,—’twas too much!” + + +“The light of the universe” overcomes even the “conqueror of the +world.” Thinking it, after all, wiser to kiss and be friends than be +sulky, he surrenders at discretion:— + + + “And, happier now for all their sighs, + As on his arm her head reposes, + She whispers him with laughing eyes, + ‘Remember, love, the Feast of Roses!’” + + +Leaving the favourite haunts of the “magnificent son of Akbar,” we +crossed the lake again to see the Maharajah inspect a party of about +2,000 soldiers, who were departing for the war at Girgit. Nothing in +the way of supplies being procurable near the scene of action, the +greater part of the review was taken up by the marching past of a horde +of Cashmeree and mountain porters, heavily laden with the sinews of +war. According to report, the pay of the army here is about five +shillings per mensem, with a ration of two pounds of rice per diem. + +In the evening, the number of boats congregated on the lake was +marvellous. All were perfectly crammed with Cashmerian +pleasure-seekers; but the turbaned faithful, in spite of the pressure, +in no way lost their dignity, but with pipes and coffee enjoyed +themselves in apparently entire unconsciousness of there being a soul +on the lake beside themselves. The most wonderful sight, however, was +the immense crowd of many-coloured turbans congregated on shore, +witnessing the departure of the Cashmerian Guards; and as they thronged +the green slopes in thousands, they gave one quite the idea of a mass +of very violent-coloured flowers blooming together in a garden. On our +way home we had great jostling, and even fighting, in order to maintain +our position among the crowds of boats, the result of which was that +our crew managed to break two paddles in upholding the dignity and +respectability of their masters. The Maharajah himself, however, gave +us the go-by in great style, in a long quaint boat, propelled by +thirty-six boatmen, and built with a broad seat towards the bows, in +shape like the overgrown body of a gig in indifferent circumstances, on +which his Highness reclined. By his side was the little prince, in +glorious apparel, while half a dozen of his court, arrayed in spotless +white, appeared like so many snow-drifts lying at his feet. + +July 7.—Made our arrangements to-day for a trip by water to the Wûler +Lake, and spent the afternoon in inspecting the jeweller’s and other +shops in the city. The native workmen appear to engrave cleverly both +on stone and metal, and some of their performances would bear +comparison with any European workmanship of a similar kind. They also +work in filagree silver, charging about sixpence in every two +shillings’ worth of silver for their labour. About nine P.M. we took to +our boats; F. and I occupying one together, in which we stowed bedding, +dressing-things, &c. while the cooking apparatus and servants occupied +the other. Passed the night very comfortably, and found the situation +most conducive to sleep, as we glided gently along with the stream. + +July 8.—Awoke to find an innumerable swarm of mosquitoes buzzing about +our habitation, and apparently endeavouring to carry it off bodily. +Letting down, however, the muslin curtains, which the foreknowledge of +the faithful Q.M.G. had provided us with, we succeeded in puzzling the +enemy for the time being. About eight o’clock, the fleet came to an +anchor at a luxuriant little island at the entrance of the great lake; +to all appearance, however, it might have been situated in a meadow, +for we had to force our way to it through a perfect plain of green +water-plants, whose slimy verdure covered the face of the lake for +miles around. It was wooded by mulberry trees, very prettily entwined +with wild vines, and in the midst were the remains of an old Musjid, in +which we discovered a slab of black marble, covered with a beautifully +carved inscription in Arabic, and appearing as if it had not always +held the ignoble position which it now occupied. Scattered about the +island, also, were many scraps of columns and carved stones, which gave +evidence of having belonged to some ancient temple or palace. While +thus surveying our island, we were pestered to death by swarms of +prodigious mosquitoes, for which the Wûler Lake is justly celebrated, +and during breakfast the eating was quite as much on their side as +ours; so that we were glad to weigh anchor, and with our curtains +tightly tucked in around us, we floated away, in lazy enjoyment of +climate and scenery, towards the centre of the lake. As we cleared the +margin of the water-plants, we found ourselves on a glassy surface, +extending away towards the west as far as the eye could see, and +bordered on all sides by gorgeous mountains and ranges of snow. Around +the edges of the lake a sunny mirage was playing tricks with the cattle +and the objects on the banks, and as we glided lazily on with the +stream, and the splashing paddles, and even the foiled mosquitoes, made +music about us, we began to enter more into the spirit of our +situation, and to appreciate the peculiar beauties of the “sunny lake +of cool Cashmere,” with the dolce far niente existence which of right +belongs to it. About one o’clock we reached Sompoor, at the Baramoula +extremity of the lake, and as it came on to blow a little, it was not +too soon: our boats were totally unadapted for anything rougher than a +mill-pond, and in the ripple excited by the small puffs of wind, I had +the misfortune to ship what was, under the circumstances, a heavy sea, +and so sacrificed the prospects of a dry lodging for the night. Sompoor +we found a picturesque but dirty village, with promise of good fishing, +in the river below it. We unfortunately had no tackle, but the boatmen +succeeded in catching five or six good fish with a hook baited with a +mulberry only: a very favourite article of consumption, apparently, +among the Cashmerian little fishes. + +Dropping down the river, we dined on the bank among the mulberry trees, +and I afterwards essayed to take a sketch of the village; such a firm +and determined body of mosquitoes, however, immediately fell upon me, +that, after a short but unsuccessful combat, I was fairly put to +flight, and Sompoor remained undrawn. We passed the night above the +town, ready for an early start in the morning. + +July 9.—Left our moorings before sunrise, and halted about eight A.M. +at a little island stacked with elephant-grass, where, after as good a +swim as the tangled weeds would permit, we breakfasted pleasantly under +the trees. + +From this point we adopted a new mode of progression, the boatmen +towing us from the bank; and the motion was a great improvement on the +paddling system, except that it had a tendency to set one to sleep +altogether. Reached Sirinugger, and our camp again, at four P.M. + +July 10.—Paid Saifula Baba, the shawl merchant, a visit to-day, in +order to get a bill of exchange on Umritsur cashed. Found him just +going out to Mosque, in his snow-white robe and turban, cleanly-shaved +pate, and golden slippers. Not having any money, he promised us a +hundred rupees of the Maharajah’s coinage to go on with. These nominal +rupees are each value 10 annas, or 1s. 3d., the most chipped and +mutilated objects imaginable. On one face of the coin are the letters +I.H.S. stamped, a strange enough device for a heathen or any other mint +to have adopted. While floating about the Eastern Venice, we discovered +a number of finely-cut old blocks of stone in the built-up wall which +bounded the river; and on inspecting the place, we came upon an ancient +Mussulman cemetery and ruined Musjid, in which there were some very +antique-looking carvings, which apparently had commenced life elsewhere +than on Mussulman ground. The graveyard, however, was itself extremely +old, although many of the turbaned and lettered tombstones of the +faithful were in perfect preservation. All began with the “La Ulah ila +Ullah,” or “B’ism Ullah,” [9] with which everything connected with a +Mussulman does commence, either in life or death. + +All through the city one can trace the remains of some much more +ancient structure in the huge blocks of carved stone which are +scattered about among their more plebeian brethren, and serve to form +with them, in humble forgetfulness of past grandeur, the foundations of +the lofty rattletrap but picturesque wooden structures which line both +sides of the river and form the city of Cashmere in the year of grace +1860. + +Some of these houses, as one looks into the narrow lanes leading to the +river and sees them in profile, are apparently in the last stage of +dissolution, leaning out of the perpendicular and overtopping their +lower stories and foundations in a way that would put even the leaning +tower of Pisa to shame. One six-storied house, of long experience in +this crooked world, had made the most wonderful efforts to redeem his +character and to recover his equilibrium by leaning the contrary way +aloft from what he did below. Poor fellow! he had been but badly +conducted in his youth, and was nobly endeavouring to correct his ways +in a mossy and dilapidated old age. The tracery of much of the +wood-work carvings, and particularly of the windows, varies greatly, +and in some places is so minute that it requires close inspection to +find out the design. Of these the Zenana windows of the Maharajah’s +palace are about the finest specimens; but as there is no way of +approaching them closely, it is impossible to make out their details. + +July 11.—Started this evening by water for Islamabad, the ancient +capital of Cashmere. + +We made a slight change in our arrangements, rather for the better, by +hiring a large boat for ourselves and handing our own over to the +servants and culinary department in general. + +July 12.—Found ourselves not very far on our road on awakening this +morning, the night having been very dark, the current strong against +us, and the sailors lazy. + +Another cause of delay also, if these were insufficient, was, that the +proprietor of the boat dropped his turban overboard, with two rupees in +the folds of it, and the old lady his spouse had stopped the fleet for +at least an hour to cry over the misfortune. Before breakfast we had a +swim, and found ourselves only just able to make way against the +stream. Breakfasted on the river bank, under the trees, and surrounded +by rocky snow-capped mountains. Reading, scribbling, and eating +apricots brought us to about an hour before sunset, when F. and I +landed and went ahead to pick out a spot for a dining-room for +ourselves. In the search, we passed through orchards and gardens +innumerable, and finally decided upon a grove of magnificent sycamores +on the river bank, where we laid out our table just as the sun went +down. Within view was a picturesque old wooden bridge, on the mossy +tree-formed piles of which the bushes were growing, as if quite at +home, and hanging gracefully over the flowing river. + +July 13.—Found ourselves at sunrise at the end of our boat journey, +bathed in the river, and started for Islamabad, about half a kos off. + +On the bank we found three other travellers encamped, and leaving them +fast asleep, we pushed ahead and took possession of the baraduree. This +we found a charming little place in a garden, full of ponds of sacred +fish, with old carved stones scattered about, belonging to the Hindoo +mythology. Through one corner of an upper tank a stream of crystal +water flowed in from the mountain which rose perpendicularly behind +it—the water welling up from below in a constant and abundant stream. +Round this corner were some most grotesque stones; and here the sacred +fish were assembled in such shoals as to jostle each other almost out +of the water; but whether they were attracted by the fresh supply of +water or the sacred images covered as they were with votive offerings +of milk and rice, flowers, &c., the fish or the Brahmins alone can +tell. + +Tradition states that an infidel Christian officer once killed three of +these fish, and having eaten one of them, died shortly after. Putting +their sanctity out of the question, however, the little creatures are +so tame and so numerous that few people would be inclined either to +kill or to eat them. While feeding them with bread, I could have caught +any number with my hand; and holding a piece of tough crust under +water, it was amusing to feel them tugging and hauling at it, making +occasional snaps at one’s fingers in their efforts. They were generally +about half a pound in weight. + +Our baraduree was built of wood, in the usual style, with latticed +windows of various designs, and having one room overhanging the stream +which ran through the centre of the house from the sacred tanks. +Directly below the place we occupied was a little waterfall, which +conversed pleasantly day and night; and by taking-up a loose plank in +the floor we could see as well as hear it. Learning that there were +some ruins in the neighbourhood, supposed to have existed from before +the birth of our Saviour, we started in the afternoon for a place +called Bowūn, or more popularly Mutton, about two and a half kos off. + +The sun to-day we found very hot in this same valley of coolness, its +rays coming down on the backs of our heads in a very searching and +inquisitive manner. Along the entire path there were running streams in +every direction: and what with these and the magnificent sycamores and +walnut-trees which shaded us as we walked, our opinions of the beauty +of the country got a considerable rise. The path from the Peer Punjal +Pass by which we entered appears to be the worst point of view from +which to see the valley. From either the Peshawur or Murree roads the +effect is much finer; and from the north-east, from which direction it +is perhaps seldomer seen than any other, it looks greener and more +beautiful than from either of the other points. + +At Mutton we found our three lazy friends of the morning, encamped +under the trees reading green railway-novels, and evidently very much +puzzled how to kill time. Beyond a tank teeming with sacred fishes, +there appeared nothing whatever to be seen here. Taking warning from +this, we thought it not worth while proceeding to Bamazoo, where we +were told there were caves; but, treating the fishes to a small coin’s +worth of Indian maize, we retraced our steps and diverged about a kos +off the Islamabad road to Pandau. Here we were rewarded by coming +suddenly upon a magnificent old Cyclopeian ruin of grey stone, bearing, +from a little distance, the appearance rather of an ancient Christian +Church—such as may be seen occasionally in Ireland—than of a heathen +place of worship. On entering, we found a number of ancient carvings on +the massive stone walls, but they were much worn, and the designs to us +were unintelligible. Some of them were like the Hindoo divinities, +while others were more like Christian devices, such as cherubims, &c. +Altogether, it puzzled us completely as to its origin; but there was no +doubt whatever as to its having existed from an extremely ancient date; +and from its general style, as well as the absence of any similitude to +any other place of heathen worship we have met, we set it down in our +own minds as most probably a temple to the Sun. [10] Most of the +figures, as far as their worn state would allow one to judge, appeared +to be female; and there was an entire absence of any symbol at all +resembling a cross. Many of the huge pillars had been eaten away as if +they were of wood, by the combined effects of wind and weather; but +hands had also been at work, as pieces of the decorations and figures +appeared scattered about in every direction. + +Passing through the town of Islamabad on our return, we went into some +of the houses to see the people at work at the loom-made shawls. Very +hard-working and intricate business it seemed to be, and very hard and +Manchestery the production looked to my eye, far inferior to the +hand-made, shawl, though not generally considered so. + +I tried to negotiate a shawl with the overseer, but he assured me that +the pieces were all made separately, and were sent in to the merchant +at Sirinugger to be put together, and that he in fact had nothing +whatever to do with the sale of them. + +In the evening we dined at a fashionably late hour, and were lulled to +sleep by the simple music of our domesticated waterfall. + +July 14.—Started at daybreak for Atchabull, three and a half kos off +towards the north-east. The baraduree we found situated in the middle +of a large reservoir, in a beautiful but half-ruined garden; and here, +the commissariat being unusually late in arriving, we took the edge off +our appetites with a quantity of small apricots, red plums, cherries, +&c. + +While exploring the gardens, we found, among other remains of grandeur, +a Humaam, or hot-bath room, which was in very good preservation, and +had probably in its day been honoured by the fair presence of Noor +Jehan, with whom Atchabull was a favourite resort, and who has been, at +one time or another, over all these gardens, during her lord’s visit to +the valley. + +About thirty yards from the house, at the base of an almost +perpendicular hill, were the great sources of interest which the place +possesses—viz., a number of springs of ice-cold water, bubbling up to a +height of two or three feet above the surrounding water level, and +forming three separate rivers: one in the centre which expanded round +our house, and one on either side. Around were fruit-trees of all sorts +and kinds, and from every quarter came the gurgling sound of rushing +water mingled with the singing of innumerable birds. Here sweetly +indeed do the “founts of the valley fall;” and their number and beauty, +as well as the purity of the clear and crystal streams which they pour +over the length and breadth of the land, it is which forms one of its +chief and pleasantest features, and has, no doubt, mainly contributed +to its reputation as a terrestrial paradise. To the abundance of these +streams the inhabitants are indebted for the crops of waving rice which +spread their delicately-green carpetting over the entire valley; the +purity of the waters give to the silks the brightness of their dyes and +to their shawls their fame; and from its virtues also the love-lighted +eyes are supposed to derive their far-famed lustre. No wonder, +therefore, that to the Hindoo at least, “Cashmere is all holy land.” +From his sun-burnt plains and his home by the muddy banks of his sacred +Ganges, he can form but a small conception of these cooling streams and +shady pleasures. Should he happen to read the glowing descriptions of +Lalla Rookh, and be perhaps led to reflect that— + + + “If woman can make the worst wilderness dear, + What a heaven she must make of Cashmere!” + + +He no doubt ejaculates “Wa, wa!” in admiration of the poetry of the +West, and thinks complacently of the partner of his joys as all his +fancy painted her. His highest flights of imagination, however, +probably fail to transplant him very far beyond the actual wilderness +which bounds his mortal vision, while Pudmawutee and Oonmadinee, as +here depicted by his own artistic skill, present, in all their +loveliness of form and feature, his best conceptions of ideal worth and +beauty. No wonder, therefore, that the reality of + + + “Those roses, the brightest that earth ever gave, + Those grottoes and gardens and fountains so clear!” + + +and above all of— + + + “Those love-lighted eyes that hang over their wave,” [11] + + +should shed its influence largely on his imagination, and that, in +contrast to his own dry and dusty native plains, Cashmere should well +be called the Hindoo’s Paradise. + +July 15.—Marched at dawn for Vernagh, a distance of eight kos, rather +over a Sabbath-day’s journey. Here we had to wait a considerable time +for our breakfast, the cook being an indifferent pedestrian and the day +a very hot one. The baradurree was curiously built, close to an octagon +tank, the water from which ran at a great pace through an arch in the +middle of the house. [12] The tank was supplied with water in great +volume, but from no apparent source, and was filled with fine fish, all +sacred, and as fat as butter, from the plentiful support they receive +from the devout among the Hindoos, not to mention the unbelieving +travellers, who also supply them for amusement. The tank itself, the +natives informed us, was bottomless, and it really appeared to be so; +for from the windows of the baradurree, some fifty feet over the water, +we could see the sides stretching back as they descended, and losing +themselves in the clear water, which looked, from the intensity of its +blue, both deep and treacherous to an unlimited extent. The water, too, +was so intensely, icily cold, that an attempt to swim across it would +have been a dangerous undertaking, and neither F. nor I could summon +courage to jump in. We, however, bathed in the stream which ran out of +the inexhaustible reservoir, and its effect we found very similar to +that of hot water, so that a little of it went a very long way with us. +As for the fish, they swarmed in such numbers that they jostled each +other fairly out of the water in a dense living mass, while striving +for grains of rice and bread. + +This also was a favourite resort of Jehangeer and Noor Jehan; and I +found an inscription in the Persian character which, in a sentence +according to Eastern custom, fixed the date of the erection of the +building attached to the tank as A.H. 1029, or, about A.D. 1619. The +inscription runs thus:— + + + “The king of seven climes, the spreader of justice, Abdool, + Mûzuffer, Noor-ûl-deen [13] Jehangeer Badshah, son of Akbar, + conqueror of kings, on the day of the 11th year of his reign paid a + visit to this fountain of favour, and by his order this building + has been completed. By means of Jehangeer Shah, son of Akbar Shah, + this building has raised its head to the heavens.” + + “The ‘Inventor of Wisdom’ has fixed its date in this line, + viz:—‘Aqsirabad o Chushma Wurnak.’” + + +The fountain or reservoir, and the canal, &c. seem to have been the +work of Shah Jehan, Noor Jehan’s son, or were probably remodelled in +his reign. The inscription referring to them runs also in the Persian +character on a slab of copper: + + + “Hyan, by order of Shah Jahan, King, thanks be to God, built this + fountain and canal. From these have the country of Cashmere become + renowned, and the fountains aye as the fountains of Paradise.” + + “The poet Survashi Ghaib has written the date in this sentence, + viz:—‘From the waters of Paradise have these fountains flowed.’” + + +July 16.—On the road again at daybreak, with the intention of going to +a place called Kûkûnath, where there were more springs, and which, from +information obtained from the sepoy who accompanied us, was on our road +to Islamabad. However, like most information relative to either +direction or to distance in this country, it turned out to be wrong, +and we accordingly altered our course and made for our old quarters. +Breakfasted under a huge walnut-tree, at a village about six kos off, +and reached Islamabad about one P.M., after a very hot tramp of ten +kos, through groves of sycamore and walnuts, and hundreds and hundreds +of acres of rice-fields, immersed in water, and tenanted by whole +armies of croaking frogs. The people were principally employed in +weeding their rice-crops, standing up to their knees in mud and water, +and grubbing about, with their heads in a position admirably adapted to +give anybody but a native, apoplexy in such a hot sun. + +July 17.—In the middle of the night we were awoke by a tremendous +uproar in our wooden habitation, as if some one was crashing about the +boards and panels with a big stick; immediately afterwards something +jumped upon my bed, and with a whisk and a rush, clattered through the +room to F.’s side, over the table, and back again to my quarter. Half +asleep and half awake, I hit out energetically, without encountering +anything of our uninvited guest; and the faithful Rajoo coming in with +a light, I found F. brandishing a stick valiantly in the air, +everything knocked about the room; an earthenware vessel of milk spilt +upon the floor, a tumbler broken, and a plate of biscuits on the table +with marks of teeth in them. This latter discovery was quite a relief +to my mind, for the visitation had a most diabolic savour about it, and +we were just beginning to fancy that there was a slight smell of +sulphur. However, the milk and the biscuits being such innocent food, +we were enabled to fancy that the intruder might have been no worse +than a wild cat, which had frightened itself by breaking, our tumbler, +and had eventually jumped through the window and made its escape. This +interpretation, however satisfactory to ourselves, was apparently not +so to the Q.M.G., and to his dying day he will probably remain rather +doubtful of the kind of company we kept that night. + +At sunrise I paid another visit to the ruins of Pandau, or Martund, and +sketched it from the north-east; a view which took in the only columns +of any perfection that remained standing. + +Islamabad being, as its name implies, the “abode of Mahomedanism,” I +had set the kotwal to work to procure me a good copy of the Koran. + +On returning, however, I found that he had collected together a bundle +of the common editions printed in the Arabic alone, without +interlineations. He assured me, however, that they were rare and +valuable specimens; and I was amused by the old gentleman reading out a +passage in a sonorous voice, following each word with his finger, and +astonishing the bystanders by the display of his erudition; but at the +same time holding the precious volume upside down, and thus failing in +impressing at least one of his audience. In the evening we started +again for Sirinugger. + +July 18.—Found ourselves, according to sailing directions, at anchor +this morning, or in other words, tied to an upright stick, at +Wentipore, on the left bank of the river, where there were some old +ruins to be seen. + +The architecture we found very similar to the Pandau temple. One +column, however, was left standing, which was more perfect than any we +had seen before. + +The ruins consisted of a large quadrangle, with cloisters all round, +and the remains of a temple in the centre; both these were completely +decayed, but the enormous stones piled together in grand confusion +showed that the buildings had been of considerable extent. [14] The +corner stones here alone pointed out the position of the cloisters, +which at Pandau had been in very fair preservation. + +About fifty yards from the entrance there were three columns of +different form, sunk in the ground, their capitals just reaching a +little below the surface, and connected by trefoil arches, all in +pretty good preservation. + +A few hundred yards down the river we found another large ruin, but in +a more dilapidated state than either of the others. In both, the +designs carved in the huge stones were something similar in +pattern—viz. a female figure, with what appeared to be a long strip of +drapery passing round either arm and descending to the ancles. It was +impossible to decipher the exact device, but the breast and head, in +most instances, were plainly distinguishable. + +About three kos from Sirinugger, we stopped at another very extensive +site of Cyclopeian ruins, at a place called Pandreton. Here we found +the most perfect building of any we had met; and for a considerable +distance around were traces of what must have been, in ages past, a +city of some extent. + +Among other interesting remains, there was the base of a colossal +figure standing in the midst of a field of cut corn. Only from the +knees down remained, but this block alone was over seven feet high; the +toes were mutilated a good deal, but the legs were in wonderful +preservation. There was also, about half a mile off, an enormous base +of a column, resting on its side, at the summit of a little eminence, +where a considerable amount of mechanical power must have been required +to place it. Its diameter was about six feet; and at some distance we +found the remainder of the column, split into three pieces. It was +about twelve feet long, the lower part polygon, the upper round, and +the top a cone similar in form to the stones dedicated to Mahadeö in +the temples of the Hindoos. The building which alone remained in at all +a perfect state was situated in a sort of pond or tank of slimy green, +and was quite inaccessible without a boat. [15] Sending on the cooking +apparatus and servants, I remained with the smaller boat; and with a +rug and a supply of biscuits, set to work to sketch the ruins. The +operation, however, was not performed without very great difficulty. +Innumerable mosquitoes made the spot their home, and at critical +moments they persisted in settling themselves in the most uncomfortable +positions. The ants, too, took a fancy to my paint-box, and even +endeavoured to carry off some of the colours; so that between the two I +was soon fairly put to flight, and obliged to evacuate the territory. + +On consulting my Hindoo authority, Rajoo, on the subject of Cyclopeian +ruins, he tells me that they were built, not by man but by “the gods,” +in the Sut Jûg, or golden age, an epoch which existed no less than +2,165,000 years ago, or thereabouts! + +This view of the matter increases the interest of the ruins immensely, +besides being very complimentary to the style of building practised by +“the gods” in that age. + +The Hindoo ages are four, and we are believed to be at present in the +last of the four, of which 5,000 years have been already accomplished. +The names and duration are as follows, viz:—Sut Jûg, 1,728,000 years; +Treth Jûg, 1,296,000 years; Dûapûr Jûg, 864,000 years; and Kul Jûg. +432,000 years. This makes the present age of the world to be about +3,893,000 years! + +About five P. M. I reached Sirinugger, and found the advanced guard in +possession of one of the bungalows. Spent the night in a succession of +skirmishes with innumerable fleas, who appeared to have been out of +society for a considerable time previous to our arrival. Up to this +moment I fancied that I knew something of the natural history of the +race, having studied them and fought with them and slept with them in +their happiest hunting grounds. Greek fleas, Albanian fleas, Tartar +fleas, Russian fleas, I had combated on their own soil, but never +before was I put to such utter confusion. All night long the enemy +poured in upon me, and several times during the action was I forced to +leave the field and recruit my shattered forces outside in the +moonlight. As day dawned, however, I fell upon the foe at a certain +advantage, and managed at last to get a few hours of sleep. + +July 19.—Made an expedition to the small lake to see a building which +we were informed was built by the Puree, or fairies—the Peri of +poetical licence. + +After a sharp struggle up a steep hill, under a hot sun, we reached the +building; but, to all appearance, the fairies had less to do with the +edifice than a race of very indifferent engineers. It was evidently the +remains of a hill fort, built of stones and mortar, and with nothing +wonderful in its construction whatever. It was tenanted by buffaloes +and a few natives; and having seen specimens of both before, we took +our departure again rather in a bad humour with both the fairies and +their partisans. + +In the plain below we found the remains of Cyclopeian ruins in an +enormous block of stone, part of a column. + +July 22.—Started this evening in the direction of the water-lake in +further search of ancient ruins. + +July 23.—Found ourselves at daybreak among the mosquitoes in a little +stream about two kos from Patrun. After breakfasting, we started for +the vicinity of the ruins. As usual, in the villages we passed through, +we found traces of cut stone doing duty as washing-stones, or corners +of walls, &c; and at Patrun we found rather a fine old ruined temple, +something similar in style to those towards Islamabad. [16] It was +surrounded at some distance by trees, which had tended apparently to +preserve the building, for the stone carvings were clearer and less +decayed by time than any others we had seen. Being caught here in a +heavy rain, we had a scamper for our boats, and after a wet journey, +reached Sirinugger about eight P.M. + +July 26.—Finding ourselves rather tired of Sirinugger, and with no +other books than Hindostanee to beguile the time, we resolved upon an +expedition across the mountains into the regions of Little Thibet. +Began preparations by hiring twelve coolies, at thirteen shillings each +per mensem, and a mate or head man to look after them. Increased our +stock of ducks to twelve, and otherwise added to our necessary stores, +and completed the arrangements for a move. + +To-day a number of arrivals and departures took place, and the whole +settlement was in a state of excitement and confusion. Boatmen swarmed +about in rival application for employment, while all the rascals in the +place seemed to have assembled together for the occasion: those who had +bills, wanting to get them paid; and those who were either lucky or +unfortunate enough to have none, wanting to open them as soon as +possible with the new comers. What with these and pistol practice and +rifle shooting from upper casements across the river, in order to +expend spare ammunition, the European quarter was a very Babel all day +long, and we were not sorry to escape the turmoil and get under weigh +to new scenes as soon as possible. + +About dusk we embarked in two large boats with Rajoo, the cook, and the +bhistie, the other servants remaining behind, much to their delight, to +take charge of spare baggage, &c. left in the bungalow. One of the +Maharajah’s army also accompanied us, a rough-and-ready-looking sepoy +irregular, whose duty it was to ferret out supplies and coolies, &c. +during our march, and at the same time, perhaps, to keep a watch over +our own movements and desperate designs. Passed the night under gauze +fortifications, the disappointed mosquitoes buzzing about outside in +myriads, and striving hard to take a fond farewell of their much-loved +foreign guests. + +By strange sounds from the direction of my companion’s quarters, as if +of smacking of hands, &c., I was led to infer that they had partially +succeeded in bidding him good-bye. I, however, luckily escaped without +receiving even as much as a deputation from the enemy, and slept in +happy unconsciousness of their vicinity. + + + + + + + +PART IV. + +LITTLE THIBET. + + +July 27.—About six o’clock this morning we found ourselves at anchor +under the mountains at the northern extremity of the lake, and at the +mouth of a dashing river of ice-cold water, into which we lost no time +in plunging. On mustering our forces after breakfast, we found that our +possessions required fourteen coolies for their transport. Our own +immediate effects took four, viz. bedding two, guns one, and clothes, +&c. one; the kitchen required four more; tent one, charpoys one, +servants’ reserve supply of food one, brandy, one, plank for table and +tent poles one, and last though not least, the twelve ducks took up the +services of the fourteenth all to themselves. The rest of our train +consisted of the faithful Rajoo, who came entirely at his own request +to see a new country, the two servants, the sepoy, and the coolie’s +mate, who was to act as guide, carry small matters, and make himself +generally useful. After a most affectionate parting with our boatmen, +Messrs. Suttarah, Ramzan, Guffard, and Co., we started on our new +travels at about ten A.M. under a broiling sun. After several halts +under shady chestnuts, groves of mulberry, &c., and passing by a gentle +ascent through a lovely country, we came to our first encamping ground, +at Kungur, and pitched our tent under a chestnut grove, considerably +hot and tired by our first march, after all the ease and comparative +idleness we had of late been enjoying in the valley. Here we saw the +first of the system of extortion which goes on among the government +authorities and the people; for after the paymaster to the forces had +settled with the seven coolies who were not in our permanent employ, +not being able to take all as we had originally intended, they +assembled round us, and complained most dolefully of the smallness of +their pay. The sepoy, who appeared a most pugnacious customer, cuffed +some of them, and made desperate flourishes at others with a big stick, +and seemed altogether so anxious to prevent, as he said, the +“cherishers of the poor,” from being inconvenienced by the “scum of the +earth,” that we suspected something wrong, and on inquiring, +ascertained, that out of the amount due to the seven, viz. one rupee +five annas, or about two shillings and eightpence, the organ of +government had actually stopped eight annas, or one shilling. The +mistake we soon rectified, much to the delight of the “scum of the +earth,”—who had certainly earned their three annas, or fourpence +halfpenny per man, by carrying our impedimenta eight kos under a hot +sun,—and equally to the disgust of “the organ” who handed over the +difference with a very bad grace indeed, and was rather out of tune for +the rest of the day. Our hearts being expanded by this administration +of justice, we proceeded to a further act of charity, and emancipated +our twelve ducks from their basket, into a temporary pond constructed +for them by the bhistie, where they dabbled about to their hearts’ +content, and soon forgot the sorrows of the road in a repast of meal +and rice. + +July 28.—Marched at six A.M., and after proceeding about a kos found +that we were in for a regular wetting. Our path lay through a +beautifully wooded ravine with precipitous mountain peaks appearing +ahead in every direction: these, however, were soon shrouded in +impenetrable mist, which gradually gathered in about us, and proceeded +to inspect us in a most searching and uncomfortable way. + +The road however, though beautiful, was by no means a good one, and it +was in many places difficult work to keep one’s feet in the wet slush, +over wooden bridges, or along the side of a dashing torrent which kept +us company, and which seemed to be labouring just now under an unusual +degree of temporary excitement, in consequence of having had too much +to drink. We had arranged to breakfast on the road, but the rain made +us push on, and on reaching the vicinity of our halting-place, we +stopped to inspect the condition of our garments, and to satisfy +ourselves as to our future prospects in the matter of dry changes of +raiment. On opening our small reserve, of which the mate had charge, I +found that sad havoc had been made in the precious articles we had been +so hopefully depending upon for comfort and consolation at the end of +our soaking march. The last efforts of our generally rather useless +dhobie had been brought to bear upon our present equipment. The massive +brass smoothing-iron and its owner had alike done their best to start +us creditably in life with the only clean linen we were likely to +behold for many weeks, and now nothing remained of the first instalment +of these spotless results, but a wringing mass of wet and dirty linen. +The sun, however, coming out opportunely to our assistance, we made the +best of our misfortune by spreading out our small wardrobe to the +greatest advantage in its rays. Our guide, who by the way appeared to +know nothing whatever about the path, proceeded to unroll his turban, +and divesting himself of his other garments, took to waving his entire +drapery to and fro in the breeze, with a view to getting rid of the +superfluous moisture. Leaving him to this little amusement, in which he +looked like a forlorn and shipwrecked mariner making signals of +distress, I repaired to a torrent close by, and after a satisfactory +bathe in the cold snow water, and very nearly losing the whole of my +personal property in the rushing stream, donned the few dry articles I +was possessed of, and proceeded to pick out our camping ground. We +fixed it among the scattered cottages of the little village of +Gûndisursing, and while waiting for the main body, stayed our appetites +with the few apricots we managed to discover on the already rather +closely picked trees. + +Got breakfast at two P.M. just as the rain began to come down upon us +again. The supplies procurable here were flour, milk, fowls, and eggs; +butter, however, was not forthcoming. + +July 29.—Marched early after enjoying a drier night than I had +anticipated from the look of the evening and the fine-drawn condition +of our tent. + +Our road continued up a beautifully wooded and watered valley, and +reaching a gorge in the mountains, about five kos from our start, we +halted at a log hut a little way beyond a wooden settlement dignified +by the name of Gûgenigiera. + +Here we had a bathe in the rushing snow torrent, a curious combination +of pain and pleasure, but the latter considerably predominating, +particularly when it was all over. + +After breakfast we sent the coolies on again, intending to halt three +kos off; however, on reaching the ground, they unanimously requested to +be allowed to go on to the village of Soonamurg, the halting-place +shown on our route. It was altogether considerably over a Sabbath-day’s +journey, being nine kos of a bad mountain-path; but as no supplies +whatever were procurable short of it, we held on our course. After +leaving our halt, the path led us close to the torrent’s edge, and the +gorge narrowing very much, we were completely towered over in our march +by gigantic peaks of rock, blocks of which had come down from their +high estate at some remote period of their existence, and now occupied +equally prominent though humbler positions in the torrent’s bed below. +Occasionally they presented themselves in our actual path, and at one +place we found that our course was blocked completely, the inaccessible +mountain side descending precipitously to the torrent, and leaving us +no option but to take to the water, roaring and boiling as it was. Our +guide went first with great deliberation and groping his way with a +stick, and after an ineffectual attempt to scale the rock above, F. and +I also unwillingly followed his example. The water was piercingly cold +as it swept against us, and the pain was so great that we were glad to +blunder over as quickly as possible, without taking very much trouble +about picking our steps. After passing this in safety we came suddenly +upon a band of hill-men with their loads, from Thibet; they were the +first natives we had encountered, and wild and weird-looking savages +they appeared as they congregated about us, gibbering to each other in +their astonishment at our sudden appearance. With them, was a +strange-looking bullock, with long black mane and tail, and hind +quarters like a horse, which they apparently used for carrying their +merchandize. To-day we passed the first snow since leaving the valley, +although in the distance there was plenty of it to be seen. + +Nothing could exceed the beauty of the view as we approached our +intended halting-place. Having crossed the torrent by a wooden bridge, +the mountains we had been winding through showed out in all their +grandeur, while above us, inaccessible peaks, with sharp and fanciful +projections, nestled their mighty heads among the fleecy clouds, which +hung about after the recent rains. In advance again, other mountain +ranges rose behind each other, clothed on their southern faces with +delicate grass up to the point where the snow lay lightly on their +rocky top-knots and hid itself among the clouds. From the bridge, a +rustic structure of entire pine-trees, we passed through an upper +valley carpeted with the brightest soft green pasturage, until we +reached the usual little cluster of dilapidated wooden tenements which +constitute a village in these mountains. This was Soonamurg, and +crossing another bridge, formed of two single giant pines, we came to a +halt and pitched our camp close to a huge bank of snow on the river’s +brink. What with our halt, and the badness of the path, we did not +arrive until five P.M., and as the sun set, the spray from our snowy +neighbour began to wrap its chilling influence about us, and we were +glad enough to invest ourselves in some thick cashmere wraps of native +manufacture, which we had hitherto considered merely as standbyes in +case of extraordinary cold on mountain tops. + +According to general report, however, we only reach the foot of the +mountains to-morrow. This sounds well, considering that we have been +ascending steadily for three days, and have left huge avalanches of +snow beneath us, not to mention the mountains which we traversed on the +Peer Punjal side before even entering the Valley of Cashmere at all. + +At Soonamurg, where we had been warned that there were no supplies, we +found large herds of sheep and goats. The people, however, were not at +all inclined to sell them, and we had some trouble in getting hold of a +couple of fine fat sheep from them, for which we paid, what was here +considered a high price, viz. two rupees, or four shillings each. We +also enlisted the temporary services of two hairy, horny goats, which +are to accompany us for the next three marches as portable dairies, no +supplies being procurable on the road. Butter and milk are both +forthcoming here in abundance, and occasionally rice is to be got. +Penetrated with the freshness of the mountain air and the freedom of +our vagabond life, we came unanimously to the conclusion that we had +made a wise exchange from the far niente dolces of Sirinugger, and +passed a vote of general confidence in the expedition. + +July 30.—The wind this morning blew bitterly cold over the snow and +into our tent, rendering the operation of turning out rather more +unpopular than usual. + +Got off, however, about six, and had a fine bracing march over a grassy +valley among the mountains. After about four kos, the sun began again +to assert his supremacy, and, in conjunction with the cold of the +morning, rather took liberties with our faces and hands. About half-way +we came upon the merry ring of axes among the trees, and found a party +of natives constructing a log-house for the benefit of travellers +towards Ladak. Pitched our camp in a wild spot at the foot of the +mountains, bathed in the snow water, and had a sheep killed for +breakfast. + +One of the live stock died this morning: an unfortunate hen had been +sat upon by the ducks, and the result was asphyxia, and consignment to +the torrent. + +July 31.—Finished up the month by a difficult march of four and twenty +miles, encamping at Pandras about eight P.M. and no longer at the foot +of the mountains. Immediately on leaving our halting-place we commenced +the ascent of a steep glacier, and for upwards of four miles our path +lay entirely over the snow: so dense and accumulated was it, that even +when the sun came out and burned fiercely into our faces and hands, +there was no impression whatever made on its icy surface. + +The glacier was surrounded on all sides by peaks of perpetual snow, +while parts of it were of such ancient date that, ingrained as it was +with bits of stick and stones &c., it bore quite the appearance of +rock. The path was in some places so indistinct, that on one occasion I +found myself far ahead of the rest of the party, and approximating to +the clouds instead of to the direction of Ladak. About five kos on our +journey we halted to let the kitchen come up, and had our breakfast on +the snow in the company of a select party of marmots. The little +creatures appeared to live in great peace and seclusion here, for they +let us up, in their ignorance of fire-arms, to within thirty yards of +them before scuttling into their habitations. They were all dressed in +blackish brown suits of long thick fur, and considering that they live +in snow for at least eight months out of twelve, they appeared not the +least too warmly clothed. As we went by they used to come out and sit +up on their hind legs, with their fore paws hanging helplessly over +their paunches, while, with a shrill discordant cry, they bid us +good-morning and then hurried back to their houses again. Not having +our rifles handy they escaped scot free, otherwise we might have +borrowed a coat from one of them as a reminiscence of the country. +After another kos or two we began to get clear of the glacier; but +occasionally we came upon enormous masses of snow jammed up on either +side of the torrent, the action of the water having worn away the +centre. The path gradually led us through rocky passes, over torrents +spanned by snow among the magnificent mountain range; and although the +march was, rather long for a hill country, we found no fault with it +until about the last three kos, when it was getting late in the day, +and although fast becoming hungry, we saw no immediate prospect of +getting anything to eat. + +The last few kos we find invariably longer than their fellows; one kos +by description, at this stage of the proceedings, being generally equal +to two in reality. Asking a native, how far we are from a +halting-place, is invariably answered in one of two ways: either thoree +door, not very far, or nuzdeek, close. Thoree door means generally +about four miles, while nuzdeek may be translated five at least. A kos +too, which ought to be from one and a half to two miles, means here +anything between one mile and seven. Delaying as much as possible, to +let our servants up, we reached Pandras at last, and found all the +inhabitants turned out to see our arrival; they were dressed in long +woollen coats and sheepskins, and looked something between Russians and +Tartars, with a strong flavour of the Esquimaux, as depicted by Polar +voyagers. As the sun went down it became bitterly cold, and we found +the natives even, shuddering under the influences of the snowy wind, +which, setting in from the mountains, appeared to blow from all points +of the compass at one and the same time. What the village of Pandras +must be in mid-winter it is hard to imagine, so covered with snow as +the mountains around it are even in August, and so bleak and so barren +the valley in which it is situated. + +In spite of the cold, we astonished the entire swaddled population by +taking off our clothes, and bathing in a little crystal stream close +by: two operations, in all probability, which they themselves had never +perpetrated within the memory of the oldest inhabitant, This feat +accomplished, we were much astonished by the arrival of a rara avis, in +the shape of a British traveller, from the direction of Ladak. He +turned out to be an officer of the Government survey, now being carried +on in the mountains, and we took the opportunity of deriving from him +all the information we could, relative to the prospect before us. He +strongly recommended us to go to the monastery of Hemis, beyond Ladak, +and also to the Lakes, but the latter would appear to be beyond the +limits of our time. The only natives we had met during our unusually +long march to-day, were four hairy-looking savages from the interior, +from whom, after much difficulty, I succeeded in purchasing an +aboriginal tobacco-pouch, flint, and steel, all combined in one, paying +for the same about three times its actual and local value, viz. two +rupees. They were dressed in long woollen coats, with thick bands of +stuff rolled round their waists; and all four had bunches of yellow +flowers stuck in their caps, and pipes, knives, tobacco-pouches, &c. +hung round their girdles. Their shoes were of the Esquimaux pattern, +the soles sheepskin, coming up all round the front of the foot, where +they were joined by woollen continuations—shoes, socks, and leggings, +being thus conveniently amalgamated into one article of apparel. + +August 1.—On the road a little later than usual, all hands being tired +after yesterday’s exertions. The path to-day lay among huge boulders of +rock, which had come down as specimens from the mountains above, and +after a short march of five kos, we reached Dras, a little assemblage +of flat-roofed houses, with a mud fort about half a mile from it, in +the valley. This was built with four bastions and a ditch scarped with +paving-stones, which surrounded it on all sides except one, where it +was naturally defended by the torrent. On the road we passed a curious +bridge, built entirely of rope manufactured from twigs of trees. The +cables thus formed were swung across the torrent, from piles of loose +stones, in a most scientific way, though not one calculated to inspire +confidence in any traveller with weak nerves who might have to trust +himself to its support. It appeared, nevertheless, a most serviceable +structure, and was decidedly picturesque. At Dras we were able to get +all supplies except fowls. + +August 2.—Having a long and up-hill march before us, we were up and +dressed by moonlight. Outside the village, we came upon two curious old +stones, standing about six feet high, upright, and carved in the way we +had already seen at the ruins of Pandau and elsewhere. These stones +were of irregular form, and carved on three sides, and the designs, +though much worn, were distinctly traceable. They represented, +apparently, a male and female figure, standing about five feet high, +and surrounded by three smaller figures each. Like all the other +sculptured figures we had seen, they were innocent of clothes, with the +exception of the rope, or very scant drapery, which ran across their +ancles and up either side to the shoulders. + +Leaving these, we passed through a wild and rugged valley among the +mountains, cultivated in patches, and watered by numerous little +sparkling crystal streams. At short intervals, there were little +settlements of mud huts, built, Tartar fashion, one on top of another, +and peopled by a few miserable-looking natives, who appeared, in their +woollen rags, to be cold, even in the middle of this summer’s day. The +few travellers we met during our march were flat nosed, heavy-looking +creatures, with Chinese skull-caps and pig-tails, and were employed in +conveying salt to Cashmere, packed in bags of woven hair, and laden on +cows and asses as weird and strange-looking as their owners. About five +kos off, we called a halt for breakfast, and reached Tusgam about four +P.M. + +Here we found a few Arbor Vitæ, and other shrubs, in bad health, the +first of the tree species we had encountered since ascending the +glacier. + +August 3.—Struck our camp at sunrise, and crossing the torrent, which +still accompanied us, descended the Pass by a slight decline. During +the day we passed through numerous gorges, studded with giant masses of +rock, and bounded on all sides by rugged and inhospitable mountains. We +only saw one village, and that some way off the road—Kurroo, the guide +called it. Breakfasted under an overhanging rock on the mountain side, +just where our path was, hemmed in by the torrent, and were disturbed +during our repast by several volleys of stones which rattled down over +us from above. They were set free by the melting of some large masses +of snow, which, being covered with sticks and dirt, we had not noticed +when we chose our breakfast parlour so close to their uncomfortable +proximity. To-day we met more salt-carrying parties—uncouth-looking +savages in pig-tails, speaking a language that not one of our party +could understand. We also encountered an original-looking gold-washing +association of five, who were wending their way towards the snow with +their wooden implements. They were all also weighted with bags of +grain, to keep them alive during their search. Their labour consists in +sifting the fine sand which comes down in the snow-torrents, charged +with minute particles of gold; and the proceeds, from the appearance of +“the trade,” would not seem to be very great. They say it amounts only +to a few annas a day, but would probably not allow to the full amount +for fear of being taxed. + +At our breakfast-halt we saw the most primitive specimen of a smoking +apparatus probably ever invented. It consisted of a dab of mud stuck in +a hole of a tree, about five feet from the ground. Two small sticks, +inserted in this from above and below and then withdrawn, had evidently +served to form the smoke passage; while the bowl as evidently had been +fashioned by the simple impression of a Thibetian thumb, the whole +forming, for the use of needy travellers, as permanent and satisfactory +a public pipe as could well have been devised. It had just been in +requisition before we passed, for a small quantity of newly-burned +tobacco lay in the bowl; and a fresh patch of clay on the mouthpiece +had probably been added, either in the way of general repairs or by +some extra-fastidious traveller, who preferred having a private +mouthpiece of his own. After rather a severe march through rocky +mountain gorges, we reached Chungun, a little oasis of about five acres +of standing barley, with three or four flat-roofed houses dotted about +it in the usual Tartar style of architecture. It also boasted four +poplar-trees, standing in a stiff and reserved little row, evidently in +proud consciousness of their family importance among such rugged, +treeless, iron mountains. + +It was altogether a refreshing little spot for a halt, after the savage +scenery we had marched through; and pitching our camp in it, we were +not long in introducing ourselves to the little brawling stream of +clear cold water to which it owed its existence. + +August 4.—Started this morning in a mountain mist. Just outside the +village we passed the scene of the fall of an avalanche, which gave one +some faint idea of the enormous forces occasionally at work among these +mountains. It had taken a small village in its path, and over the place +where it had stood we now took our way, among a perfect chaos of masses +of rock, and uptorn earth, trees, &c. The whole ground was torn and +rent, as by the eruption of volcanoes or the explosion of enormous +magazines of powder. Passing this, our path continued to descend the +gorge until about two kos from Chungun, when another torrent came down +to join its forces to the one we were accompanying; and leaving our old +companion to roar its way down to join the Indus, we proceeded up the +valley in the society of our new friend. Passing a series of little +villages nestled among the rugged rocks, we crossed the stream by a +tree bridge and causeway, to the Fort of Kurgil, where, after a long +consultation, we breakfasted. The differences of opinion between the +guide and the rest of the natives as to the distance of a village +ahead, where milk and supplies were forthcoming, were so wide, some +saying three kos, others six, &c., that we finally determined upon +getting some breakfast before deciding the true distance for ourselves. +The village Hundas was another most perfect little oasis. It was only +about five or six acres in extent, under the frowning mountain, and was +terraced and planted in the neatest and most economical way imaginable. +The fields were beautifully clean, and were quaintly adorned in many +instances by huge blocks of rock from the mountain above, bigger +considerably than the whole of the houses of the village put together. +Leaving Kurgil, we made a sharp ascent, and crossed a plateau bounded +by some extremely curious formations of rock and sandstone. + +The mountains appeared to have been reared on end and cut with a knife, +as if for the especial benefit of geologists in general, although the +hues of their many-coloured strata were calculated to attract even the +most ungeological mind by their brightness. Descending from this +plateau, we came to a pass dotted with three or four little villages, +wooded with poplars, and adorned with a few shrubs of different kinds. +Here every available inch of ground which the grudging rocks bestowed +was cultivated, although all around, the mud-built native huts were +broken down and deserted, in such numbers as to give the idea of an +Irish settlement whose inhabitants had transplanted themselves to +America. At the last of these little villages, called Pushkoom, we +pitched our camp, the retainers taking a fancy to the place from the +promise it gave of abundant supplies. + +August 5.—Made our first day’s halt, and enjoyed it considerably—not +the least of its advantages being the immunity it gave us from being +torn out of bed at grey hours in the morning. The rest of the force +also appreciated the day of rest, and made themselves comfortable after +their fashion under our grove of trees. + +In the afternoon I ascended the mountain opposite to reconnoitre and +inspect the curious formation of strata, which formed the principal +feature of the place. + +The ascent I found at first to be over a soft crumbling small stone, +resembling ashes, but of various colours, and in distinctly-marked +strata. These were generally of pinkish red and grey, and from them in +large masses, rose enormous blocks of concrete, in all manner of forms +and shapes, some like towers and fortifications, and others standing +out boldly by themselves, worn by the weather into holes and ridges. +After a considerably difficult ascent, from the crumbling nature of the +stones, I reached the summit of the mountain, and climbing a concrete +monster which capped it, had a magnificent survey of the mountain +ranges and country around. In every direction the eye rested on snowy +summits, and the wind from them fell coolly and refreshingly after the +toil of ascent under a hot sun. + +Returning through the village, I found the natives hard at work +collecting their crops of wheat and barley, and stowing them away, +generally upon the flat tops of their houses. They seemed altogether a +peaceful, primitive race; but, although their ground appears in +first-rate order, they themselves are uncultivated and dirty in the +extreme. The ladies, I am sorry to say, are even rather worse in this +matter than the gentlemen. The female costume consists generally of +robes of sheep and goat skins thrown across the shoulders; while a long +tail of twisted worsted plaits, looking like a collection of +old-fashioned bell-ropes, forms the chief decoration. This is attached +to the back hair, and hangs down quite to the heels, where it +terminates in a large tuft, with tassels and divers balls of worsted +attached to it. On a hill overhanging the village were the remains of a +mud fort, which had been pulled down by Gûlab Singh in one of his +excursions to Thibet, with a view to bringing the inhabitants to a +proper sense of their position, and enforcing the payment of his +tribute. + +The number of battered and deserted huts about the village is accounted +for by the erratic habits of the people, which induce them never to +stay long in one set of houses, but to flit from one side of the valley +and from one settlement to another as the fancy strikes them. That the +large increase of the flea population among such a race, however, may +have something to do with their restlessness, seems more than probable. + +Except when impressed for government employ, they seldom leave the +vicinity of their villages, and one old gentleman told me he had never +been even as far as a place called Lotzûm, which is only two kos off! +The religion seems to be a mixture of Buddhism and Mahomedanism—the +latter on the decrease as we get farther into the country. + +The dress assimilates to the Chinese—pig-tails and little skull-caps +being the order of the day. We obtained here good supplies of cow’s +milk, butter, &c., and among other things, some peas. These enabled us +to celebrate our Sunday’s dinner by a “duck and green peas,” and never +since the first invention of ducks could a similar luxury have been so +thoroughly appreciated. + +August 6.—Started early again, and marched five kos, through the little +half-deserted settlement of Lotzûm to the village of Shergol, where we +halted for breakfast. Here we found ourselves fairly among the +Buddhists, and saw an entirely new description of monuments connected +with religion, from anything we had yet encountered. The most striking +objects were a series of tomb-like buildings, without entrances, and +adorned on all sides by the most hideous effigies, rudely executed in +coloured mud. [17] + +Some of these were men, depicted in bright red on a yellow ground, with +horrible staring countenances; others women, adorned with numberless +necklaces and other ornaments; besides these, there were peacocks, +griffins with human arms, deer, &c., and all in the most flaring +colours and the very rudest designs. + +In the perpendicular face of a rock beyond was a very curious +monastery, or abode of the Lamas. It was built completely in the rock, +and was reached by a natural cavity on the face of the stone. + +Jutting out from the upper part, balconies had been erected overhanging +the precipice, and these were decorated with red copings, spotted with +white. From the fact of only one of our party knowing the language, it +was difficult to ascertain from the natives the history of this curious +abode, but they gave us to understand that it was the home of their +Lamas, or spiritual preceptors. Here we met another of the race of +wandering Englishmen, who was wending his way back to the valley. He +was returning from a shooting tour, was all alone, and appeared to have +had very hard work indeed of it, if his face and hands and generally +dilapidated appearance might taken as a criterion. Not being quite in +such light marching order ourselves, we were able to ask him to +breakfast, and from his ready acceptance and the entire justice he did +to our offer, I don’t think he could have had anything to eat for a +week. + +He appeared to be a thorough sportsman, and had bagged several head of +large game, which he showed us. They were principally a kind of wild +sheep with enormous heads and horns, each of his trophies being almost +a coolie load in itself. Leaving Shergol, we entered a curious valley +with rocks of concrete standing out like towers and fortifications, and +on the summits of these again, airy-looking habitations with red +streaks adorning them, and entered, as that at Shergol, by holes in the +face of the rock. These were, or had been, the abodes of the Lamas; +numbers of them now however, as well as the mud settlements at their +feet, appeared in ruins, and gave no sign of habitation, beyond having +about them a number of little flags stuck on long poles, which +fluttered about in the breeze. According to the account of our +interpreter, which had to pass from Thibetian into Hindostanee before +it could clothe itself in English, the cause of this dilapidation was +the state of wealth and ambition at which the Lamas had arrived, and +the consequent interposition of Gûlab Singh to take down their pride +and ease them of a little of their wealth, both of which he +accomplished in the style to which he was so partial, by slaughtering +some hundreds of them and reducing their airy habitations to ruins. + +At a place called Moulwee we came to a curious block of massive rock +standing close beside the path, with one of the red-topped houses built +into its side. Above this was a colossal figure with four arms, rudely +cut on the face of the rock, and above all was perched an implement, +something after the fashion of a Mrs. Gamp’s umbrella of large +proportions, together with sundry sticks and rags, which seem to be the +common style of religious decoration in these parts. + +The figure was about eighteen feet high, the lower extremities being +hidden behind the building at the base of the rock. It resembled in +some measure the sculptures occasionally seen among Hindoo temples, but +no one appeared to know anything whatever of its origin or history. + +Close to this there were an immense number of stones collected +together, bearing inscriptions in two different characters, one of +which resembled slightly the Devanagree or Sanscrit. Seeing such a +profusion about, I appropriated one which happened to be conveniently +small, and carried it off in my pocket. + +The sun being intensely powerful, we called a halt at a village named +Waka, perched among the rocks, where we found a rattletrap of a +baradurree, which saved us the trouble of pitching our tents. Opposite +to us was a curiously worn mass of concrete mountain, which might +easily have been mistaken for artificial lines of fortification, had +not the scale been so large as to preclude the possibility of any but +giants or fairies having been the engineers. At the head of the valley +there was a fine snow-covered mountain, which helped to keep us cool in +an otherwise excessively hot position. The cook having been rather +overcome by his exertions to-day, we got our dinner at the fashionable +hour of nine P.M. + +August 7.—Starting from Waka at cock-crow, we marched up a steep +ascent, through a bleak-looking range of hills, to Khurboo, where we +bivouacked under a tree and got breakfast about noon. + +Afterwards, I examined more minutely the inscription on the stones, +which, as we advanced into the country, appeared to increase +considerably in number. They consisted in almost every case of the same +word, containing five letters in one character and six in the other, +though I occasionally there were additional letters, and sometimes, +though very rarely, a stone with a different inscription altogether. +After a good deal of difficulty I succeeded in unearthing a Lama from +the village to help me in my researches, and a strange-looking +dignitary of the Church he turned out to be when he did make his +appearance. He was a bloated and fat old gentleman, dressed in a +yellowish red garment of no particular shape, and looked altogether +more like a moving bundle of red rags than anything else, human or +divine. + +Finding that nothing was required of him more expensive than +information, he appeared delighted to show off his learning, and by +means of the sepoy, who was the only one of our party acquainted with +both Thibetan and Hindoostanee, I ascertained that the words carved +upon the stones were “Ûm mani panee,” and meant, as far as I could make +out, “the Supreme Being.” As the old gentleman repeated the mystic +syllables, he bobbed and scraped towards a strange-looking monument +close by, in an abject, deprecatory way, as if in extreme awe of its +presence. [18] + +On inquiring the origin of this new structure, which was built of +stones and plaster, and decorated with red ochre, all we could get out +of him was a fresh string of “Ûm mani panees,” and a further series of +moppings and mowings, accompanied by a sagacious expression of his fat +countenance, indicative of the most entire satisfaction at the +clearness of his explanations, and a sense of his own importance as a +Lama and an expositor of the doctrines of Bûddh. + +He also explained the only other inscription which I had seen; and +according to the interpretation of the sepoy, it ran thus:—“As God can +do so none other can.” [19] + +Not another piece of information could I elicit relative to the +religion beyond the continual “Ûm mani panee, Ûm mani panee!” which our +friend seemed never tired of mumbling; and although the sepoy was, I +believe, considerably more adapted for the extraction of reluctant +supplies of food for our kitchen than for eliciting such information on +the subject of theology as I was in search of, the real cause of +failure was more to be attributed to the extreme ignorance of the +particular pillar of the Church that we had got hold of, than to any +little literary failings of the interpreter. Such were the quantities +of the inscribed stones about this place, that in one long wall I +estimated there must have been upwards of 3,000, and this in a country +where inhabitants of any sort are few and far between, and where none +appear who seem at all capable of executing such inscriptions. + +August 8.—Having suffered a good deal yesterday from the heat of the +sun, we started this morning by a bright moonlight, at about half-past +four A.M. + +Entering the Pass of Fotoola, we ascended gradually for some five kos, +and reached a considerable elevation, with a good deal of snow lying +about on the mountains. A peak on the right was 19,000 feet above the +sea level, and few of those in our immediate vicinity were under 17,000 +feet. From the summit of this pass we descended about three kos to +Lamieroo, without passing a single hut or village on the entire road. +The only natives we encountered were a party of three from Ladak, on +their way to Cashmere, with a couple of fine native dogs, as a present +from the Thanadar to some of his visitors. The pedestrians one +generally meets now are old ladies, carrying conical baskets filled +with sulphur or saltpetre, in the direction of Cashmere, and so shy are +they, that on beholding “the white face” they drop their loads as if +shot, and scuttle away among the mountains, so that, if inclined, we +could seize upon the Maharajah’s munitions of war and carry them off +without difficulty. On reaching the vicinity of Lamieroo, the inscribed +stones became more frequent than ever. They were placed generally upon +long broad walls, the tops of which sloped slightly outwards, like the +roof of a house. Supplies of uncut stones were also in many instances +collected together in their vicinity, as if for the benefit of any +pedestrian who might feel inclined to carve out his future happiness by +adding to the collection. Lamieroo, as its name would seem to imply, +appears to have been a headquarters of the Lamas and their religion. It +contains a curious monastery, or Lamaserai, built upon the extreme top +ledge of a precipice of concrete stone, and at its base (some hundred +feet below) the habitations which constitute the village are also +perched on pinnacles of rock, and scattered about, often in the most +unlikely spots imaginable. Entering the bason formed by the valley in +which this curious settlement is situated, one opens suddenly by an +ascending turn upon the whole scene, and anything more startlingly +picturesque it would be hard to conceive. As the view appears, the +first objects presented are a host of little monument-like buildings, +which line the path and are dotted about in groups of from three to +twelve or fourteen together. They stand about seven feet high, and, as +far as we could make out from the natives, are erected over the defunct +Lamas and other saints of the Buddhist religion, after which they +become sacred in the eyes of the living, and are referred to with +scrapings and bowings and “Ûm mani panees” innumerable. In the +monastery we found twenty Lamas at present domiciled—fat, +comfortable-looking gentlemen they all were, dressed in orange-yellow +garments, and not a bit cleaner than the rest of the natives, nor +looking by any means more learned. Mounting the side of the bill, and +passing under one of the red-ring pillared monuments, we entered the +precincts of the monastery, and threading some very steep and dark +passages in the interior of the rock, were received by a deputation of +Lamas, with the salutation of “Joo, Joo!” + +We were then ushered with great ceremony into their temple, much to the +awe and consternation of our guides, who apparently expected to see us +as much overcome by the sanctity of the place as they themselves were. +The temple we found a small square room with a gallery round it, from +which were suspended dingy-looking Chinese banners, flowers, &c., and +at one end were about twenty idols of various designs, seated in a row +staring straight before them, and covered with offerings of Indian +corn, yellow flowers, butter, &c. They were for the most part dressed +in Chinese fashion, and in the dusky light had certainly a queer +weird-looking appearance about them, which was quite enough to overawe +our village guide; not being accustomed to such saintly society, he +could hardly raise his eyes or speak above his breath, but stood with +hands joined together and in a supplicating posture, enough to melt the +heart of even the very ugliest of idols. The service (by particular +desire) began by three of the most unctuous of the Lamas squatting down +on some planked spaces before the divinities, and raising a not +unmusical chaunt, accompanying themselves at the same time with a pair +of cymbals, while two large double-sided tom-toms or drums gradually +insinuated themselves into the melody. These were each fixed on one +long leg and were beaten with a curved stick, muffled at the end. The +performance of the cymbals was particularly good, and the changes of +time they introduced formed the chief feature of the music, and was +rather pleasing than otherwise. The service as it drew to a close, was +joined by a duett upon two enormous brass instruments like +speaking-trumpets grown out of all decent proportions; they were about +five feet long, and were placed on the ground during the performance, +and as two of the fattest of the Lamas operated and nearly suffocated +themselves in their desperate exertions, the result was the most +diabolical uproar that ever could have been produced since the first +invention of music. + +Not being able to trust the sepoy in such a delicate undertaking, I was +unable to get any information from the Lamas on religious subjects; and +all signs and suggestive pointings, &c. were immediately and invariably +answered by “Ûm mani panee,” so that we left about as wise as we +entered. The most interesting object in the place was a library of +Thibetian books. It consisted of an upright frame divided into square +compartments, each with a word cut deeply into the wood over it, and +containing the volumes. These were merely long narrow sheets, collected +between two boards, also carved on the outside with a name similar to +the one on the shelf. The characters were beautifully formed, and I +tried to purchase a small volume, if a thing about two feet long could +be called so, but without effect. There were about thirty of these +books in the place, ponderous tomes, carefully covered up, and little +read, to judge by the quantity of dust collected on them. They read us, +however, a small portion of one, in a drawling, sonorous tone, and with +no very great facility. + +These books, together with a number of rudely-printed papers, of the +nature of tracts, one of which I carried away, containing some of the +characters similar to that on the inscribed stones, appear to have been +printed at Lassa, [20] the capital of Thibet Proper, and from there, +the head-quarters of the religion in these parts, all the musical +instruments and other paraphernalia belonging to the temples are also +sent. One exception, however, I discovered; this was an empty +brandy-bottle, bearing a magnificent coloured label, which certainly +could not have been issued from the Grand Lama’s religious stores. To +the English eye, or rather nose, it had but little of the odour of +sanctity about it; but here it evidently held a high position, and was +prominently placed among the temporal possessions of “the Gods.” + +The women here, and those we met on the road during the last two +marches, wore a curious head-dress, differing from anything of the kind +we had before seen. It consisted of a broad band extending from the +forehead to the waist behind, and studded thickly with large coarse +turquoises. These generally decrease in size from the forehead, where +there is a larger turquoise than the others, down to the waist, and +where the hair ends, it is joined into a long worsted tail terminating +at the heels. Some of these bands must be of considerable value, but +the proprietors, although otherwise in complete rags, will not part +with them for any consideration. One lady whom I accosted on the +subject, thought I was going to murder her, and took to her heels +forthwith. In general, however, the fair sex here carefully hide both +their charms and their turquoises behind the nearest rock or the most +convenient cover that presents itself, and vanish like phantoms +whenever they discern a white man in the distance. + +The cooking department being delayed by the ascent, we got no breakfast +to-day until one o’clock, unless a drink of milk and a biscuit on +arrival could be called by courtesy a breakfast. + +August 9.—Descended from Lamieroo through a precipitous pass for about +three kos and a half, to Kulchee, a tidy little village of fifteen +huts, situated in an oasis of apricot and walnut-trees, the first we +had encountered since leaving Cashmere. + +The people here seemed particularly simple and happy among their waving +corn-fields and wild fruit-trees, and they were most anxious to supply +us with apricots and milk, and whatever they could produce. The Gopa, +or head-man of the village, could speak a little Hindostanee, besides +being able to read and write his own language in two characters, and as +he seemed unusually sharp and intelligent, I was very glad to have a +chat with him while waiting for the commissariat to come up. The +character most common on the inscribed stones, and one of those now in +actual use, he told me was Romeeque; the other, the square character on +the stones, is obsolete, and is called Lantza; [21] while a third +character, which was the one he was most conversant with, but which did +not appear upon any of the stones, he called Tyeeque. + +His explanation of the stones was, that at the last day a certain +recording angel, whom he called Khurjidal, would pass through the land, +and inspecting these mounds of inscribed stones, would write down the +names of all those who had contributed to the heap. What the +inscription was he seemed unable clearly to explain, but believed it to +refer in some manner to the Supreme Being. Whatever it was, all those +who had contributed their share towards its dissemination, by adding +stones to the mounds, were certain of future rewards, while those who +had omitted to do so were as equally certain of punishment. [22] + +This explanation of the difficulty caused me some qualms of conscience +on account of the future prospects of the unfortunate writer whose +particular stone I had appropriated; but for fear the Gopa himself +might be the sufferer, I thought it better not to confide my emotions +to him, but to leave the case in the hands of Khurjidal. + +Regarding the state of the people here, he told me that each house paid +a tax of seven rupees per annum to the Maharajah. This, for the entire +village, would only give 105 rupees per annum towards the enrichment of +the Treasury. + +The Lamas, who have no ground of their own, appear to be a further +burden on the population. They are supplied gratuitously with food, and +appear to be somewhat similar to the Hindoo Fukeer, devoting themselves +to religion and remaining unmarried. They, however, are not so violent +in their opinions, and are more conversable, to say nothing of being +decidedly cleaner. + +We breakfasted under the spreading walnuts, among an audience composed +of the entire village, who seemed much edified and amused by our novel +manners and customs. Some of our English possessions took their fancy +immensely. A cut-glass lantern and the label of a bottle of +cherry-brandy in particular, seemed to them the very essence of the +rare and curious, and they seemed never tired of admiring them. After +breakfast we again took the road, and marched three kos to another +little wooded settlement, called Nûrila, situated, like Kulchee, upon +the Indus, or, as it is here called, the Attock. The noisy, dirty +torrent, as it here appears, however, gives little promise of becoming, +as it does in after life, one of the largest of the stately Indian +rivers. + +August 10.—From Nûrila we travelled along the Indus bank to Suspûl, a +distance of seven kos or thereabouts, stopping for breakfast at a +village whose entire population consisted of one woman! The river being +shut in by high and rocky mountains, our path took several most abrupt +turns and startling ascents and descents in its meanderings, and proved +altogether the worst for coolies to travel that we had as yet +encountered. The greater part of our march, too, was under a burning +sun, whose rays the rocks on either side of us reflected in anything +but an agreeable way, giving thereby a considerable addition of colour +to our already well-bronzed countenances. Near Suspûl we had to take to +the water, as a mass of overhanging rock jutted into the river and +completely obstructed the path; and here one of our coolies, stumbling, +dropped his load into the torrent. It was a particularly precious part +of our expeditionary stores, containing, among other things, the small +stock of brandy which was to last us back to Sirinugger. However, on +inspecting the contents of the basket, the precious liquid was safe and +sound, and the only damage was the conversion, pro tem. of our stock of +best lump sugar into moist. Suspûl we found situated in a half-moon +shaped break of fertility among the barren mountains. The snow was +within half an hour’s climb, while at the same time the sun shone with +such power as to blister our faces, and even to affect the black part +of the expedition, rendered somewhat tender, no doubt, by the unusual +mixture of heat and cold to which they had already been exposed. We +encamped here under a grove of apricot and apple-trees, which resulted +in the production of an apple-dumpling for dinner. + +August 11.—Leaving Suspûl, we ascended considerably to the village of +Buzgo, another of the cloud-built little settlements so dear to the +Lamas. The tenements were most picturesquely pitched upon the extreme +tips of almost perpendicular rocks, and to many of them access seemed +apparently impossible. Leaving this, we entered upon a desert of +shifting sand and stones, in the midst of which there was an unusually +long wall of the inscribed stones, one of which, although containing +the same inscription, was of a different pattern from any I had +hitherto discovered. [23] + +The next oasis was Egnemo, formed, like all the others, by the +existence of numerous little springs of crystal water, which enabled +the waving corn to raise its golden head, and the apricot and the +apple-tree to flourish in refreshing contrast to the general barrenness +and sterility which reigned around. + +After a grilling march, we enjoyed the delights of a bathe under a +waterfall of clear cold water, and got our breakfast by eleven o’clock. + +To-day, some of our brigade of coolies begin to complain of sickness, +which sounds alarming, not only to themselves, but to us, for none +others are now procurable. This results from their making too free with +unripe apricots, and drinking too many gallons of cold water on the +road; also, however, from the fact of my having doctored the first +patient who had presented himself, with a couple of pills and some +tea—a piece of generosity which drove all the others nearly mad with +jealousy and envy, and set them thinking how they also might be +participators in similar luxuries. The pills, although in this instance +selected promiscuously from a varied stock, were the great objects of +desire, and such was their confidence in the virtuous properties of the +remedy, that the character of the particular bolus that fell to their +share was to them a matter of no consequence whatever. So great a rage +is there for medicine among people who have never known the luxury of +paying for it, that even the blind and deformed continually applied to +us for it on the road. + +August 12.—Halted to-day, and gave all hands a day of rest, which was +rather required after our incessant marching. In the afternoon we +explored the village, and enjoyed a magnificent sunset behind the +ranges of distant snowy mountains. The crops here were more backward +than those met hitherto, although the power of the sun was rather on +the increase than otherwise, as we advanced. Some of the fields were +occupied by beans, peas, and wheat, all growing like a happy family +together. + +August 13.—Made an unusually early start, this morning, for our final +march into Ladak. The first part of the journey was up a precipitous +ascent, and over shifting gravel, which was very trying to our already +well-worn boots; and it was a relief when, on arriving at the summit, +we found a long and gradual descent before us, with an entirely new +panorama of snow-clad mountains extending away towards Ladak. + +In the distance, close to the river Indus, which here branched out into +several small and separate streams, there was a high mound, topped with +buildings, which we made for, under the full impression that it was our +journey’s end: however, on reaching it, and turning confidently round +the corner, we found nothing but a deserted-looking building, +surrounded by an immense number of the monuments which the natives call +Permessur; while, stretched out at our feet, and forming, as it were, +the bottom of a large basin among the mountains, was a dreary desert of +glaring, burning sand. The place altogether looked like a city of the +dead: not a soul appeared in sight, except one solitary old woman, who +was slowly traversing the weary waste of sands, and all around was +still and silent as the grave. In order to gain some intelligence of +our whereabouts, I was obliged to give chase to this only inhabitant, +and from her I discovered, that to reach Ladak—a green-looking speck +which she pointed out in the far distance—we had to cross the desert +sands, and still hold on our course for several miles. The sun was by +this time high in the heavens, and we had already come a longish march, +so that by the time I had traversed the arid plain under the blinding +glare, and reached the green fields beyond, it was nearly twelve +o’clock, and I had had nearly enough of the journey. It was, however, a +couple of miles farther to the grove of trees, where, under very +indifferent shade, travellers are in the habit of halting to pitch +their camps; and on reaching this, I was glad to throw myself down on +the grass, and, after a drink of milk, and the slight refreshment +afforded by a leathery chupattie, to go to sleep on the grass, until +the arrival of our servants and baggage should give us a prospect of +breakfast. These made their appearance about two P.M., and all hands +requiring a little rest from the toils of the road, we pitched our camp +under the trees, and set ourselves to the enjoyment of a few days’ halt +in the city of Ladak. + + + + + + + +PART V. + +LADAK AND THE MONASTERY OF HEMIS. + + +The first event after being settled in our new quarters was the arrival +of a sheep, presented to us by the Kardar, or chief dignitary of the +town, as a mark of affection and distinction. This, according to the +strict letter of the law, we should have refused to accept; twenty days +marching, however, while it had sharpened our appetites, had rather +diminished our stores. Sheep were not to be got every day, and an +ill-looking animal which we had succeeded in purchasing at Egnemo, had +been overcome by the heat of the weather and taken itself off on the +road. Other supplies, also, were a good deal weakened by successive +attacks; potatoes had been extinct many days, and the stock of ducks, +which formed our main stay in case of future difficulties, was rapidly +succumbing to the knife of the assassin. Under these circumstances we +felt that we would be in no way justified in hurting the Kardar’s +feelings at the expense of our own, by refusing his present, and +believing ourselves to be in this instance fit subjects for out-door +relief, the new arrival was soon swinging about in the breeze, a +welcome addition to our unfurnished larder. + +Having thus ended the struggle between our duty and our feelings, we +turned our attention to the exploration of the surrounding country. + +The town of Ladak, although in a commercial point of view by no means a +flourishing-looking settlement, was, as far as picturesqueness was +concerned, everything that could be desired. It was built in the style +so popular throughout the country—on pinnacles of rock, and such out of +the way positions as seemed, of all others, the least adapted for +building purposes—immediately outside the town, occupying a sort of +bason among the surrounding mountains, and was what might fairly be +called a “city of the dead.” It was of considerable extent, and was +formed of groups of the numerous monumental buildings which I have +described, and which in a country where the habitations of the living +appear so few in proportion to those of the dead, form so curious and +remarkable a feature. These tombs, although by no means of very modern +date, bear traces, in many instances, of the more recently departed of +the Buddhist population. Burnt fragments of bone, hair, &c., were +scattered about in various directions, while, collected together in one +corner, were the little mounds of mud with a rise at one extremity, +where the sculptured turban ought to rest, which denoted the last +resting-place of the Moslem faithful. Meeting with the Kardar’s +chupprassie, I entered into conversation with him about the manners and +customs of the Thibetians, a subject on which he seemed to have very +hazy ideas indeed, although not on that account at all the less +inclined to impart them to one more ignorant than himself. His opinion +of the inscribed stones was that they were all written by the Lamas, +but he failed completely in explaining for what reason they were +collected together. He was aware, however, of Khurjidal, who was to +inspect them at the last day. The tomb-like erections, he said, were +considered in the light of gods; the bones and ashes of departed Lamas +having been pounded up together and deposited beneath them, together +with such valuables as turquoises, Pushmeena, rupees, &c. This fact +would perhaps account for their being so often in a ruined state—Gûlab +Singh having, probably, taken a look at their foundations in search of +such valuable pickings. The reason my informant gave me for the +unwillingness of the people, however poor, to sell their superabundant +ornaments, was that they regarded them as sacred, and held them as +their own property during their lifetime only; on decease the jewels +reverted to the possessions of the Church. The Lamas are provided, by +the custom of dedicating in every family of two or more, one to that +office; should there be a number of girls in a family, all those that +do not marry become nuns, and adopt the male attire of red and yellow. +The nuns, however, seem to be by no means kept in confinement; they +work in the fields, and one of them enlisted with us as a coolie, and +brought her load into camp before any of her male coadjutors. Among +other curious information my friend told me, that the Thibetians by no +means consider that each man is entitled to the luxury of a wife all to +himself; but that a family of four or five brothers frequently have but +one between them, and that the system is productive of no ill-feeling +whatever among the different members. [24] He also pointed out a fact +which I had not before noticed, viz., that the Thibetians invariably +pass to the right hand of these piles of stones and other monuments, +but for what reason he was unable to inform me. [25] Having finished +his stock of information, which I received thank-fully in default of +better, he told me, with delightful coolness, that it was the proper +thing for me to give him a bottle of brandy for the Kardar, and that it +would be necessary to send also a corkscrew with the bottle, to enable +him to get at it! The impudence of the request was almost worth the +bottle, but brandy was too scarce and precious a commodity to justify +us in pleasing the Kardar, so that all I could do was politely to +decline sending the corkscrew or the bottle either. In the afternoon we +explored the Bazaar, where we found abundance of dogs, dirt, and +idlers, but little else. What little there was in the way of +merchandise the proprietors seemed utterly indifferent about disposing +of, and after visiting a few shops we went away in disgust. The people +were a mixture of Cashmeeries, Chinese, Tartars, Bengalees, and Indians +of all sorts and sects, and more idle, good-for-nothing looking +scoundrels I never laid eyes on. One most amusing group of Mahomedan +exquisites reminded one forcibly of Punch’s Noah’s ark costumes and +Bond Street specimens of fashion. They were dressed in exaggerated +turbans and long white Chogas, or loose coats, which reached down to +their heels; and, as arm in arm, with gentle swagger, they sauntered +through the bazaar, they had, in addition to their heavy swellishness, +an air of Eastern listlessness to which the most exquisite of their +European prototypes could never hope to attain. On reaching our camp we +found another traveller had added his little canvas to the scene; it +was one of the Government Survey, whom the natives invariably designate +by the comprehensive title of “the Compass Wallahs.” Wallah is, in +Hindostanee, as nearly as possible an equivalent to “fellow,” and in +explaining the character of this particular order of Wallah, the accent +is always strong on the second syllable of the compass. The Compáss +Wallah in question we found quite a wild man of the mountains; his +face, from changes of heat and cold and long exposure, was burnt and +blistered into all sorts of colours, and, to make his appearance more +generally striking, he wore as head-dress, a flyaway, puggery, or +turban of blue cotton, of the most voluminous dimensions and wonderful +construction imaginable. He gave us an amusing account of his +operations among the clouds; how he always rode a cow! and was so much +alone that he at times began to doubt the existence of other white men +in creation besides himself; how he was sea sick at first, and unable +to sleep at night from the great rarification of the atmosphere, &c. He +joined us during dinner, just in time for a triumph of a plum pudding +which our cook had unexpectedly produced, and his heart was so +gladdened and expanded by either the suet, the raisins, or the brandy, +that he chatted away until the dissipated mountain hour of eleven +o’clock, when we sent him off to bed, much pleased with his +entertainment, and again reassured, at least for a time, of the +continued existence, not only of white men in the world, but of their +plum puddings. Among other statistics he gave us the height of Ladak, +as 11,000 feet, and that of the recently discovered monarch of the +mountains, now set at rest as belonging to the Himalayan range, as +being 29,003 feet above the level of the sea. [26] + +August 15.—Employed all the morning in endeavouring to procure supplies +of tea, and after unearthing a queer-looking package containing seven +pounds and a half, we differed about the price, the proprietor +demanding twenty-four shillings, or about twice its local value. + +August 16.—There being no tidings of the arrival of expected caravans, +we marched for the monastery of Hemis, crossing the Indus immediately +after leaving Ladak, and following it up towards its source. Outside +the town we passed a mound of the inscribed stones, which must have +been nearly a quarter of a mile in length, and probably contained as +many as 30,000. The left bank of the river, which thus formed our path, +was a continuation of detached huts, forming no regular villages, and +affording very little shade or apparent prospect of shelter for man or +beast. The right bank, however, was studded with picturesque-looking +little villages, built generally on rocky summits, and surrounded by +tombs and Mani panees, to an extent almost to rival the towns +themselves in size and importance. About nine miles on the road we +halted for breakfast, on the confines of a desert of smooth stones, +from which the heat ascended like vapour, and made our eye-balls ache +again. There was no shade in sight, however, and milk was here +forthcoming, so we made the best of a bad situation, and, after our +repast, lost no time in getting again under weigh. After a hot tramp +over a perfect desert, we reached the wooded little village of Chunga, +where, as it was getting late, we called a halt and pitched our camp. +All hands being tired by their march, we got our dinner at nine +o’clock. + +August 17.—Started early for Hemis. From the formation of the mountains +in which it is situated, the entrance to the village opens upon the +traveller suddenly and as if by magic; and as we tramped this morning +along the parched and sandy desert, welcome indeed was the unexpected +vision of trees and rushing water which the sharp turn presented to our +astonished gaze. + +The entrance to the gorge in which the monastery is situated was, as +usual, quite covered with Mani panees and walls of inscribed stones; +one of the former was studded with human skulls, and otherwise +ornamented, in a way that proved the vicinity of some stronghold of +Lama talent, though not perhaps of the very highest order. + +The monastery we found situated in a beautifully-wooded valley, thickly +planted, and having a dashing little torrent foaming through the +centre. + +It was built as usual, on the very face of the rock, and towering above +it was an airy fort, ensconced among a number of crows’-nest +habitations, perched about apparently with more regard to effect than +comfort. + +While waiting for the kitchen to come up, we inspected the monastery, +and were waited upon by half-a-dozen Lamas, who showed us through the +various temples of the gods. Originally containing some two hundred +Lamas, its numbers had now dwindled down, by their account, to fifteen +or sixteen. We, however, saw actually more than that number ourselves +while wandering through the building. + +They owned to having treasure in the monastery to the amount of three +lakhs of rupees (£30,000), but of this we saw small signs during our +inspection. + +Some of the divinities were, however, provided with vestments of cloth +of gold, and were seated upon thrones, studded with would-be precious +stones. Others were accommodated with large silver bowls, placed on +pedestals, filled to the brim with “ghee,” or rancid butter, and unless +blest with inordinate appetites, these, from their enormous size, might +fairly last them all till doomsday. We were altogether conducted +through four temples, each inhabited by a number of Chinese figures, +seated in state, with offerings of corn, flour, rice and ghee, &c. +before them, and these were generally served in valuable cups of china, +and precious metals. Hanging from the ceiling and the walls around were +scrolls, decorated in the Chinese fashion, with figures of +tightly-robed, narrow-eyed ladies and gentlemen, scattered about with +the usual perspective results. + +Some of these scrolls were decorated with scenes which it would take +hours to decipher and appreciate. One, in particular, of the last day, +was covered with innumerable little figures, and appeared well worthy +of a close inspection. + +The bad people might here be seen, falling into the hands of some of +the most disrespectable looking monsters I have ever beheld; while the +good were sitting up in a bunch, looking on at the dreadful scene, in a +satisfied and undisturbed way, beautiful to behold. + +The most curious things in the place, however, were the praying wheels, +which I here saw for the first time. They were little wooden drums, +covered round the sides with leather, and fitted vertically in niches +in the walls. [27] A spindle running through the centre, enabled them +to revolve at the slightest push. They were generally in rows of eight +and ten, and well thumbed and worn they looked, but others of larger +dimensions were placed by themselves, decorated with the words “Ûm mani +panee,” in the Lanza character, all round the barrel. + +In the vicinity of the monasteries were various small temples, probably +chapels of ease, rudely decorated with grotesque figures, in red and +yellow, and having queer-looking structures fastened on the top of +them, generally a trident, with tufts of hair attached, or strips of +coloured calico, horns of animals, and other rude devices. + +In one place we came upon a praying-wheel, turned by water, but I was +unable to ascertain whether the benefit accrued to the water, or to the +possessor of the stream, or to the public generally. Sometimes the +people carry portable wheels, and one old gentleman we met was provided +with a huge brass one, with a wooden handle. It was suspended from his +neck, in company with a collection of square leather charms, fastened +by a string to his coat. + +On my asking him what the structure meant, he immediately begun to set +it in motion, and piously ejaculating “Ûm mani panee,” passed on +without another word, but in evident pity for my benighted spiritual +condition. + +Among other curious sights, we saw one of the Lamas sitting at a chapel +door, having, before him seven little brass pots. In each of these +there was a letter of the words “Ûm mani panee,” and the pots being +filled with water, he was employed in strewing each with a few grains +of corn from a heap at his side, keeping up at the same time a loud +mournful chant, and swaying himself to and fro, in time with the music. +To have inquired the meaning of this would only have again resulted in +the comprehensive information contained in “Ûm mani panee,” so we +rested in our ignorance, and passed on, much to the relief of the +chaunter. After going all through this curious monastery, we repaired +to our tents, which had arrived in the interim, and which we found +pitched pleasantly among the trees, within a few yards of the torrent. +After a bathe and breakfast, we came unanimously to the conclusion that +the water was so cold, and the air so cool and refreshing, we could not +do better than halt for a couple of days, under the protection of the +Church, before again taking the road on our homeward route. + +August 18.—Out early for a day’s stalk over the mountains, after deer, +or anything there might be forthcoming. One of the coolies being a +“shikaree,” or what they call in Ireland a “sportsman,” I took him with +me, and with another to carry some breakfast, off we started at about +five A.M. The ascent at first was so abrupt, that, although in pretty +good walking condition by this time, I found myself halting very +frequently to admire the prospect. Having attained the greatest height +actually attainable, we spied quietly grazing, about half a mile off, +some half dozen little animals, which my “sportsman” declared to be +Ibex, and down Aye went again, best pace, with a view to making a +circumbendibus, to get behind them. With a view to accomplish this, we +had to pass across some very difficult ground, and at last came to a +smooth face of rock, with nothing whatever about it to hold on by, and, +moreover, an overhanging ledge, which fairly seemed to bar all further +progress. + +The coolie, however, whose every toe was as useful to him as a finger, +managed to scramble up; and not to be outdone, I also attained some +height, when, holding on fly-fashion, and clinging to the rock with my +fingers and grass shoes, suddenly the pole which partly supported me +slipped away, and my whole attention had to be directed to again +reaching the ground in as soft and comfortable a manner as possible. In +this I succeeded beyond my expectations, and, a second attempt being +more successful, finally reached the top. On attaining our +hardly-earned post of vantage, however, there was no sign of our +friends, but, suddenly, on the mountain below us a herd of about +five-and-twenty more appeared to our delighted view. They were standing +gazing up at us in astonishment, and for some moments we remained fixed +and motionless, hoping to be taken for the stones we were habited in +imitation of. Then, crouching down and crawling along as if on velvet, +down we went again, and after another long and trying stalk, over +broken ground formed apparently of small slates placed edgeways, and +crumbling rocks, whose slightest fall would have been destruction to +our plans, we attained a rock about two hundred yards from the herd, +and paused for breath once more. They were lying about sunning +themselves, with an outlying sentinel posted here and there on either +side of them on the look-out; and seeing an eligible spot some fifty +yards nearer, we stole along to reach it. We were not, however, +destined to take this unfair advantage of the enemy. Just as we had +half crossed the distance, an ill-fated, abominable little fragment of +rock suddenly broke off, and at its first bound away went the herd like +lightning over the precipitous rocks, and with a little chirrupping +noise like sparrows, were in a few seconds well out of range of +bullets. As the natives express it, “they became wind,” and we were +left behind our rock, looking, after all our toils, to say the least of +it, extremely foolish. A shot which I took at some 250 yards was more +to relieve ourselves by making a noise than with any hopes of bringing +down one of the light-heeled little creatures, for their bounding +powers put all correctness of aim at that range out of the question. + +The next part of the programme was breakfast, but alas! there were no +signs in any direction of the bearer of our supplies, and I now +recollected that the rock which had so puzzled us would be quite +inaccessible to the coolie and his precious charge, without which he +himself was useless. All we could do was to ascend a high peak of +mountain, in hopes that the breakfast would ascend another, and that we +could then exchange signals of distress and obtain relief. However, +after reaching our look-out station, which took us some climbing, we +could discern nothing around us bearing the slightest resemblance to a +coolie, and our hopes began to descend below zero. + +It was now about twelve o’clock, and taking advantage of the produce of +the country, I made a light breakfast off two stalks of rhubarb, and +tying a handkerchief to the top of my pole as a signal, lay down in the +very minute portion of shade procurable under a midday sun, and +indulged in the pleasures of imagination, conjured up by absent chicken +legs and cold chupatties. After a long wait, I came to the conclusion +that the two pieces of rhubarb were entirely insufficient to continue +the day’s work upon, so I reluctantly gave the order to retreat upon +our camp, and turned from thoughts of breakfast to those of dinner. My +grass shoes were by this time completely worn out by the pointed rocks +and flinty ground we had traversed, and my spare ones were in the +society of the cold chicken and the chupatties, so that I was soon +walking in nothing but socks. Before long, this portion of my property +was also run through, and I was finally obliged to borrow the +sportsman’s pointed slippers, in which I managed to get along over the +ruggedest piece of creation I ever traversed, and reached our camp +about three P.M. Tired, hungry, and burnt by the sun, a bathe in the +rushing torrent and a visit to the kitchen were soon accomplished, and +I then learnt that the coolie, being stopped by the rock, had come back +at once, and, having been again immediately packed off by F. to search +for us, had not been since heard of. + +August 19.—Found the Q.M.G. to-day laid up with fever and influenza, +and administered some quinine pills to him, besides ordering a steed to +carry him on to Ladak to-morrow. + +Explored the Lama’s habitations and temples, and saw some very curious +carvings and paintings on stones, some of them not altogether in the +Church order of design. + +Some of the ceilings were beautifully decorated, and must have cost a +good deal of money in their day, but they were now rapidly falling into +decay. + +During the day we had a good opportunity of seeing the Lamas go through +their private devotions. The operation appeared simple enough. Each as +he entered the court and passed along the rows of wheels, by simply +stretching out his arm set the whole of them in motion, at the same +time repeating “Ûm mani panee” in a dolorous voice to himself. Coming +then to the large wheel with painted characters, he gave it an extra +energetic spin, which sufficed to keep it in motion for several +minutes, and having thus expended his energies for the time being, he +again disappeared as he had come. One of the smaller wheels I found in +a state of neglect and dilapidation as to its outer case, and thinking +it a good opportunity to discover something as to the meaning of the +system in general and of “Ûm mani panee” in particular, I quietly +abstracted the inner contents, in full assurance that it would never be +missed; that the wheel itself would go round as merrily as ever, and +that, as far as the prayers were concerned, there were still sufficient +left behind, considering the reduced state of the monasteries, to +satisfy the conscience even of the devoutest of Lamas. [28] + +As I passed out, however, a huge black dog, which was chained up in the +yard, seemed, by the rabid manner in which he made feints at my legs, +to be quite aware of what I had done, and he snapped and howled, and +strained and tore at his chain as I went by, just as if he detected the +holy bundle sticking out of my pocket, and thoroughly understood my +consequent guilty appearance. The principal designs upon the stones +here—some of which, in colour, were in wonderful preservation—appear to +be cross-legged effigies of Buddha, seated in that state of entire +abstraction from all passions and desires, which seem to be the end and +object of Buddhists’ aspirations. + +A certain rotundity of form, however, and appearance of +comfortableness, rather tend to suggest that the pleasures of the table +at least have not quite been renounced among the other pomps and +vanities of Buddhist life. + +August 20.—Started for Ladak again, nominally at some desperately early +hour of the morning, but in reality at about half-past five, the sun +not shining upon our position until late, in consequence of our +proximity to the mountains. Mr. Rajoo being still indisposed, and, in +his own belief, dying, we mounted him upon a hill horse, where he +looked like a fly on a dromedary. Halted for breakfast half way, and +had a hot wearisome march afterwards into Ladak, the sun being +intensely powerful, and the greater part of the journey over a glaring +desert of shifting sand and loose stones. So deep was this in some +places, that it was with difficulty we could drag our steps along. The +latter part seemed perfectly interminable, and not until four o’clock, +burnt, tired, and parched with thirst, did we reach our old halting +place. Since our departure, the Thanadar had changed his fancy as to +brandy, and now requested a bottle of vinegar. This we promised in the +event of his procuring us some tea, our stock being low, and none other +procurable without government assistance. By this means we obtained a +decorated bundle of pale-looking tea for thirteen rupees, or 1l. 6s. +The bundle contained 7½ lbs., so that the price was heavy enough, +considering our proximity to the land of tea. + +My shoe-leather being in a doubtful state, I invested in a pair of the +sheepskin Chino-Esquimaux ones of local manufacture, but soon found +that the old saw of “nothing like leather” was quite a fallacy, when +the leather savoured so strongly of mutton as that composing my new +boots did. In the morning they were absent, and it was not until after +much search that the mutilated remains of one foot was discovered, +gnawed and sucked out of all semblance to Blucher, Wellington, or any +other known order of shoe or boot, while the other appeared +irretrievably to have gone to the dogs. Our lantern here was also +carried off by some of the canine race, and left beautifully cleaned, +but unbroken, not far from our tent door. + +Finding that there was no news of caravans, or probability of their +arriving, we determined upon striking our camp, and retiring again +towards Cashmere, having attained the furthermost point which the +limits of our leave allowed. + + + + + + + +PART VI. + +A RETREAT TO THE VALLEY. + + +August 21.—Left Ladak about four P.M. and halted for the night on the +confines of the desert-plain at Pitok. On the road I succeeded—much to +my astonishment—in getting a necklace of bits of amber, and a +turquoise, from an old lady, whom I found at her cottage-door weaving +goat’s-hair cloth. She took two rupees for the family jewels, and, when +the bargain was struck, seemed in a desperate fright at what she had +done, looking about in every direction to see that no avaricious old +Lama was near, nor any of her gossiping acquaintance, who would be +likely to tell the minister of what she had done. + +For the first time during our travels, the retainers turned a little +rusty to-day. The scarcity of the tobacco supply and dislike to quit +the amusements of city life were the chief causes, and the consequence +was that the cook, who was sent off at two o’clock to have dinner ready +for us on arrival, made his appearance about sunset and gave us dinner +at nine P.M. The Q.M.G. and the Sipahee sauntered in afterwards at +their leisure, having left the coolies and ourselves to pitch the camp +how and where we liked. Smarting under these indignities, and knowing +that the Sipahee was the head and front of the offending, I, in a weak +moment, committed an assault upon that ferocious warrior. The +consequence was that the representative of “The Army,” feeling its +dignity insulted in the face of the populace, immediately set to work +upon the unfortunate natives, and assaulted even the gopa, or kotwal, +of the village; and so severely was one of the coolies handled, that I +was obliged to interfere in the cause of peace, and not without +difficulty succeeded in stopping the stone I had thus so unwittingly +set rolling. + +This same Sipahee rejoiced in the name of Dilour Khan, which might be +loosely translated the “Invincible One,” and such we always called him. +He was a fierce-looking soldier beyond measure to look at, and very +terrible among the miserable Thibetians, making desperate onslaughts +upon the unfortunate boors, to obtain supplies fit, as he said, for the +Grandees, the Cherishers of the Poor, the Protection of the World, &c. + +The style of head-dress generally worn among the natives facilitated +his efforts immensely in these matters; for, throwing aloft his sword, +and relinquishing his umbrella, he used to seize suddenly upon a +pig-tail, and, handling it after the fashion of a bell-rope, proceed to +insist upon the production of impossible mutton and other delicacies in +a way that was almost always successful, even under circumstances +apparently the most hopeless. + +He had a sharp, detonating way, too, of delivering a volley of +Thibetian, at the same time curling up his fierce-looking moustaches +and whiskers, and gesticulating with both arms, which always had a +great effect, the more so that the expletives were generally in +Hindostanee, and not being understood, were all the more terrible to +the unfortunate pig-tails on that account. + +August 22.—Left for Egnemo, over our old ground, which, wanting the +attraction of novelty, appeared to us rather longer than on first +acquaintance. The sun, too, was more powerful than ever and the deep +soft sand more trying, so that we were glad enough to get under shelter +at our journey’s end. Here we found the apricot trees, which were +teeming with fruit when we passed, completely stripped and bare, and it +was with difficulty we got a few from the houses for preserving +purposes. + +August 23.—Made an early start, and arrived at Suspûl after a pleasant +march, a cool breeze from the mountains fanning our faces the entire +way. Here we pitched upon a cool and shady camping-ground, close to a +rushing torrent, where we were soon immersed in ice-cold water. While +making a short cut back to breakfast up a precipitous face of concrete +stone, I very nearly finished my wanderings in Thibet with an +unpleasantly abrupt full stop. I had nearly reached the top, which was +higher than I had imagined, when the treacherous lumps of stone to +which I was clinging, came away in my hands, and, with a tremendous +crash, down I came in a perfect storm of dirt, dust, and stones, very +much to the fright and astonishment of F. and the mate, who were +quietly finishing their toilet below. A broken bone in such a place as +Egnemo would have been a serious misfortune, and it was therefore a +matter of considerable satisfaction to find that, although half-stunned +and doing but little credit in appearance to my recent washing, I had +escaped with no worse injuries than torn hands and what the doctors +would call abrasions of the side and elbow. + +August 24.—Marched as usual, and reached Nûrila about noon. From the +hilliness of the road and the laziness of the coolies combined, they +did not arrive until two P.M., so that we breakfasted at three o’clock. +To occupy the time, however, we took advantage of the products of the +country, and set to work upon a quantity of apples, and having both +thirst and hunger to assuage, I think we got through about sixteen each +before the kitchen appeared. While bathing we were suddenly caught in a +pouring shower of rain, which obliged us to snatch up our only garments +and beat a hasty and not to say dignified retreat into a little den of +a water-mill, where we crouched until it was over. After the rain had +stopped, a curious fall of stones and rocks took place down the +precipitous face of mountain which bounded the opposite side of the +Indus to our camp. The noise and the commotion the stones made in their +descent, reminded one exactly of volleys of grape, and to any traveller +unfortunate enough to get in their way, the results would probably have +been quite as disastrous. + +Our larder having been low of late, we effected the purchase of a sheep +here, for which we paid two shillings. + +August 25.—Left for Lamieroo. The khitmutgar, having reported himself +sick to-day, we mounted him on a pony, the efficiency of that branch of +the service being of vital importance to the future prospects of the +expedition. Having discovered, by yesterday’s experience, that nature +abhors a vacuum, and no apples being forthcoming at Lamieroo, we halted +for breakfast at the village of Kulchee. + +Here I tried hard to purchase a curiously contrived praying-wheel from +an old Lama, but without success. My old acquaintance, the gopa, +however, brought me one for sale, but it was in such a dilapidated +state, and so highly valued as church property, that I let him keep his +shaky religious curiosity at his own price. Leaving Kulchee, we crossed +the Indus at a mud fort, and bid the roaring, dirty river a final +good-bye. Near this the bhistie and khitmutgar, journeying together, +lost the path, and found themselves well on the road to Iscardo before +discovering their mistake. The road to-day, like all our return +journeys, appeared twice the length it did on first acquaintance. The +hills, too, were very severe on the coolies, and it was fortunate we +halted for breakfast on the road. + +At Lamieroo, we found a great change in the temperature; a strong cold +breeze blowing, and a general winteriness prevailing, which affected +our retainers considerably more than it did ourselves. The Q.M.G. in +particular, not having entirely recovered his health, and being low in +the article of tobacco, still believed himself to be dying, and was +most unusually low-spirited and down in the mouth. As it threatened +rain, we pitched our camp close to an old serai, in order to allow our +servants to ensconce themselves under a roof, and to derive the full +benefit of their wood fire, which they lost no time in kindling. + +August 26.—Exactly a mouth to-day since leaving Sirinugger. The live +stock begin to show signs of time on their constitutions; the four +surviving ducks wandering about, with a melancholy sort of +consciousness that the mysterious fate that has overtaken their late +companions is also hanging over themselves, and appearing entirely +changed in consequence from the joyous birds they used to be on first +starting for their Thibetian travels. To-day being Sunday, we all +enjoyed a rest; and the feeling on waking at dawn, and remembering that +we were not to be rudely turned out of bed, was quite a delightful and +novel sensation. The wind, too, was unusually chill, and as it made +nothing of the trifling obstacle presented by the walls of our tent, we +were some time before we finally emerged from among the bed-clothes. +The people here we found employed in pulling their corn crops, and +stacking them upon the roofs of their houses. At Suspûl, although much +hotter than here, they had hardly begun to take in their crops, and at +Ladak, the harvest was untouched when we left. + +In the afternoon, while rambling about the crow’s nests of Lamieroo, I +discovered by chance a very curious temple in course of construction, +and a number of Lamas and Zemindars superintending the proceedings. The +principal decorative work was being carried on by a Chinese-looking, +pig-tailed artist, evidently not a local celebrity, who was +embellishing the walls most profusely with scenes, portrayed in the +purest style of pre-Raphaelite colouring. The figures in these had only +been furnished with flesh-coloured spots where their faces were to be, +and the foreign “pigtail” was employed, seated on a high platform, in +furnishing them with features and casts of expression in accordance +with the spirit of the scenes which they helped to compose. This he did +certainly with very great skill, and the operation was a most +interesting one to watch. The floor was covered with pigments, and +materials of all kinds, and the little community, in the midst of the +surrounding apparent solitude, were working away like a hive of bees. +They appeared to have a hive-like dislike also of the approach of a +stranger, and one old Lama, with a twisted mat of hair erected on the +top of his head—a drone of the hive—took a particular dislike to me, +and scowled savagely as I quietly examined the curious designs upon the +walls. + +The eternal “Ûm mani panee” formed a very large part of the decoration, +being painted over the walls in every variety of coloured letters. In +the inner part of the temple was a large coloured statue, with eight +arms, and two-and-twenty heads. + +The heads were placed in threes, looking every way, in the shape of a +pyramid, a single head crowning the whole. [29] One of the hands held a +bow, but the implements contained in the others were entirely Buddhist +in character, and to me unknown. + +Behind this figure was a star, with innumerable radiating arms from the +centre, while from the points of the fingers were five other rows of +hands, continuing the star-like circle. These were in half relief on +the wall, the figure itself standing out some feet, as if to receive +and appropriate the offerings of corn, flowers, oil, &c., which already +began to be laid at its feet. Among the litter I remarked several tame +partridges and “chickore” walking about, probably sacred to the newly +installed divinities. + +The whole scene was a very curious one, and not the less so from being +entirely unexpected, and occurring in such an apparently deserted spot. +One might have explored the place a dozen times without hitting upon +the hive of workmen, and, even when discovered, the excellence of the +designs and workmanship in so uncivilized a region, was in itself +remarkable. + +Some of the paintings were of rather startling a character to find +occupying places in the order of church decoration, or indeed any +other, but they were not perhaps more unsuitable than many I have seen +in more avowedly civilized temples of worship. + +August 27.—We found it very hard, in spite of our day of rest, to turn +out early again this morning. The wind was sharp and cold, and the +temperature altogether decidedly changed from that we had been having. +The head of the cooking department being still sick, proceeded on a +pony, and, having a certain air of the Sepoy about him, very grand and +imposing he looked. The road being long and up hill, we breakfasted at +a tomb in the pass of Fotoola, reaching Khurboo about three P.M. + +In the evening, the comptroller of the household made his appearance +upon the cook’s pony, having from want of tobacco, and other causes, +become done up on the road. The bhistie alone holds out, and seems, as +far as servants go, the only hope of the expedition. To-day’s march has +again spoiled F.’s and my own lately amending complexions, the icy wind +and the burning sun together completely blistering our faces. In the +evening we enjoyed a lovely sunset, which tinted the magnificent range +of mountains we had crossed with the most beautiful hues imaginable. + +August 28.—Another bitterly cold morning. Got away well considering, +and arrived at Waka in time for a late breakfast in the little native +serai, where we had before halted. Mr. Rajoo and the cook came in with +an air of great magnificence. They were each mounted, and each pony was +provided with a well-grown foal, so that the two departments may be +said to have performed their march with four horses. + +August 29.—Descended the Waka Valley, leaving Shergol to our left, and +thereby saving about a kos and a half of already explored road. + +Breakfasted under a shady grove of pollards, at the little village of +Lotzûm, a cold refreshing bathe in a snow torrent enabling us to do +full justice to our cook’s very excellent performances in this line. +That dignitary was upon his legs again to-day, and Rajoo convalescent +once more. Arriving about three P.M. at our old ground at Pushkoom, we +found the peaceful, quiet-looking little spot we had left, a scene of +the greatest noise and bustle imaginable. We were now received in due +form by the Kardar, and Thanadar of Kurgil, not to mention the Wuzeer, +or Vizier of Pushkoom. This dignitary had formerly been its Rajah, but +during Gûlab Singh’s time was reduced to the post of Vizier, or Prime +Minister to nobody in particular, with a salary of some thirty rupees +per annum. Where our last camp was pitched, we found a circle of +natives congregated, some standing, some sitting on their haunches, but +all accompanying to the full extent of their voices—at the same time +clapping time with their hands—the efforts of a band of six or seven +artists on the pipe and tabor, who kept up a quavering strain of what +they doubtless believed to be music. To the united melody thus +produced, a string of a dozen or so of ladies, in their full war paint, +were decorously going through the monotonous evolutions of a popular +dance, waving their arms about, gesticulating, and at the same time +lingering, as it were, over the ground, and comporting themselves in +that staid, yet fitfully lively way, which seems to be the general +style of Eastern dancing. They were attired most picturesquely, and +evidently in their very fullest ball costume, so that we were fortunate +in hitting upon such a good opportunity of seeing their gala manners +and customs. They all wore caps of some kind, either of a small, +close-fitting pattern, like a fez, or in the shape of a large, and very +ultra Scotch cap, black, and very baggy; these were hung round with +little silver ornaments, something in the shape of wine labels for +decanters, but studded with turquoises; some of them, also, wore +brooches, generally formed of three cornelians, or turquoises, in a +row. The broad bands of turquoise, worn usually on the forehead, were +for the time disrated from their post of honour, and were suspended +instead from the nape of the neck, over a square piece of stiff cloth, +embroidered with strings of red beads. Round the shoulders, and hanging +low, in order to show off the turquoises, lumps of amber, and other +family jewels, were the sheepskin cloaks, inseparable from Thibetian +female costume; they were, however, of larger size than those of every +day life, and were gorgeously decorated outside in red and blue, the +fur merely appearing at the edges. Below this, everything merged in +some mysterious way into the variegated sheepskin boots of the country, +also decorated with red, blue, and yellow cloth patterns on the instep. +These bore a very conspicuous position in the dance, as the ladies, +contrary to the principles of modern art, were continually regarding +and showing forth the aforesaid boots, as they glided about, and +pattered the time to the well-marked music. The dance was altogether +much more pleasing than the Indian nach, and the ladies, in spite of +their savage jewellery, and rude manner, were much more womanly and +respectable than their gauzy, be-ringed and bare-footed southern +rivals. + +After the dance was over, there was a general move to a large, open +space of ground, where the male part of the community were to show off +their prowess in the native games. To my astonishment, some fifty or +sixty Thibetians here assembled, each provided with a veritable hockey +stick, not on foot, however, but each man mounted on his own little +mountain pony, and prepared to play a downright game of hockey on +horseback. In the centre of the battle-field, between the two “sides,” +the pipes and tabors forming the band took their station, and each time +the wooden ball of contention was struck off, set up a flourish to +animate the players. The Thibetians, however, required no such +artificial excitement, but set to work with an energy and spirit, quite +refreshing to behold, and the scene soon became most animated and +amusing. The Thibetians, unlike Englishmen under similar circumstances, +appeared to think the more clothes they had on the better, and in their +long woollen coats and trowsers, and their huge sheepskin boots, they +quite overshadowed the wiry little horses they bestrode. Besides having +to carry all this weight, the ponies, most unfairly, came in also for +all the shinning; but in spite of these disadvantages, they performed +their parts to admiration, dashing about in the most reckless manner, +at the instigation of their riders, and jostling and knocking against +one another in a way that would have disgusted any other pony in the +world. Conspicuous among the crowd of riders, was the thirty-rupee +Prime Minister, who on a most diminutive little animal, charged about +in a way he never could have condescended to do, had he had the +misfortune to have still remained a Rajah. Each time that the ball was +sent into the goal, the striker, picking it up dexterously, without +dismounting, came again at full speed down the course, the band struck +up, and throwing the ball into the air, he endeavoured to strike it as +far as possible in the direction of the adverse party. Behind him, at +best pace, came his own side, and a desperate collision appeared the +inevitable result; however, not a single man was unhorsed during the +entire struggle, nor were there any violent concussions, or accidents +of any kind on either side. + +The men rode very short, and their clumsy boots, stuck through the +heavy stirrup-irons, gave them a ludicrous appearance, which was little +indicative of the firm seat and active part they displayed in the +games. After seeing the last of the hockey we pitched our camp under a +grove of trees, and had an audience of the Kardar, with a view to +obtaining information as to our new line of march, which here branches +off from the old route. He, however, was unable to afford us much +intelligence, and we were glad to get rid of him again, with a present +of fifteen bullets, which were the objects he appeared, at the time, to +covet most in the world. + +To-day a charge was brought against our immaculate bhistie, by the +Q.M.G., of secreting about half-a-pound of precious white sugar in his +sheepskin bag. On being confronted with the Bench he confessed the +crime, improving on it, like most natives, by declaring that it was for +medicine for his little boy at home, who had sore eyes! The cook, being +taken up with the festivities and the turquoises, gave us our dinner at +an unusually fashionable hour. + +August 30.—Started for a fresh line of exploration, not without some +difficulty and opposition, in consequence of a desire on the part of +the Sipahee and the servants to revisit Kurgil, with a view to the +tobacco supplies supposed to exist there. + +The consequence was that they obtained all sorts of information for us +as to the badness of our proposed road, and the insuperable obstacles +to be overcome from unbridged rivers, snow, &c. Persevering in our +plans, however, we were rewarded by finding a great improvement in the +scenery, and, from the novelty of the day’s work, a corresponding +benefit to the spirits of the entire expedition. Passing through a +little village called Menzies, we halted for breakfast within view of +the northern face of an entire new range of snow-capped mountains. +Everything gave promise of fine scenery in advance, and about four P.M. +we reached Thambis, a lovely piece of cultivation, surrounded on all +sides by monster rocks, and overlooked by a peak of pure white virgin +snow, and here we pitched our little camp. Entering the village +suddenly from the rocky mountain-pass, the little place looked +inexpressibly green and refreshing, and we were soon under the shade of +a row of pleasant pollards, which lined the bank of a stream near which +we halted. As at Pushkoom, the second crops were down, and the people +employed in thrashing and grinding their corn. The new crop consisted +principally of pulse of various kinds, radishes, and a few fields of +tobacco, and nestled in pleasant nooks and corners there were +occasional gardens of melons. + +Here we got two fine sheep for one rupee ten annas, or 3s. 3d., and one +of them formed a sumptuous repast for the coolies and retainers, who +held a most convivial banquet round their camp-fires in the evening. +The primitive inhabitants seemed quite unaccustomed to the sight of +strangers, and we found on this account, better and more plentiful +supplies procurable, while the assembling of the entire village to +behold the wonderful arrival, formed a pleasant excitement after the +day’s march. + +To-day we had the choice of two roads, one on either side of the +torrent; that on the right bank was reported bad, and we accordingly +decided upon the other, but an unexpected obstacle then presented +itself in the shape of a bridge of rope of a very considerable length, +crossing the torrent. It was formed of the twigs of trees, and being in +an unpleasantly dilapidated condition, the passage was a matter of some +difficulty if not danger. To save the direct strain a number of the +villagers took up their position to distend the side ropes, and having +to get over the outstretched legs of these officious aids, made the +affair a very much more nervous proceeding than it would otherwise have +been. The lowness of the side-ropes, and the oscillation of the +ricketty structure rendered the feat altogether a rather more amusing +performance to the looker on than to the actual performer, and I was +not to reach the opposite shore. On the arrival of the coolies, they +all hung back, and regarded the machine with utter astonishment, and +when one of them did essay the passage, his coat caught in one of the +twigs, about half way across, and not having the use of his hands, he +was completely caught as in a trap, and unable either to advance or +retire. In endeavouring to turn, his load nearly upset him, and there +he remained until extricated by one of the villagers. A few of the +coolies afterwards got across, and also the servants, with great +trepidation, but the greater number, with the main body of the baggage, +including, alas! all the cooking department, except one load, were +afraid to essay the passage, and had to take to the bad road in +despair. The fraction of the commissariat stores which did reach our +side of the water turned out to be plates, knives, forks, and kettles, +so that we had before us no prospect of breakfast until we arrived at a +village some ten kos off, where a more respectable bridge was to +re-unite us with our goods and chattels. + +As promised, the path on our side was pretty good, and led us through +several peaceful little villages, overhung by giant rocks, and dotted +with enormous blocks of stone, which had descended to disturb the +harmony of the scene during some convulsion or commotion in the +interior economy of the mountains. Some of these were taken advantage +of by the natives to serve as canvas for their designs, and were carved +with effigies of four-armed divinities, and other sacred subjects. With +the exception of these, we saw few traces of Buddhism about us here. +Passing through one of the villages, I bought a medicine-book, or +charm, from one of the natives. It was in Arabic, and was rolled and +swathed like a mummy, and worn round his arm. He told me that he had +inherited it from his father, and appeared by no means happy when it +was gone. + +Arriving at Sankoo, we found it a well-wooded thinly-inhabited valley, +about a kos and a half in length. Here we had a new specimen of bridge +architecture to pass. It was formed simply enough of two crooked trunks +of trees, and, considering the torrent below, it required a +considerable amount of confidence to enable one to traverse it +successfully. From the scarcity of the population, I had great +difficulty in finding anybody to procure me a drink of milk, and when I +at last discovered a woman and two children, she was so thunderstruck +that, catching up one of her offspring in her arms and shrieking to +another to follow her, like a hen and chickens swooped at by a hawk, +away they went as fast as their legs would carry them. As this was no +satisfaction to me, however productive it might be of milk to the baby, +I began to make signs of bringing down the family mansion that short +distance required to raze it to the ground, and thus succeeded in +calling forth from its interior a half-naked old gentleman out of his +study to my assistance. + +He, however, in an abject way informed me that he had no milk himself, +but would introduce me to a friend who had. I accordingly followed him, +“at the point of the stick,” until we reached another mud hovel, where +we found the lady of the house sitting in her porch working, and a +supercilious-looking gentleman reclining at her side. + +Neither of them, however, seemed to pay the slightest attention to my +wants, and savage with thirst, I charged the whole trio, saluting the +gentleman at the same time with an application of my stick. Instead of +his jumping up, however, as I expected, I found that the unfortunate +man was kept in his recumbent position by rheumatism, or some such +ailment, and that, in my ignorance of Thibetian, and want of milk and +patience combined, I had committed an atrocious and unwarrantable +assault upon an invalid. Meantime, however, the lady was off like a +shot, and soon returned from the dairy bearing both milk and flour, +wherewith to appease the ferocity of her visitor. Having nearly choked +myself with the meal and brought myself round again with the milk, I +gave the invalid full compensation and satisfaction as far as I was +able, for my attack, and again took to the road in search of the bridge +which was to re-unite us with our baggage and our breakfast. Before +reaching it, however, I was the unfortunate cause of the entire +abandonment of some half-dozen houses, by merely halting to sit down +for a few minutes under a tree in their vicinity. Whether the +inhabitants—who appeared to be all women—thought that I was going to +open trenches and beleaguer them or not I don’t know, but, after a few +minutes, I used to see one of them dart out from behind a mud wall and +scuttle away like a rabbit; then another lady would steal out, +carefully lock the door, and with a child on her back and a couple of +olive branches in rear, crawl over the housetop and out at the back +garden, there taking to her heels, and vanishing with her convoy +suddenly from sight. This operation being repeated in other tenements, +I found myself at last left in full and uninterrupted possession of the +entire settlement I happened to be in the vicinity of, including the +cocks, hens, firewood, dwelling, places, and messuages, &c. thereunto +appertaining and belonging. When they re-occupied the evacuated +premises I don’t know, but Rajoo, I ascertained, wished them all no +future happiness when, on coming up some time afterwards, he knocked at +every door and looked down every sky-light and chimney in the village +without being able to procure as much as a light to ignite the tobacco +in his “hubble bubble.” The coolies having found the path on the right +bank of the torrent quite as bad as prognosticated, we got our +breakfast shortly before sunset. From the proximity of a high rocky +mountain, towards the westward of our camp, however, this was +considerably earlier than might be imagined. + +September 1.—Commenced our last month but one of leave, by a fine march +of some sixteen miles from Sankoo to Tesroo, or Sooroo, at the foot of +the grandest snowy range we had yet encountered. The path led us over a +gigantic fall of rocks, evidently the deposits formed by successive and +destructive avalanches. + +In some parts the traces were quite fresh, the rocks being rent and +uptorn in a wonderful way; and, in one place, we passed the ground +where two villages had been entirely overwhelmed by an avalanche, the +entire population of twenty-five having been killed in the ruins. + +After walking about five or six kos, in the finest and freshest of +morning air, we suddenly opened upon a noble mountain of pure unbroken +snow, rearing its head proudly into the blue sky among a train of +courtiers, not so noble, nor so purely, whitely, clad as itself, but +still arrayed in robes of glistening snow. Here the path emerged from +the side of the rugged mountain torrent, and brought us about two kos +over fine turfy grass to within some three miles of Sooroo; and here we +halted, under a grove of trees, for breakfast. After this, we had +another rope bridge to pass, which was so little to the taste of the +coolies, that they were glad to get the natives to carry over their +loads for them. On crossing we found the Thanadar, a fine old +black-muzzled Cashmeeree, with his Moonshee, and a train of eight +Sipahees waiting to receive us, and were conducted in due form to our +camping ground. Here the breeze, as it whistled over our tent, savoured +strongly of the snow, and reminded us of the vicinity of the chilly +mountain Grandees we had seen on our road, and which still presided +over us. + +The natives even appeared to feel the cold, though in the winter months +they are entirely snowed up, and ought to be pretty well inured to it +by this time. + +The entire valley is, in winter, totally submerged in snow, and a +stranger might then pass over it without knowing there were villages +beneath his feet. The bridges are annually swept away, and so suddenly +does the hard weather make its appearance, that even now the +inhabitants were in fear and trembling lest the snows should come down +on them before their crops of wheat and barley were carried for the +winter’s use. + +Numbers of fields of corn are still within a week or so of ripening, +and, should they be lost, the chance of winter’s subsistence would be +small indeed. + +The appearance of a Thibetian settlement here, as one looks down upon +it from a height, is very much that of an ant-hill. The huts are built +on the top of each other, and generally on mounds, and the people, like +ants, are busily and laboriously employed in laying up their winter +store, not only of grain, but also of firewood, and anything capable of +serving in its place, to enable them to struggle through their dreary +mouths of captivity. + +Huge loads of corn and stacks are to be seen moving about, apparently +spontaneously, disappearing through queer holes and corners of the +earth, and again appearing on the housetops, where they are stacked and +stored. The bundles of fire-wood being placed with the branches +outside, and neatly ranged, they give the peaceful settlement quite a +bristling and warlike appearance, as if defended by chevaux de frise. +The Zemindars here pay but two rupees a year to the Maharajah, but it +seems a hard case that such hardly-subsisting people should have to pay +anything whatever in such a sterile dreary territory as they possess. + +To-day we came across one solitary mound of the inscribed stones, +probably the last, as we now cross the mountains into Cashmerian +territory again. + +To the south of our camp, the road from Ladak through Zanskar joins the +valley, and we half regretted not having risked the chances of that +road; however, it was uncertain whether it was passable, and, as time +was valuable, we had but little option in the matter. + +September 2.—Being Sunday, we had a regular rest, explored the country, +and made the acquaintance of the few Thibetians who inhabited the +villages. + +Everywhere there were signs of the invasion of Gûlab Singh, some twenty +years ago. Houses in ruins, and forts reduced to dust and rubbish. To +replace these latter, a new fort had been constructed by Rumbeer Singh, +in what appears about the worst possible position in the entire valley +to render it of any use whatever. + +The people were busily employed in their fields, pulling and carrying +corn, and treading it out with oxen. A team of six I saw, most +uncomfortably performing this work. They were tied together by the +noses, and so small a piece of ground had they to revolve upon, that +the innermost animal had to go backward continually, while the centre +ones were regularly jammed together by the outsiders. Two deformed +natives were employed in driving this unhappy thrashing machine. + +In the evening, the Thanadar’s Moonshee came to beg a “razee nama,” or +“letter of satisfaction,” which we gave him, together with a +“bukshish,” with which he seemed well pleased. + +September 3.—Got up this morning with a peculiarly cold feel, and +started with a fine piercing breeze in our teeth, blowing directly off +the snows. + +Our force was augmented to-day by three goats, as portable dairy, and a +party of natives, with three days’ supplies, also a guide, for our path +lay over ground neither much frequented nor well known. To-day’s has +been the grandest scene of the panorama yet unfolded to us. From the +last halt, no inconsiderable height in itself, we mounted continually +towards the huge white masses of snow, which so lately towered above us +in the distance. Passing the remains of mighty avalanches firmly fixed +across the foaming torrent, we ascended the snow valley by the side of +a perfect mountain of ice and snow, the accumulations of, possibly, as +many years as the world has existed, which had formed itself immoveably +between the mighty mountain’s sides. The terrific force, with which the +masses of snow had come down each season, to repair the ravages in the +frozen monster’s constitution caused by the melting away of his lower +extremities, could be seen by the enormous blocks of stone which rested +on its surface in all directions. In some places fantastic arches of +snow were thus formed, with blocks of rock resting on their summits, +and such a distance were these central accumulations of rocks, and +snow, and ice, from the cradles in which they were reared, that it was +impossible to conceive, without the occurrence of an earthquake, how +they could ever have reached their present positions. + +One begins now faintly to understand how it is that the enormous number +of torrents dashing about are kept supplied with icy life. The vast +quantities of snow wedged into solid masses, which must have existed +since all time among these mighty mountains, would serve to feed rivers +innumerable, and the supply, as long as rivers and mountains exist, +would appear to be inexhaustible. + +Our path, if path it could be called, was very bad in parts, and so +difficult for the coolies that we were fortunate in getting our +breakfast at two P.M., and, when we did get it, a snowstorm which came +down upon us rather hurried our proceedings in discussing it. + +The entire afternoon it continued snowing, and the mountain-tops soon +hid themselves and sulked away among the leaden mists. Our tent was +pitched among a low sort of scrub, the only apology for fire-wood +procurable, and here we soon had a fine carpet of fresh snow, which put +the unfortunate coolies, and the servants, and the three goats and the +four ducks, and, in fact, everybody but F. and myself, who now begin to +feel thoroughly at home, to considerable discomfort and inconvenience. + +About a hundred yards from us rises the central mountain of +consolidated old snow; while the monarchs of the place, whose +hospitality we have been enjoying, overtopped our diminutive little +worn canvas dwelling with proud and gloomy magnificence, or hid +themselves from us in their ermine mantles, with aristocratic +frigidity. [30] Before us, the path continues towards the clouds, +hemmed in, to all appearance, by a mighty glacier, which it would seem +impossible to avoid in our to-morrow’s route. To-day we again find the +society of the little shrieking marmots, who seemed more than over +astonished at what could bring so strange and motley a group of +creatures to disturb the universal quiet of their solitude. Of all our +party the cook, perhaps, here fares the worst. The only things growing +about us are a few plants of rhubarb and the miserable scrub, which he +is obliged to use with all faith as firewood! this being thoroughly wet +requires much coaxing to ignite, and what with the difficulties of his +profession, the cold, the falling snow, and the increased appetites of +the Sahibs, the unfortunate head of the cooking department becomes for +the time the most intensely miserable being, black or white, upon the +whole face of the globe. + +September 4.—Awoke this morning to find the encampment, and its +vicinity, covered with snow, and every prospect of a snow-stormy march +before us. The coolies and servants were in a deplorable state of +frozen discomfort, but all kept up their spirits by laughing at each +other’s woes. Just as the sun appeared above the mountains for a few +minutes only, we got under weigh; the tent, however, took some time to +disencumber of its load of frozen snow, and to pack, and all the +baggage required excavating previous to becoming capable of removal. + +The path up to the great glacier above us was wild and barren, it lay +over a little plain watered by branching streams, and covered over with +ice and newly fallen snow. Crossing one of these streams, I flushed a +solitary woodcock, the only inhabitant of the wild, and shortly +afterwards, our guide, an uncouth bundle of sheep-skins, slipped over a +frozen stone, and came down in the freezing water with a splash, which, +at that hour of the morning, made one shudder all over involuntarily. +The snow-shoes which F. and myself had donned, alone saved us several +times from a similar, uncomfortable fate. Our path, properly speaking, +should have led over the very centre of the glacier; but, in +consequence of the numerous crevasses and the early appearance of the +new snow, our guide steadily refused to take us over the pass by that +route. To have taken it without a guide would have been simply +impossible; so we diverged to one side, and, after a sharp ascent of +two hours over the snow, reached a sort of upper basin among the very +mountain-tops. Here the scene which opened on us was wild beyond +description. We were now about 18,000 feet above the sea, and in every +direction around us snow hemmed in our view. Under our feet was a plain +of pure white snow; the mountain-tops were snowy hillocks, standing +white against the leaden sky; and from above the fleecy snow-flakes +fell around us thickly as we trudged along. The ground was most +treacherous, and required great care in traversing, and in one place, +being ahead of the guide, the snow and ice suddenly gave way beneath +me, and with a most unpleasant sensation of uncertainty as to where I +might be going, I found myself standing up to my waist in snow and to +my knees in freezing water. + +The guide, almost at the same moment, came to the same end, and it was +not without much floundering and blundering that we both extricated +ourselves from our difficulties. Shortly after this we crossed the +highest point of the pass, and here the guide said his prayers to the +presiding “peer,” or divinity of the place, previous to asking for +bukshish; after which he and the sepoy proceeded to smoke a pipe of +peace and tranquillity together. The most trying part of our day’s work +we found to be waiting for breakfast, the coolies being much retarded +both by the road and the state of the weather. We stopped at a sort of +temporary abode, where some slight protection from rain and snow was +obtained by the piling up of stones against an eligible rock, and here, +after a long and dreary wait, we breakfasted in a little smoke-dried, +draught-inviting den, the snow all the time coming down in a way not +altogether adapted for the enjoyment of such al fresco entertainments. +Descending from this, we came to a grassy slope at last, and so by a +most precipitous path to the valley on the southern side of the +mountains, down which a formidable torrent rolled along, dividing +itself into a number of channels not very promising as to our prospects +of reaching the opposite side. Here we saw an enormous flock of sheep +grazing on the mountain-side, seeming, as they moved to and fro in +search of pasture, like a floating cloud against the hill. There must +have been several thousands, though accurate computation was out of the +question. They made, however, all the other mountain-flocks we had met, +appear as nothing in point of numbers. + +Arriving at the many-branching river, I was for some time quite at a +loss for a ford, until a native, seeing the dilemma I was in, crossed +to my assistance. Finding me stripping to the work, he insisted on my +mounting upon his back, and in an evil moment I consented. The +consequence was that, after passing safely a couple of the streams, in +the deepest spot of the whole torrent, he tottered and fell, and down +we both came, he in the most ungraceful position in which man can fall, +and I, luckily, upon my feet. The sensation, however, on suddenly +finding the water rushing past, and one’s feet slipping about among the +clinking stones, was anything but pleasant, and it was with difficulty +that I collected myself together and completed the uncomfortable +passage. The tent being luckily pitched about a mile farther on, the +loss of dignity in the eyes of the bystanders was the only evil result +of the misfortune. Towards night it came on again to snow, and the +coolies and retainers had another hard bivouac of it, while F. and I +were obliged to keep all hands at the pumps, or, in other words, to +fasten all available rags and wraps under our canvas, to keep out the +soaking wet. + +The cold was very great, and everything gave token of coming winter, +and testified to what the Himalayas can do in the snow and ice line of +business when their full time shall arrive. + +September 5.—After a damp night’s bivouac, we awoke to find “a mixture +as before” falling—a mixture of rain, sleet, and snow—anything but +promising for the comfort of our day’s march. To avoid having to wait +in the wet for breakfast, we sent on the kitchen and the cook, and, +after some time, followed leisurely ourselves. + +An overhanging ledge of rock afforded us some shelter for our meal, +and, after warming and drying ourselves to some extent in this +smoke-blackened and not very commodious little Himalayan hotel, we +again pressed on. This was our third day away from either villages or +regular shelter of any sort, and the retainers were naturally anxious +to reach some settlement where they could, for a time at least, protect +themselves from the rain and snow which still continued to fall. The +consequence was, they pressed on some sixteen miles farther at a good +pace, to reach a little wooden village at the head of the Wurdwan +valley, and we saw nothing of them on the road. On reaching our +halting-place, however, lo and behold, our unfortunate cook was absent, +and nobody seemed to know anything whatever about him! The cooking +things and the larder were all present, and dinner-hour was at hand; +but, alas! the pots and kettles were without a lord, and the question +of where was our dinner began to give way in point of interest to where +was our cook. At the time F. and I left the “cave-hotel,” the whole of +the coolies, Rajoo, the three goats, and the two sheep, had all gone on +ahead, as also the “Invincible One,” the sepoy. + +The bhistie and the missing cook had therefore only remained behind. +The road, soon after leaving, entered a wooded gorge, and, as the +valley narrowed, the torrent began to get considerably more rapid and +boisterous, as it took to leaping down the giant rocks, which bound it +in between their iron grasp and formed its only bed. + +The path was wet and sloppy, and led in parts along the tops of rather +dangerous precipices. Passing cautiously over these, and through wooded +paths lined with mosses and wild flowers, whose perfume scented the +entire air, we came upon a curious bridge of well-packed snow, which +spanned the torrent. A treacherous-looking specimen it was, and after +taking its likeness in my pocket-book, I was passing it as a matter of +course, when I suddenly heard a shout, and perceived F. and the mate at +the other side of the torrent beckoning me to cross the snow. I +accordingly, with no very good grace and some astonishment, essayed the +passage. The snow I found hard as ice, and not liking the look of its +treacherous convex sides, I held my course straight up the centre, and +then descended with great care and deliberation along the junction of +the snow and the mountain. So slippery was the passage, that without +grass shoes I should have been sorry to have attempted it, and, as I +halted to regard the curious structure from a distance, I could not +help thinking what a likely spot it was for a traveller to lose his +life without anybody being the wiser, and what a small chance he would +have in the deep and rapid torrent below if he should happen to slip +into its remorseless clutches. The path from this continued its +perilous character, in one place traversing a precipitous face of rock +only passable on all fours, beneath which a thick cover of long grass +and weeds hung over the deep, treacherous-looking pools of the torrent. +Having on a pair of grass shoes which had already done one day’s work, +I had broken down about half way, and was now nearly bare-footed. I +consequently did not arrive till nearly the last of the party, and +found the tent pitched and fires lit under a group of large trees, in +the wooden village of about a dozen houses, called Sucknez. It was then +getting dusk, and after waiting a reasonable time, we sent out a party +from the village to make search for our missing man, while F. and I, +lighting a fire almost in the tent door, proceeded to cook our own +dinner. + +The materials consisted of an unlimited supply of eggs and a box of +sardines, hitherto neglected, and despised among the artistic +productions of our lost professor. F. superintended the frying of the +eggs, and produced a conglomeration of some eight of them, which we +pronounced unusually delicious, while I laid the table and looked after +the kettle, for we thought it better, under our bereaved circumstances, +to knock tea and dinner into one meal. Although we had made a longish +march, we managed, with the aid of the kettle and the brandy, to sit up +by the light of a roaring pine fire until late, in the hopes of some +news arriving of our searching party. None however came, and we went to +bed hoping that the man had lost his way, and fearing that he had +fallen either over the slippery snow-bridge or down one of the many +precipices into the torrent. + +September 6.—Morning came, but neither news of our cook nor of the +party who went out in his search, and, after breakfast, donning a pair +of grass shoes, and provided with some matches and a small bottle of +cherry-brandy, I sallied out with the mate on a voyage of discovery. +Outside the village I met the searching party, who had been out all +through the bitter night, but had found no traces of the object of +their search. + +Sending a note to F. to dispatch all the coolies to search, I pressed +on to the most dangerous precipice of our yesterday’s route, and, +descending to the torrent, searched about the grass and weeds at the +bottom, but without finding any traces. About this place I met three +lonely travellers, laden with meal, who had come along the entire path, +but had seen no sign of a human creature anywhere. I now gave up our +man as lost, but still held on, in a pouring mixture of sleet and snow, +which added considerably to the gloom of the scene. Every now and then +the old mate, who was in very low spirits, would raise a lugubrious +wail at the top of his voice of “Ai Khansaman Jee! Ai Khansaman Jee?” +“Oh, cook of my soul! oh, cook of my soul, where art thou?” at the same +time apparently apostrophizing the deepest whirlpools of the torrent, +while the roar of the waters effectually prevented his magnificent +voice from reaching more than a dozen yards from the spot where he +stood. Arriving at the snow-bridge, we examined it closely for signs of +footmarks; it was, however, so hard that it baffled all our efforts. + +At the other side I explored the path which I myself had followed in +the first instance. It, however, only led to a small shelter among the +rocks and trees, where the natives had evidently been in the habit of +lighting their fires and halting for the night. After continuing the +search to another snow-bridge above, we returned to our camp, and made +the sepoy issue a notice that twenty rupees reward would be given for +the recovery of our cook, dead or alive, and also that a reward would +be given to any person who should bring us any reliable information +about him. At the same time we sent the notice to the villages below, +and spread it as much as possible; but though twenty rupees would be a +small fortune to one of these people, they took but little interest in +the matter, and looked upon the whole thing as “Kismut,” or destiny. +“If it was the will of God that the body should be found, it would be +found, if not, where was the use of looking for it;” and so they took +no steps whatever in the matter. + +To add to the probabilities of the snow-bridge having been the cause of +our loss, it appeared that a short time before, a coolie carrying +Pushmeena &c. had fallen there, and had never since been heard of; +while another, who had also fallen into the torrent, was only +discovered six days afterwards miles and miles below. + +Having now despatched several searching parties, and received no +tidings, we decided upon retreating to the next village down the +valley, and halting there for a few days, in order to do all we could +for our unfortunate man. + +September 7.—Started on our march again in heavy sleet and rain, which, +higher up the mountains, took the form of downright snow. The valley +descended by a slight incline, through fir and other forest trees, and +about four kos down, we reached another little wooden city, where, +being wet through and through, we were glad to halt, and getting a good +fire lit in one of the log-houses, we set to work to dry our clothes. +The house was reached by a most primitive ladder, made of half the +trunk of a tree, hollowed out into holes for the feet; and, as for the +shelter afforded by the tenement, it certainly kept off the rain, but +was not intended to keep out the wind, for the trees which composed the +walls were so far apart, that we could see the face of nature between +them, and, in spite of the open windows, which the architect had +thought necessary to provide the building with, the breeze whistled +through the chinks in a way that might be very pleasant in hot weather, +but was not so cheery when snow and rain was the order of the day. The +roofs were the most novel structures I had ever seen. They consisted +merely of rudely split blocks of wood, some five or six feet long, +through the upper ends of which stout pegs had been driven, and, thus +suspended, these weighty wooden tiles overlapped each other, and formed +a rude covering, which, unpromising as it was to outward appearance, +answered its purpose sufficiently well, and was at least quite in +keeping with the remainder of the wooden mansion. The people here were +something like the Cashmeerees in appearance, and as we descend into +civilization, fowls, and other hitherto foreign animals begin to show +themselves once more. The entire substitution of wood for mud and +stones effectually marks the difference between the Cashmerian and +Thibetian sides of the snowy range we had just crossed. About eight kos +from Sucknez we reached Bragnion, where we found the camp pitched in a +most promising position, having a fine view of the valley below, and +the distant ranges of mountains. The torrent here spread itself into +several channels, and the valley, widening to allow it fuller liberty +to pursue its joyful existence, descended in a succession of wooded +slopes, one beyond the other, while the eternal snows again bounded the +view in the distance. + +The small portions of comparatively level ground in sight were covered +with crops of the richest colours. One in particular, which the people +called “gunhar,” was of the hue of beetroot, and grew upon its stalk in +heavy, gorgeous masses, which added considerably to the richness of the +landscape. The seed of this consists of myriads of little +semi-transparent white grains, very like ant’s eggs, and the taste is +something similar to that of wheat. Above our camp, in a ravine of the +hills, is the place where an officer had been killed by the fall of an +avalanche, while out on a shooting expedition. His companion, a noted +sportsman, was saved, by making a tremendous jump; but he himself, and +three shikarees, were swept away, their bodies not being recovered for +two months afterwards. + +September 8.—After a cold night, during which I dreamt of our lost +cook, we were awoke by a shout of “Jeeta hy!”—“He is living!” then, +“Rusta bhool gya!”—“He lost his way!” and gradually it dawned upon us +that the man we had fancied floating down the torrent a mangled corpse +was still actually in the land of the living. + +It appeared that he had been discovered, sitting helplessly upon the +mountain side, by a chance and solitary traveller from Thibet. He had +lost his way at the snow-bridge, and, in trying to retrace his steps, +completely got off the only track existing, and had consequently +wandered about among the wood and cover as long as his strength enabled +him. + +The accounts of his movements amid the general excitement were rather +conflicting, but this being the fourth day since his disappearance, and +the weather having been very bad all that time, he must have had a very +narrow escape of his life, from the combined effects of cold and +hunger. By the man’s account who found him, he was so weak, that he was +unable to eat the chupatties thrown across to him; and, his rescuer +accordingly leaving with him some meal, and means to make a fire, came +on to Sucknez, and from thence sent out a party to carry him in. +Sending a horse and some supplies for him, we looked forward with some +interest to his own account of his most unsought-for adventures. + +The villagers here, we found, were in the habit of making regular +expeditions among their crops at night, to keep off the bears who prowl +about in search of food. Armed with torches, they keep up a tremendous +shouting all through the dark hours, during the time their grain is +ripening; and thinking to get a daylight view of the robbers, I started +up the mountain with a native guide and a rifle. My “sportsman,” +however, in spite of many promises, failed in showing me anything more +savage than a preserve of wild raspberry-trees, on which I regaled with +much satisfaction. + +A curious custom in the valley is that of hanging quantities of hay up +among the branches of trees, and its object puzzled me immensely, till +my guide informed me that in the winter the snow lies five and six +yards in depth, and that the supplies of hay, which now look only meant +for camel-leopards, are then easily reached by the flocks of sheep +which abound in the valley. At present these were all collected among +the mountains, to be out of the way of the harvest, and this accounts +for the enormous herd we had seen while descending from the pass. + +September 9.—Found the sun brightly shining again this morning, and +everything looking fresh and beautiful after the rain. The man who had +gone with supplies to the cook returned with news that he was ill from +the effects of cold and fasting, and not able to come on to us. While +at breakfast, my yesterday’s guide brought us in a bowl of raspberries, +which gave pleasant token of the change from the desolate country we +had recently passed through, to the land of plenty we had reached. We +also got about eleven seers (22 lbs.) of virgin honey, for which we +paid three rupees. While trying it for breakfast, a dense swarm of the +original proprietors came looking for their stores, and the noise they +made buzzing about, made one fancy they contemplated walking off bodily +with the jars. In the evening our long-lost cook again returned to the +bosom of his family. The poor creature looked regularly worn out. From +the combined effects of snow and fire he was quite lame; his turban, +most of his clothes, and all his small possessions, had vanished while +struggling through the thick cover, and he himself had subsisted for +two nights and three days, unsheltered and alone, upon nothing but +tobacco and snow! On losing his way, not thinking of crossing the +snow-bridge, he struck right up the mountain side, in search, first of +the path, and afterwards of some hut or shelter. He then gradually got +into thick and almost impervious cover; not a habitation of any sort +was within miles of him, and thus he wandered about for two days and +nights. On the third day he descended again towards the torrent, and, +falling and stumbling, reached a rock on its bank, and there seating +himself, was, by the merest chance, seen by the passing traveller from +the other side of the torrent. Making signs that he was starving, this +man threw him some chupatties, and these, wonderful to relate, the cook +put in his pocket without touching. Supposing him to be either too +weak, or else, even while starving, too strict a Hindoo to eat cooked +food, his rescuer then threw him across some meal in his turban, and +went off for assistance. The poor creature was rather proud, I think, +to find himself the centre of attraction, as well as of being valued at +twenty rupees; and, as he falteringly related his sorrows and escape +from death, the coolies and the rest of the forces gathered round him, +listening with wide open mouths to the wonderful narrative of his +adventures. + +September 10.—Took another day’s rest to give our unfortunate cook a +little time to recover his energies. In the evening, the villagers +produced us a couple of hives of honey, which we packed away in earthen +jars for transport to the plains. The amount was 39½ seers, or 79 lbs. +for which we paid ten rupees. + +The unwillingness of the people to produce their honey the “Invincible +One” accounted for by saying that they were afraid of our not paying +them. On inquiry, however, the real cause turned out to be, that the +Sepoy himself was in the habit of exacting a heavy tax on all purchases +on our part, and fear of him, not us, was the true difficulty. + +In the evening, we took a tour through the village, and discoursed, as +well as we could, a native Zemindar, whom we found with his household +around him, gathering in his crop of grain, which had been partially +destroyed by the early snow. His land appeared to be about four acres +in extent, and for this, he told us, he paid twelve rupees per annum to +the Maharajah of Cashmere. He failed signally, however, in explaining +how he produced that amount by his little farm. The produce of his land +sufficed only to feed himself and his family, and the proceeds of the +sale of wool, belonging to his twelve sheep, he estimated at only two +rupees. Besides these, he possessed a few cows, and appeared as cheery +and contented a landholder as I ever met, in spite of his losses by the +snows, and his inability to make out, even by description, his ten +rupees of ground-rent to the Maharajah. + +The crops around consisted chiefly of bearded wheat (kanûk), barley +(jow), anik, tronba, and gunhar, all otherwise nameless; and also a +small quantity of tobacco, turnips, and radishes. + +September 11.—Having with some difficulty procured a pony for the cook, +we started again for Cashmere, and, after a very steep ascent, through +woods of magnificent pine-trees, with every now-and-then a glorious +peep of distant snow-peaks towering in the skies, we reached the summit +of the peer, which separates the territory called Kushtwar from that of +Cashmere. According to the “Invincible” authority, this territory +belonged, some sixty years ago, to an independent Rajah, and, on his +death without heirs or successors, it fell into the clutches of Gûlab +Singh. [31] + +The entire revenue, he stated, was 3,000 rupees. From the heights along +our path, we could see the great glaciers of Dutchen, with its mountain +peak of 25,000 feet, which we had been bound for when the misadventure +of our cook interfered with our plans, and left us not sufficient time +to carry out our explorations. + +The summit of the pass we found evidently not long freed from the old +snow, while the new supply lay about in masses all over the mountain. + +Passing over a wild and marshy plain at the summit, we began to descend +a lovely pine-clad valley once more into veritable Cashmere, and, about +four P.M. encamped in a forest-clearing, which, in a very short space +of time, was illuminated by no less than seven roaring campfires. Our +own formed the centre, and was formed of a couple of entire +pine-trunks, while the others were ranged about wherever a dry and +prostrate tree presented a favourable basis for a conflagration. In the +evening we enjoyed the warmth of our fires considerably, and discussed +hot brandy and water seated on the very trees which formed our fuel. We +were all the more inclined to appreciate our position, as we felt that +we were nearly out of our cold latitudes, and rapidly descending to the +land of dog days once again. + +September 12.—Continued our march down the valley, through continued +wooded grassy scenes, and attended by a not too noisy torrent. About a +kos from our halting place, we began again to see the wooden houses, +and came to a halt at the picturesque little village of Nowbogh, where +there were two roads branching off to Islamabad. + +Here we had a long wait for breakfast, the servants being overcome by +the unaccustomed civilization and tobacco they met on the road. We +accordingly set to work at our own kitchen fire, and breakfasted +without further assistance off fried eggs, rice, and honey. + +In the evening we found alas! that a fire at our tent door, as we had +had hitherto, was rather too hot to be pleasant. We were here visited +by the local prodigy, a rustic carpenter, who insisted upon making +something for us with his rather primitive-looking turning lathe. His +shop I found completely al fresco, between a couple of cows in the +centre of a farm-yard, and here he set to work at a walnut cup, which +he turned out creditably enough. The only thing against it was, that +his lathe bored a hole right through the bottom of it, which spoiled +the utensil a good deal for drinking out of. However, not at all taken +aback, he plugged it up with a piece of stick, and at once requested +the bukshish, which was the chief part of the performance. Like most of +the Cashmeeries, he complained bitterly of the exactions of the +Maharajah’s government, and stated his own rent to amount to sixteen +Huree Singh’s rupees (£1) per annum. Not seeing how he could accumulate +that sum, by even an entire year of work such as his, I took the +liberty of disbelieving his assertion. + +September 13.—Started for Kûkûnath. Our path lay over a finely-wooded +hill, from which we had a full view of the Peer Punjal range, now +divested considerably of the snows which lay upon it at the time we +started for Thibet. + +Gradually descending into the valley proper, we soon found ourselves +once more among the waving rice-fields and apple-orchards, while the +wooden tenements again gave way to mud and stone, and thatched +erections. At a village called Soprû, we found some iron mines in +working order, and passing Kundunath, a pretty little spot adorned with +gardens of melons, pumpkins, sunflowers, &c., we shortly after reached +Kûkûnath. Here we encamped close to a collection of bubbling crystal +springs, which, bursting out of the hill side, and spreading into a +dozen separate streams, took their course down to the innumerable +fields of rice which they watered in their passage through the valley. +To-day our little camp assumes quite a lively appearance again, three +sheep and several fowls having been added to the farm-yard; these, +together with three surviving ducks of the real original stock, and a +wonderful white Thibetian cock, who owes his life entirely to his +highly-cultivated vocal powers, strut about in front of the tent, and +give an air of unwonted respectability to the scene. Two marches more +take us to Islamabad, and it seems altogether about time that the +present expedition should draw to a close. Supplies appear alarmingly +low. Sugar out some days, brandy ditto, European boots worn out long +ago, and both F. and myself living in grass shoes; clothes generally +dilapidated, and decidedly dirty; servants very anxious for more +tobacco and society, and everything, in fact, requiring rest and +renovation after our seven weeks’ wanderings. + +September 14.—Reached the picturesque little baraduree of Atchabull +once more, after a pleasant march from Kûkûnath. Shortly after taking +possession, a fresh arrival of Sahib’s possessions and servants came +in, the latter rather astonished to find the house occupied by such +early birds. The owners turned out to be a colonel of the Bengal +Artillery and a brother officer. These were almost our first +acquaintances since starting, so that we were glad enough to fraternize +and hear what was going on in the world. Two of our former boat’s crew +here also appeared, and gave us tidings of our rearguard and baggage. +The latter had been ejected from its lodgings, and taken out for an +airing on the river, having been visited by a flood caused by the +melting of the snows shortly after our departure. The weather here +began to be unpleasantly hot again; the disappearance of the snow from +the mountains having removed the principal cause of the usual coolness +in the valley. + +Dined with the white men under the spreading sycamores, and enjoyed the +luxuries of bread, beer, and sugar in our tea, to all of which we had +now been long unaccustomed. + +September 15.—A short march brought us to Islamabad, which we found +unusually lively from the assembling of a host of pilgrims, who had +come from far and wide for a religious fair at Mutton. The groups of +different nations, and their manners and customs while bivouacking, +were most picturesque, and served to amuse and interest us for the +entire day. + +September 16.—Started early by boat, in the fond expectation of +reaching Sirinugger in the evening. Dusk, however, found us no farther +than the ruins of Wentipore, and we only reached the capital at +daylight in the morning. Finding our old quarters vacant, we were soon +located once more under a roof; and, fifty days having elapsed since we +had seen either letter or paper, we lost no time in applying to the +postal authorities for our expected accumulations and arrears of +correspondence. This resulted in the production of twenty-seven +epistles and eleven papers, which we carried home triumphantly in our +boat, and proceeded forthwith to devour in that ravenous fashion only +known and appreciated by such as have ever undergone a similar literary +fast. + + + + + + + +PART VII. + +LAST DAYS OF TRAVEL. + + +September 30.—For the last fifteen days we have been living once more +the life of otium cum dignitate common to the travelling Englishman in +Cashmere. Basking in the sun, taking the daily row upon the river, +eating fruit, and buying trash in the city, have been our principal +occupations and amusements. + +About the 20th of the month an English general officer arrived, and was +received with all honours, including a salute of heavy ordnance, which +was happily unattended with loss of life or limb. A dance and grand +review were also given in his honour; so that the arrival made quite a +stir, and came fairly under the head of an event in the valley. At the +review the Maharajah was decorated with unusual grandeur, and as he and +his guest rode down the line together—the latter in a plain blue frock, +and the other in all his cloth of gold and jewelled splendour—never +were simplicity and display more strikingly placed in contrast. + +The general’s medals and crosses, however, appeared to have a greater +interest and importance in the Maharajah’s eyes than their intrinsic +value could have commanded for them, and, during the marching past of +“The Army,” he kept continually poking his finger at them, and pointing +them out to the courtiers who were gathered about his chair. The +general, at the same time, was employed in explaining how many +thousands the British Army consisted of, and how vastly superior it was +to all other armies whatever, not even making an exception (as I +thought he might fairly have done) in favour of the “Invincible +Forces,” then and there manfully throwing out their feet before him to +the martial strains of “Home, sweet Home!” After the last of the army +had marched past, the general, with an energy little appreciated by his +friends in cloth of gold, jumped up, and, begging permission to +manœuvre the troops himself, went off to throw the unfortunate colonel +commanding into a state of extreme consternation, and to frighten the +few English words of command he was possessed of, fairly out of his +head. + +In the early mornings my chief amusement had been to watch the colonel +in question preparing both himself and his troops for the approaching +spectacle, and very sensibly he went through the performance. He was +arrayed on these occasions in the full dress of a green velvet +dressing-gown, worn in the style affected by the ferocious ruffian in +small theatres, and, in place of a bugler, was accompanied by a +pipe-bearer. This aide followed him over the battle-field, wherever the +exigencies of the service required, and supplied him with whiffs of the +fragrant weed to compose his nerves at intervals during the action. +Their united efforts, however, although slightly irregular in +appearance, were attended with full success, for, with the help of ten +rounds of ammunition, the troops, even when handed over to the tender +mercies of the “Foreign General” got through their ordeal very +creditably; and, as they shot nobody, and did nothing more irregular +than losing their shoes upon the field, the event passed off smoothly +and pleasantly, and to the satisfaction of all concerned. + +Here we met an old Sikh acquaintance of the road, who informed me that +he had taken service under the Maharajah. Next day he paid us a visit, +by appointment, and expressed himself highly delighted with his +entertainment; smoking and drinking, however, not being lawful in +society to the Sikhs, we could do but little in the character of hosts, +beyond letting him talk away to his heart’s content, and with as little +interruption as possible. He told us his entire life and history, in +the worst of English, and we affected to understand the whole of the +narration, which, perhaps, was as much as any host could have been +called upon to do under the circumstances. The old gentleman’s dress +was extremely gorgeous, and contrasted rather strongly with our own +woollen shooting-jackets and general exterior. He wore a turban of +purest white, entwined in endless folds round a light green skull-cap; +his waistcoat was of green velvet, embroidered, and richly bordered +with gold. His pyjamas—striped silk of the brightest hue—fitted his +little legs as tightly as needle and thread could make them, and his +lady-like feet were encased in cotton socks and gold embroidered +slippers. Over all this he wore a green and gold silk scarf of +voluminous proportions, and of that comprehensive character which an +Eastern scarf, and in Eastern hands, alone is capable of assuming. +Round his wrists were massive gold bracelets, but of other trinkets he +had few; and the enormous ear-rings, so usually worn by his race, were +not among them. His long grey beard and almost white moustache were, +perhaps, the only ornaments his fine old head required. The last time I +had seen him, he was arrayed entirely in scarlet and gold, and he had, +no doubt, a large reserve of dresses and jewellery; but, in spite of +his tinsel and gilding, he appeared a perfect little Eastern gentleman, +and the only one I had met as yet in our travels. After expressing a +great desire to open a correspondence with us, which, considering the +small number of topics we possessed in common, was rather a strange +wish, the old gentleman and his retinue took their leave, and we had +seen the last of Beer Singh Bahadûr and his glorious apparel. + +October 1.—Busily employed to-day in packing away our possessions, and +making final arrangements for again taking the road. + +Paid a visit to Saifula Baba, the shawl merchant, whose dignity was +considerably upset by a cold in his head, and bought a few specimens of +his trade, though not sufficient to raise his spirits entirely above +the influenza. The approaching winter, and the evacuation of the +territory by the principal rupee-spending community, seemed a source of +great unhappiness to the sun and silver-loving natives. + +Their houses seem but badly adapted to keep out cold, and their efforts +at heating them are frequently attended by the burning down of a whole +nest of their wooden habitations. + +Their chief means of artificial warmth seems to be an earthenware jar +covered with basket-work, which each native possesses and carries about +with him wherever he goes. + +This, which is called a Kangree, is filled with charcoal, and, as the +Cashmeerians squat down upon the ground, they tuck it under their long +clothes, where, until they again rise, it remains hidden from sight, +and forms a hot-air chamber under their garments. [32] Among other +artists I discovered a native painter, rather an uncommon trade in +these parts, from whom I obtained some original designs, illustrating, +with uncommon brilliancy, the very common ceremonies of Hindoo and +Mahomedan Shadees, or marriage processions, and other manners and +customs of native life. + +After getting together everything we required for the road, and +clearing out the whole of our possessions, much to the inconvenience of +several large standing armies of fleas, we finally took our departure +in two boats, manned by twelve boatmen, and started for Baramoula, on +the road to Muree and the plains. + +October 2.—After making but little progress during the night, we +discovered in the morning that our boats were rather too large for the +river, in its present weakly and reduced state. Every ten minutes we +found ourselves aground upon the sand and mud, and the cooking boat +behind us followed our example, while the river ahead showed no +prospect whatever of deepening. The Manjees, under the circumstances +performed wonders in the nautical manœuvring line. Jumping overboard +incessantly, they called upon Peer Dustgeer, their favourite patron +saint, to aid them in their difficulties, and shrieked and screamed +till the whole place resounded with their cries. + +Sometimes the saints were stony-hearted, probably not being in a humour +to be shouted at, and then the entire body of silky-skinned darkies +would set to work, laughing and shouting, to clear away the bar of +sand. Their paddles forming in this operation, very effective +substitutes for spades and shovels, with much difficulty we reached the +lake, and about nine o’clock arrived at Baramoula. + +Here the river ceases to be navigable, and abandons itself for a short +time to irregular and wanton habits, before finally sowing its wild +mountain oats, and becoming the staid and sedate Jhelum of the Plains. +Unlike some rivers, the Jhelum contains more water in the middle of +summer than at other times. Its principal resources are the snows, and +these mighty masses are so wrapped up in their own frigid magnificence +that it requires a good deal of warm persuasion from the sun to melt +their icy hearts to tears. + +October 3.—Took the road once more, and started for Muree. Our train +was increased by a couple of volunteer native travellers, who were glad +of our society in order that they might get clear of the Maharajah’s +dominions with as little questioning as possible. Our coolies numbered +twenty-six, so that altogether our forces now reached to thirty-eight. +After a fine march, we halted at Nowshera, where the dashing river +afforded us an exciting swim before breakfast. Coming out of the water, +however, I had the ill luck to slip upon a treacherous rock, and, +falling heavily on my side, and so over into the rapid stream, had some +difficulty in fishing myself out again, and was very near taking an +unpleasantly short cut to the Plains. In the evening, when the cook +came to inspect the larder for dinner, it was discovered, that, with an +unusual want of presence of mind, a newly-killed sheep had been left by +mistake in the boats for the benefit of the already overpaid boatmen. +This was the third animal we had lost, from various causes, during our +travels, and the mishap most seriously affected the success of our +dinner arrangements for the day. + +October 4.—Found great difficulty in getting up this morning after my +fall, and still more in walking three miles, which I had to do before +finding a pony. The view was beautiful the whole way; but we had been +so gorged with scenery of all sorts and kinds, that rugged passes, +shady dells, waterfalls, &c., however precious they may become in +future recollection, were almost thrown away upon us for the time +being. Breakfasted under the pine trees, near an ancient temple, and +halted at Uree, where there was a baraduree for travellers. Except, +however, to very dirty travellers indeed, it would be of little use. +While descending a very steep part of the road, my saddle suddenly +slipped over the pony’s round little carcase on to his neck, and, +nolens volens, I came to the ground, the pony remaining in a position +very nearly perpendicular, with his tail towards the heavens and his +head between my legs, in which predicament he luckily remained +perfectly quiet, until the bhistie, coming up behind, set us both on +our proper extremities once more. + +October 5.—Started for Chukothee, and thinking, in an evil moment, to +walk off the effects of my late mishap, I essayed the fifteen miles on +foot. + +Long before reaching half way, however, I began to look about for +anything in the shape of a pony, that might appear in sight; but, none +being forthcoming, I was obliged to finish as I had begun, and at last +reached our destination, a snug little village, buried in fields of +yellow rice upon the hill-side. On the way, I fell in with a fine old +Mussulman Zemindar, trudging along on his return to Delhi, from paying +a visit to Sirinugger. + +Being an unusually talkative old gentleman, we fraternized by the way, +and he told me that he had been to see the civil commissioner of his +district, now acting as commissioner in the valley, to make his salaam, +relative to a “jageer,” or Government grant of certain villages to the +amount of some three thousand rupees per annum, which he had succeeded +in obtaining on account of his loyalty during the recent mutiny. + +Of this three thousand rupees, it appeared that only one thousand would +come into his own pocket, the remainder being payable as rent, &c. to +Government. + +His son had also a jageer of twelve thousand rupees, so that both he +and his family were loyal and well to do in the world. His ideas of +Cashmere were rather amusing. He appeared to think it a miserable spot +enough, compared to his own land, and the only advantage he could hit +upon, was, in my estimation, quite the reverse, viz: that Sirinugger +was very hot in the middle of summer. + +The rice he had a supreme contempt for. It was not to be compared with +the Indian rice, and the Cashmeeries he pooh-poohed, as being no judges +whatever of its qualities, and, in fact; not fit to eat rice at all. He +seemed quite unable to understand my walking when I could ride; or, +indeed, why I should leave such a charming country as India to be +uncomfortable in Cashmere, without even having any jageer business to +transact as an excuse. + +Our coolies, being an unusually miserable crew, we got breakfast about +two P.M. To-day our tent lamp finished its erratic life, according to +the Dhobie’s account, by self-destruction! That good for nothing piece +of charcoal had, however, doubtless dashed the solid cut-glass globe, +which formed the chief glory of the instrument, against a rock, while +thinking of his hubble bubble, and his little blackamoors at home. + +The lamp had got over all the difficulties of the road from Lahore to +Ladak and back, and had been quite a peep-show to half the natives of +Thibet, who were never tired of regarding their multiplied countenances +in the numerous cut circles of the glass shade, so that we felt quite +grieved at its melancholy loss. Our water bottle also to-day finished +its existence, and the table came into camp a bundle of sticks; so that +everything seemed to betoken the approaching dissolution of the +expedition. The farm-yard consists of five ducks, all strangers, and a +pet sheep, and the khiltas look haggard and dilapidated in the extreme. +The musical cock, alone, of old friends still survives, but he appears +in weak health, and his constitution is evidently undermined by the +changes of climate it has undergone. We were here worried by a party of +strolling mountebanks from the Punjab, who persisted in horrifying us +by making two young girls and three boys, all apparently entirely +destitute of bones, stand upon their heads, and go through similar +performances on the grass. The girl actually pattered a measure with +her feet upon the back of her head, and the proprietors seemed utterly +unable to account for our apathetic disregard of so extremely talented +and interesting a performance. + +October 6.—Left for Hutteian, about fifteen miles off. Ponies being +scarce, I had to walk part of the way; but the sepoy, pitching by +chance upon our friends, the Punjabees, triumphantly carried off a +stout little animal of theirs for my use. Before mounting, however, I +was mobbed by the tumbling family, en masse, who went on their knees in +their solicitations to be exempt from the seizure of their property. +Finding me obdurate in retaining the pony at a fair valuation, with +“the army” to bear me out, they proceeded to diplomatic measures to +gain their end. First, a very small child, choosing a stony place in +the path, suddenly stood upon her head, and proceeded to form black +knots with her body. Finding that this only caused me to threaten her +father with a stick, they produced a blind girl, who threw herself half +naked at my feet and cried by order. The poor creature had lost her +sight by the small-pox, and I had remarked her the day before patiently +toiling over rocks and broken paths with one little child in her arms, +and another half leading, half obstructing her, endeavouring to guide +her footsteps down the rocks. She, however, got no immediate benefit +from the pony of contention; so, giving her some money to console her +in her forced misery, I still remained inexorable. After this, the +encampment broke up, with all its pots and pans, cows and fowl, &c. and +took to the road, leaving me in undisturbed possession of my new +conveyance. The weather began to astonish us a little to-day, by a +renewed accession of October heat. Still the climate was delightful. +Morning and evenings always cool, and sometimes cold, and a bright +cheery blue invariably over head, while a refreshing breeze made music +through the pine trees, and waved the golden ears of rice. + +Encamped under a spreading sycamore, at the junction of two mountain +streams. To-day a new order of bridge appeared, consisting merely of a +single rope, the passengers being tugged across in a basket. From its +appearance it was rather a matter of congratulation that we were not +called upon to cross it. + +October 7.—Being Sunday, we made a halt, and enjoyed a refreshing bathe +in the stream, and a rest from the toils of the road. + +October 8.—Left “Hutteian,” and, winding along the valley, arrived, by +a steep ascent, at Chukar, a little village boasting a fort and a small +nest of Sepoys. It also owned a curiously dirty, and consequently +saintly Fukeer, whom we found sitting bolt upright, newly decorated +with ashes, and with an extremely florid collection of bulls, demons, +&c. painted about the den he occupied. On the road I again picked up +the old Mussulman, who seemed delighted to chat, and gave me an account +of the part he had played in the mutiny. + +He appeared frequently to have warned his Commissioner that an outbreak +was about to take place, but without his crediting the story; and when +it actually did occur, the latter fled from his station at Lahore, and +took shelter with a friendly Risaldar until the storm should blow over. +From thence he sent for the old gentleman, my informant, and “Imam +Buksh” forthwith mounted his camel and came with five and twenty armed +followers to his assistance. While here, a party of rebels came +searching for English, and Mr. Buksh narrated how he went forth to meet +them, and proclaimed, that they might kill the Englishman if they +would, but must first dispose not only of himself, but also of his five +and twenty followers. Upon this they abused him, and asked him, “What +sort of a Mussulman he called himself?” and denounced him as a +“Feringee,” or foreigner. + +The rebels, however, finally went off, and the Commissioner and his +family, by Imam Buksh’s further assistance, succeeded in escaping all +the dangers of the times. For this service it was that the old +gentleman had just received his jageer of two villages, now some years +after the occurrence of the events. + +He appeared to think very little of the Maharajah’s rule, and was of +opinion that the people were miserably oppressed, paying, by his +account, two thirds of the produce of their lands to the Government. +This was in kind, but, where the revenue was taken in coin, a produce +of about fourteen pounds of grain was subject to a tax of two rupees. +On the subject of the cause of the mutiny in India, he said that +greased cartridges certainly had nothing to do with it; for the rest, +why, “It was the will of God, and so it happened.” To induce him to +argue on the possibility of the mutiny having been successful, I found +to be out of the question. “It was the power of God which had prevented +the rebels from gaining over us, and, in the name of the Holy Prophet +and the twelve Imams, how then could it have been otherwise?” As to the +probability, however, of there being another mutiny, he admitted that +he thought there would be one, but that, as long as we maintained +justice, no other power could hold the country against us. On my asking +him if we did not maintain justice in the land, he said no, and adduced +the fact that in every case brought before the courts an enormous +amount of bribery goes on among the Rishtidars, and other +understrappers, whereby the man with most money wins his cause. No +Englishman, he thought, could take a bribe, but he seemed to be under +the impression that those in authority were aware of the system being +carried on by those beneath them. He admitted that he knew of one +native who would not take a bribe! and dwelt largely on the subject, as +if it were a wonderful fact, which I have no doubt it was. + +In the evening we presented Mr. Imam Buksh with some of our sheep, +which delighted his heart immensely, and he spent the entire evening in +cooking and eating it, together with a perfect mountain of chupatties, +which he manufactured with great care and deliberation. + +October 9.—Left our camp very early, and had a sharp ascent up the +mountains. A considerable descent again, brought us to the village of +Mehra, where we pitched our tents, once more within sight of the +territories of India. + +October 10.—Marched into Dunna, our last halting-place in Cashmere. It +is situated nearly at the summit of the frontier range of hills, and +commanded a most extensive view of the mountains of Cashmere and Cabul, +besides those on the Indian side. + +October 11.—Took a last fond glance towards “the valley,” and descended +by a very steep and difficult path to the river Jhelum, which forms the +boundary between the two territories. Here a couple of queerly-shaped, +rudely-constructed boats, with two huge oars apiece, one astern and one +at the side, formed the traveller’s flying bridge. Into one of these +the whole of our possessions and coolies, &c. were stowed, and we +commenced the passage of the stream. + +This we managed by, in the first instance, coasting up the bank for +several hundred yards, and then striking boldly into the current; and +it was amusing to see our well-crammed boat suddenly drawn into the +rapid stream and whisked and whirled about like a straw, while a nice +calculation on the part of the skipper, and a good deal of rowing and +shouting on that of the sailors, enabled us to touch the opposite shore +not very far below the point from which we had started. One last +lingering look at Cashmerian ground, a step over the side, and we were +once more standing upon the territories of Queen Victoria, and in the +burning land of India—happily, however, still six days’ journey from +the Plains. + +October 12.—Marched up the spur of the Muree Hill to Dewul, where we +found a room in a mud fort converted into a halting-place for +travellers, reached by a series of break-neck ladders, and looking very +much like a cell in a prison, with its two chairs and clumsy wooden +table. Here we found a little amusement in the arrival of the Chota +Sahib, or “small gentleman,”—otherwise the Assistant Civil Commissioner +of the district,—to review the fort and its dependencies. On the first +tidings of his approach, the Thanadar immediately turned out the entire +garrison, consisting of twelve military policemen, called “Burqundaz,” +or “Flashers of lightning!” These soon appeared in their full dress of +crimson turbans and yellow tights, and, shouldering their +“flint-locks,” proceeded to perform a series of intricate evolutions, +by way of practice for the rapidly-approaching inspection. When the +great little man did arrive, there was, we thought, a good deal of +irregularity among the troops, such as laughing in the ranks and +treading on toes, &c. However, the only point the inspecting officer +dwelt upon was the absence of uniformity in dress, caused by the +deficiency of two pairs of yellow tights among the lightning flashers, +otherwise he appeared perfectly satisfied, and all went off well. After +his review he invited himself to our dinner-party, and honoured our +repast with the further addition of a kid stew. He turned out to be one +of the ex-Company’s officers, a subaltern of eighteen years’ service, +fifteen of which had been spent away from his regiment on the staff. He +was with his corps, however, when it mutinied, and escaped without much +difficulty. The unfortunate colonel of the regiment, finding that none +of his men would shoot him, had done so with his own hand. He gave it +as his opinion that the cartridges were the cause of the mutiny; but +allowed that his regiment was in a bad state of discipline some time +before, and that all the native corps were known to be disaffected +years before the event occurred, both by the officers present and those +absent upon staff employ. Altogether, after the Chota Sahib had +thoroughly discussed both the mutiny and the dinner, we were left under +the impression that there was quite sufficient cause for the +disaffection of the Bengal army without ever arriving at the vexed +question of greased cartridges at all. + +October 13.—Marched early into the Hill Station of Muree. Not being yet +quite in walking trim, I had pressed a mule into the service, who +carried me in good style as far as the entrance to the town. Here, +however, he seemed suddenly to remember that we had each a character to +support, and, stopping short, he utterly refused to budge another step. +Not being willing even to be led, I finally abandoned him to his own +devices, and walked on to the Commandant’s bungalow, where I found my +companion already hospitably received, and comfortably seated at +breakfast, discussing kidneys and beefsteaks, and such like unwonted +delicacies of the Muree season. + +After getting somewhat over the novelty and discomfort of being again +in a house with doors and glass windows, and other inconveniences, we +sallied out to inspect the station. + +Like its confrères of the Hills—Simla, Kussowlie, &c. Muree was a +prettily-situated little settlement, with houses scattered about +entirely according to the freaks and fancies of the owners, and with +utter disregard of all system whatever. The Mall was a fine one, and +its gaily-dressed frequenters, in jhampans and palkees, &c. were of the +unmistakeable stamp of Anglo India in the Hills. Two or three of the +ladies, however, were bold enough to walk, and looked none the worse +for being divorced from their almost inseparable vehicles, and +unattended by their motley crowd of red, and green, and variegated +bearers. + +October 14.—Spent a quiet day among the hospitalities of Muree, and +became gradually accustomed to city life. Going to church seemed rather +a strange process, and the building itself was but a bad exchange for +the grander temples which we had frequented for so many Sundays. + +October 15.—Laid our dak by doolie to Lahore, and, with our hospitable +entertainer to guide us, started at five P.M. by a short cut, to meet +our new conveyances. + +Reaching the main road, we once more packed ourselves away in our +boxes, and, the sun soon setting his last for us upon the Cashmere +mountains, left us to make our way down to the miserable plains as fast +as the flaring and spluttering light of a couple of pine torches would +allow our bearers to patter along. + +From this, until we reach Lahore, we are accompanied by an incessant +shuffle shuffle of naked feet through the dusty road; jabbering and +shouting of blacks, flickering of torches, bumping of patched and +straining doolies against mounds of earth, glimpses of shining naked +bodies, streaming with perspiration, as they flit about, and the whole +enveloped in dense and suffocating clouds of dust, which penetrate +everything and everywhere, and soon become, in fact, a part of one’s +living breathing existence; occasionally, outstripping our procession, +a vision passes, like the glimmer of a white strip of linen, a stick, +and a black and polished body, it rushes by like the wind, and +disappears in the gloom of dust and night, and, in a second, her +Majesty’s mail has passed us on the road! As we near the plains this +vision undergoes a slight change, and takes the form of an apparition +of two wild horses tearing away with a red and almost body-less cart; +this also goes by like a flash, but gives more notice of its coming, +and our torches, for a second, light up the figure of a wild huntsman, +with red and streaming turban, who sits behind the steeds and blows a +defiant blast at us as he also vanishes into the darkness. About seven +miles from Muree, we halted for dinner, and made renewed acquaintance +with that interesting object—the Indian roadside chicken. + +October 16.—Arrived early at Rawul Pindee, and breakfasted at seven, +apparently off guttapercha and extract of sloe leaves. On again +immediately, and reached Gugerkhan bungalow at seven P.M. hot, +apoplectic, and saturated with dust. + +The room smells thoroughly of the plains; an odour, as it were, of +punkhas, mosquitoes, and mustiness, not to be found elsewhere, and +entirely unexplainable to uninitiated sufferers. + +The chicken, whose “fate had been accomplished,” died as we entered the +yard, and was on the table in the fashion of a warm spread eagle in +fifteen minutes! After this delicacy is duly discussed, the doolies are +emptied of dust, the bedding laid down, and jolt, jolt, creak, creak, +grunt, grunt, on we go again, until sleep good-naturedly comes to make +us oblivious of all things. The kahars, or bearers, however, take a +different view of life, and at every relief a crowd of sniggering +darkies assemble, on both sides, with applications for bukshish. At +first one hears, “Sahib, Sahib!” in a deprecating tone of voice, +mindful of sudden wakings of former Sahibs, sticks, and consequent sore +backs, then più forte, “Sahib!” crescendo, “Sahib, Sahib!” and then at +last, in a burst of harmony, “Sahib pûrana Baira kûtch bukshish mil +jawe?” [33] and the miserable doolie traveller, who has been, probably, +feigning sleep in sulky savageness for the last ten minutes, makes a +sudden dive through the curtains with a stick, an exclamation is heard +very like swearing, only in a foreign language, and the troop of +applicants vanish like a shot, keeping up, however, a yelping of +Sahibs, and Pûrana Bairas, and Bukshishs, until the new bearers get +fairly under weigh, and have carried their loads beyond hearing. None +but those who have been woken up in this manner from a comfortable +state of unconsciousness, to the full realities of doolie travelling in +Indian heat and dust, can form an idea of the trial it is to one’s +temper; and, from my own feelings, together with the sounds I hear from +my companion’s direction, I can testify as to the relief that the use +of foreign expletives affords under the affliction. + +October 17.—Arrived at Jhelum about eight A.M. to all intents and +purposes dust inside and out. Flesh and blood can stand no more for the +present, and we resolve to halt here for the day. The weather appears +quite as hot as when we started, and the wind comes in, hot and dry, +and makes one feel like a herring of the reddest; while an infernal +punkha is creaking its monotonous tune, as it flaps to and fro in the +next room, making one again realize to the full, “the pleasures of the +plains.” We begin, in fact, to discover that the thorns which were not +forthcoming on the Cashmere roses are too surely to be found elsewhere. + +October 18.—Reached Goojerat at cock-crow; thus completing a distinct +circle of travel through Bimber, Sirinugger, Ladak, Kushtwar, Muree, +and back to our present halting-place, from whence we had originally +branched off. + +October 19.—A dusty night’s work brought us at two A.M. to Goojerwala. +Here we found that there was no bungalow between us and Lahore, and, +consequently, no chance of either a wash or breakfast should we go on; +we therefore chose loss of time in preference to loss of breakfast, +with the addition of a day under a broiling sun, and halted until the +authorities should awake to feed us. + +October 20.—Reached Lahore before sunrise, and got our letters and +papers from the post once more. Afterwards we laid our dak for +Cawnpore, and made all arrangements for a start in the evening. + +October 21.—Arrived at Umritsur about three A.M., and remained in our +coaches until sunrise, when we set off for a stroll through the city. +This we found the cleanest, if not the only clean, town we had seen +since landing in India. The streets were well drained and built, and +were guarded by a force of yellow-legged, red-turbaned Punjabee +policemen, who were provided, like their brother blue-bottles at home, +with staves and rattles instead of the more usual insignia of sword and +shield. The houses were almost all decorated, outside and in, with +grotesque mythological and other paintings, such as Vishnu annihilating +Rakshus, or demons of various kinds, or wonderful battle-pieces, +wherein pale-faced, unhealthy-looking people, in tailed coats and +cocked hats, might be seen performing prodigies of valour, assisted by +bearded and invincible Sikh warriors of ferocious exterior. The shops +were built with verandahs, and the piazza character of some of the +streets, in conjunction with the unusual cleanliness, gave one a very +agreeable impression of Umritsur and its municipal corporation, whoever +that body may be. The inhabitants are principally Sikhs, fine-looking +men generally, with long beards turned up at either side of their +faces, and knotted with their hair under the voluminous folds of their +turbans. + +October 22.—Out at four A.M. to explore the great durbar, or +head-quarters of the Sikh religion in the Punjab. Entering through a +highly decorated archway in the kotwalee, or police station, we came +upon an enormous tank, with steps descending into the water on all +sides, and planted around with large and shady trees. In the centre of +this rose the temple of the Sikhs, a light-looking, richly-gilt +edifice, the lower part of which was constructed of inlaid stones upon +white marble. From this to one side of the tank, a broad causeway led, +decorated with handsome railings, and lamps of gilt-work upon marble +pedestals. Along this, crowds of people were passing to and fro, +arrayed in every possible variety of costume and colour. Sikhs, +Hindoos, Mussulmen—men, women, and children, crowded together like bees +in a hive. Round the edges of the tank were handsome buildings, +minarets, &c. with trees and gardens attached to them; and that, +towards the causeway, was divided in two by a fine and richly-decorated +archway, in the upper part of which a party of patriarchal old Sikhs +were squatted on their haunches, discoursing the affairs of the nation. +This whole scene opened upon our view at a glance. The sun had as yet +scarcely appeared over the horizon, and the reflection of its light +shone faintly upon the gold-work and ornaments of the central building, +tipping it and the lofty minarets with rosy light, whilst the rest of +the buildings remained shrouded in the morning haze. With the incessant +bustle of the thronging, brightly-vestured crowd, and the accompaniment +of the wild discordant tom-toming of a band of turbaned musicians, it +formed a scene which almost persuaded one to put once more confidence +in the brightly-coloured descriptions of the “Arabian Nights.” While +waiting for sun-rise, we ascended one of the minarets, from which we +had a curious bird’s-eye view of the tank and surrounding city at our +feet, while the plains lay stretching away before us; the horizon level +and unbroken, as if it bounded in the ocean. From this we had also a +private view of the manners and customs of the natives. Just below us +was an early morning scene in the life of a Sikh gentleman. He was +sitting up in his “four-leg,” on the open court of an upper story, +which formed his bed-room, while his attendants were offering him his +morning cup of coffee, and otherwise attending to his wants. In one +corner, another Sikh gentleman, with one arm, was having a brass vessel +of water poured over him, and a number of similar vessels stood upon a +sort of rack, ready for the master of the house to have his bath. + +Scattered about the foot of the bed, which had a grandly decorated +canopy, was a deputation of white-robed Sikhs paying their morning +visit, or having an audience upon some matter of business. These by +degrees got up and went out, each making a profound salaam as he passed +the bed. One of them only, the old man called back, and with him, as he +sat upon the “four-leg,” he had a long and confidential talk. This +evidently was the medical adviser, and, judging by the dumb-show of the +interview which ensued, the Sikh, as evidently, was the victim of a +cold in his fine old nose, which he had doubtless caught from sleeping +in the open air. After this we repaired to the kotwallee again, and, +getting a pair of slippers in exchange for our boots, descended to the +durbar and mingled with the crowd. + +Although we were inadmissible in boots, no objection whatever appeared +to be made to the entrance of Brahminee bulls; for we found a number of +them walking about the mosaic pavement with as much confidence and +impunity as if the place belonged to them. + +In the building we found a collection of Sikh padres, or “gooroos,” +sitting behind a massive volume richly cased in cloth of gold and +silver, while squatted around under a canopy, were the Sikh faithful, +offering their presents of cowries, chupatties, balls of sweetmeats, +and showers of yellow and white necklaces of flowers. The book was the +original law of Gooroo Gurunth Sahib, which they had just finished +reading, and, as we entered, they were commencing to cover it up again, +which they did, with great pomp and ceremony, in a number of cloths of +various patterns, after which they distributed the votive offerings +among themselves and the people present, and held a sort of banquet +over the sweets and flowers. In the midst of the proceedings, a very +fine specimen of the race of Fukeer came in, and presenting an offering +of the smallest, laid his head upon the ground before the book, and, +without a word, took himself off again. He was girt round the loins +with a yellowish-red cloth; his body, from head to foot, was covered +with ashes. The hair of his head was matted together in strips, like +the tail of an uncared cow, and reached to his waist. A shallow earthen +pot was his hat, and over his shoulders hung two large gourds, +suspended by a cord, while in his hand he carried a long staff, covered +over with stuff of the same kind as that round his waist. Such was the +figure which entered among the gaily-dressed multitude in the saintly +durbar; and, although to the assembled people there appeared nothing +whatever either strange or unusual in the arrival, to us, who were +looking on, the contrast between the unclad dirty mendicant, and the +pure white vestments of the Sikhs around, rendered it a most striking +and remarkable apparition. + +On entering, he had removed the earthen pot which formed his hat, and, +one of the two gourds which were round his shoulders having fallen to +the ground in the act, it was amusing to see him pause for a second, +and anxiously examine whether any compound fracture had taken place in +the precious article of his very limited dinner service. One extremity +of the building we found was occupied for Hindoo worship; so that +fraternity and equality, worthy of imitation seems to be the order of +the day among the religions of Umritsur. The interior was richly +decorated with gilding and mirrors, &c., but was little worthy of +remark in comparison with the richness of the exterior effect. +Presenting a “bukshish” to the expectant padres who guarded the sacred +book, we left them to their devotions, and betook ourselves once more +to our bungalow. + +October 23.—Travelling all night, we reached Jullunder at six A.M., +and, after breakfast, again started for Loodianah, where we dined. We +here again crossed the Sutlej, but, the water being low, boat +navigation was dispensed with, and a shaky bridge, and about two miles +of sandy river-bed, completed the passage. + +At Loodianah we were stormed by a host of merchants, with pushmeena and +other soft matters, who were rather disappointed at finding we had come +from the birth-place of such like manufactures. Some of the local +shawls, however, or “Rampore chudders,” were beautifully fine and +delicate, and seemed worthy of inspection. + +October 24.—Reached Umballa at eight A.M., and started again shortly +after. Our horses to-day were most miserable caricatures, and it was +with difficulty we managed to progress at all. The last stage was +accomplished at a walk; and what with this and the delay caused by a +couple of sandy river-beds, we only reached Kurnaul at ten P.M. The +miserable condition of the horses was accounted for by the enormously +high price of grain and the absence of grass, in consequence of the +want of rain. The general topic, in fact, is now the failure of the +rains, and consequent apprehensions of a famine throughout the land. +“Atar” is here eight seers the rupee, or in other words, flour sells at +one shilling and ninepence a stone—an enormous price in these parts. + +October 25.—Sunrise found us still half-way to Delhi, and we stopped to +breakfast at the little bungalow of Ghureekulla. Here we found a fine +old Khansaman, who gave us an account of the incidents of the Mutiny +which came under his notice. He had received a flying party of two +hundred men, women, and children, who arrived at dead of night, some on +horses, some on foot, and all worn and haggard by their march from +Delhi, from which they had escaped. These he took care of, and supplied +with food until the following day, when they departed, without, by his +own account, giving him anything, either as pay or reward. He +afterwards assisted others also, and received about one hundred and +twenty rupees, one way or another, for his services. At present he +receives six rupees a month, with whatever he can pick up from +travellers; not a very large amount in the out-of-the-way little jungle +station of Ghureekulla. + +October 26.—Passed through Delhi by moonlight, and reached the bungalow +at one A.M. At gun-fire we emerged from our locomotives, and went to +explore the king’s palace. In spite of the late lesson on the subject +of sepoys, we found the gates of the fort held entirely by native +guards, and a very small body of Europeans located within the walls. +After rambling through the place, and discovering that its only beauty +lay at present in its exterior, we went to the Jama Musjid, a fine +mosque of red granite, inlaid in parts with white marble. The cupolas, +of great size, were entirely marble, and the minarets, also of marble, +were closely inlaid. The place had been only recently handed over to +the Moslems after its late seizure, and was not as yet used for +worship. Ascending one of the minarets, we had a fine view of the city +of the Great Mogul dynasty, with its minarets and ornamented streets; +and in the distance we could discern the positions occupied by our +besieging force, when the last of the kings was brought so rudely to +the termination of his reign. + +October 27.—Reached Koel, or Allyghur, at eight A.M. Started again at +five, stopping on the way to inspect the Jama Musjid, and a very fine +old tower, probably of Buddhist or Jain origin, which was covered over +with ancient inscriptions. Just as the Muezzin was calling to evening +prayer, we again resumed our monotonous order of travel, and branched +off towards Agra to visit the famous Taj Mahul. + +October 28.—Reached Agra at two A.M., and finding the bungalow full, +had to go to the hotel. At sunrise we drove out to the Taj, and here, I +think, for the first time, we were not disappointed in the difference +between reality and description. The entrance to the gardens in which +the Taj is situated was beautiful in itself, but one sight of the main +building left no room for admiration of anything besides. + +It is situated on the banks of the Jumna, with a fine view of the +magnificent fort, with its mosque and minarets, and is entirely of pure +white marble, inlaid with stones into shapes of flowers and arabesques, +&c. At each corner rises a white marble minaret, like a pillar of snow, +beautifully decorated and carved, but unsullied by a single line of any +other colour whatever. The interior is profusely inlaid with minute +stones of considerable value, and is lit by carved marble windows of +the most beautiful design imaginable. In the centre, surrounding the +tomb of Mûmtaz and her lord, is a marvellous white marble screen, in +the form of a polygon, carved like perforated ivory, and also inlaid +with minute stones of every shape and colour. [34] The queen, in whose +honour the tomb was built, occupies the very centre of the enclosure, +Shah Jehan’s tomb being on one side of it, and larger in size, which +rather spoils the symmetry of the space. + +Exactly underneath the tombs, in the main body of the building, one +descends to a marble vault, where there are two others precisely +similar in shape, but without any inscription or ornament whatever, and +under these latter the mortal remains of the famous Shah Jehan and +Mûmtaz repose in peace. Over the queen’s tomb, in the very centre of +the interior, a single ostrich egg was suspended by an almost invisible +thread, probably to shadow forth something of the meaning of the +“Resurgam” affixed to monuments elsewhere. On either side, without the +mausoleum, are two buildings facing inwards, one of which is a mosque, +built in red granite and white marble; and the whole are profusely +ornamented with carvings in marble, which would take an age to examine +thoroughly, and which produce an effect quite incapable of being +adequately portrayed by either pen or pencil. + +In one of these edifices, among the inlaid work and arabesques, and not +far from the mortal remains of the departed King and Queen, we found a +curious and interesting inscription, which seems to have been hitherto +unmentioned by the many travellers who have visited the sacred spot. It +was prominently placed and easily decipherable, being in unusually +large letters, and in that character which might be called the +“Uneiform,” of which so many valuable specimens exist in all parts of +the known globe. + +It ran thus:— + + + IN MEMORY OF VALENTINE’S DAY. + + +The sentence appeared unfinished, and one or two words were probably +required to complete the sense, but from similar existing records there +could be no difficulty in filling in the missing syllables. + +It was curious, however, to reflect what the feeling could have been +that stayed the writer’s hand, and prevented him from finishing his +graceful tribute to the mighty dead. + +Mûmtaz, from whose name the word “Taj” is derived (the letter “z” being +incapable of being pronounced by many natives except as a “j”), was the +daughter of the famous Noor Jehan’s brother Asoph Khan. Shah Jehan +followed his queen in A.D. 1665, and was laid in the building which he +had himself originally designed in her honour alone. + +With Noor Jehan and Jehangeer the case was reversed. The conqueror of +the world ended his career in A.D. 1627, and the partner of all his +Cashmerian wanderings, and many adventures, who wore no colour but +white after his death, finally rejoined him in a tomb which she had +raised to his memory at Lahore. + +Having paid due homage to the beauty of the far-famed mausoleum, we +went to the Fort, and, after visiting the Ram Bagh, the Ikmam Dowlah, +and the various palaces built by Akbar Shah, once more took the road, +and were soon again galloping through the dust, morning bringing us to +the bungalow of Bewah. From this we again made for Ghoorsahagunge and +Cawnpore, and by rail to Allahabad, there completing a circuit of +travel extending to between two and three thousand miles: + + + “In heat and cold + We’d roved o’er many a hill and many a dale, + Through many a wood and many an open ground, + In sunshine and in shade, in wet and fair, + Thoughtful or blithe of heart as might befall + Our best companions, now the driving winds, + And now the trotting brooks and whispering trees, + And now the music of our own quick steps + With many a short-lived thought that passed between + And disappeared.” + + +And now but one day more remains of our six months’ leave. The 31st of +October sees us again fairly in the hands of the authorities. Brothers +in arms, who during our absence have been having “all work and no +play,” receive us with warm and disinterested welcome. The Q.M.G. is +hauled away in triumph by a swarm of fellow black-legs to glad the +squaw-like partner of his sooty bosom. The last remnants of the +expedition are fairly broken up, and already the days when we went +gipsying have passed away “a long time ago.” + + + + + + + +ROUTE. + + + Miles. Miles. Miles. +Allahabad Vernagh 11 Peer 16 +Cawnpore 120 Islamabad 15 Nowbogh 9 +Ghoorsahagunge 72 Sirinugger by water Kukunath 10 +Etawah 73 Gunberbull ,, ,, Atchabull 8 +Kurga 72 Kungur 11 Islamabad 6 +Delhi 51 Gundisursing 12 Sirinugger by water +Kurnaul 73 Soonamurg 14 Baramoula ,, ,, +Umballa 45 Foot of the Hills 9 Nowshera 8 +Kalka 40 Pandras 24 Uree 15 +Kussowlie 9 Dras 8 Chukothee 15 +Simla 40 Tusgam 14 Hutteian 14 +Hureepore 20 Chungun 12 Chukar 9 +Kalka 29 Pushkoom 10 Mehra 6 +Umballa 40 Waka 13 Dunna 6 +Thikanmajura 36 Khurboo 10 Puttun 6 +Jullundur 61 Lamieroo 12 Dewul 9 +Umritsur 59 Nurila 16 Muree 11 +Lahore 35 Suspul 14 Rawul Pindee 37 +Gugerwalla 39 Egnemo 10 Gugerkhan 30 +Goojerat 30 Ladak 18 Jhelum 37 +Bimber 27 Chunga 18 Goojerat 31 +Serai Saidabad 12 Hemis 2 Gugerwalla 30 +Nowshera 11 Ladak 20 Lahore 39 +Chungas 11 Pitok 4 Umritsur 35 +Rajaori 12 Egnemo 14 Jullundur 59 +Thanna 12 Suspul 10 Loodiana 32 +Burrumgulla 11 Nurila 14 Umballa 71 +Poshana 6 Lamieroo 16 Kurnaul 45 +Peer Punjal 9 Khurboo 12 Ghureekulla 36 +Poshana 9 Waka 10 Delhi 36 +Aliabad 11 Pushkoom 13 Allyghur 79 +Heerpore 13 Thambis 14 Agra 50 +Shupayon 6 Sankoo 16 Bewah 82 +Ramoon 9 Sooroo 12 Ghoorsahagunge 79 +Sirinugger 14 Among the Mountains 11 Cawnpore 72 +Wuler by water Ditto 14 Allahabad 120 +Islamabad ,, ,, Sucknez 11 +Atchabull 6 Bragnion 14 + + +Parts of the country not having been at the time correctly mapped, +these distances are in some instances approximations only. + + + + + + + +THE RELIGIONS OF CASHMERE AND THIBET. + + +During all our wanderings, whether in India, Cashmere, or Thibet, the +most striking feature throughout, was the outward display of religion +and the prominent part which religious forms of worship take in the +every-day life of the people. Monuments and temples everywhere bear +testimony to the universal belief in a Supreme Being; and Hindoo, +Mussulman, and Buddhist alike, by numberless prayers and frequent +offerings, confess their desire to propitiate His power and to +cultivate His favour. + +Every little village has its “Musjid” or “Shiwala,” and everywhere, and +at all hours, votaries of the different sects may be seen, in the +fashion they have learnt from childhood, openly remembering, at least, +their Creator. + +The naked Hindoo, with loosened scalp lock and otherwise closely-shaven +head, stands in running water, and with his face upturned to the sun +apostrophises the Divine Essence, whose qualities and attributes he has +alone been taught to recognise, through the numberless incarnations of +his degenerate creed. Five times a day the Mussulman kneels in open +adoration of his Maker, and, doffing his slippers, repeats, with +forehead to the ground, the formula laid down for him by the only +Prophet he has learnt to believe in. The Buddhist, too, mutters his “Ûm +mani panee” at every turn, and keeps his praying wheel in endless +motion, with entire confidence in its mystic virtues, and fullest faith +in the efficacy of those forms which he has thus been taught to follow +from his cradle. + +Each worships after the fashion of his fathers before him, and each, by +the dim illumination of his own particular light, fancies himself upon +the true path, and is able plainly to perceive his neighbour groping in +the outer darkness. + +Seeing all this, and turning in imagination to other lands, it is +curious to consider that the Church which possesses the only Lamp of +Truth, and who by the help of its light pronounces all these zealous +worshippers alike, to be but “Infidels and Turks,” and says to all, in +language not quite so polite as that of Touchstone, “Truly, shepherds, +ye are in a parlous state,” herself makes no such public demonstration +of her faith. To an Eastern infidel travelling in the West, she would +even appear, to outward eye, a tenfold greater infidel than her +neighbours. Except on one day in seven, he would seldom find a place of +public worship open to his gaze, while the Name which he himself has +learned to reverence to such a degree that every scrap of paper that +might chance to bear it, is sacred in his eyes, he might hear a +thousand times, and perhaps not once in adoration; and while it +commences every action of his own life he would there find it utterly +excluded from its accustomed place. Even the form of parting +salutation, which in almost all lands—Infidel and Heretical—greets him +in the name of God, would, in Protestant England, fall upon his ear +with no such signification. While the benighted Hindoo greets his +parting neighbour to the present day with “Khûda Hafiz”—God the +Preserver—the Englishman’s “Good-bye,” like well-worn coin, has changed +so much by use, that now, no stranger could discern in it any trace +whatever of the image with which it was originally stamped. + +And although the comparison between the apparent creeds of East and +West is truly that between a very large proportion of faithful +professors of a false religion and, to outward eye, a similarly large +proportion of unfaithful followers of the true religion, it is +interesting to form some idea of the different systems which have +existed for so many ages, and which, though proved alike by reason and +revelation to be of human origin and unequal to the wants of human +nature, have yet maintained their influence to the present day, and +hold among their votaries still such zealous worshippers of an unknown +God. + +The oldest of all these religions appears to be that of the Hindoos. +The Vedas, or Scriptures, date as far back as the Books of Moses, 1100 +B.C.; and previously even to their then being committed to writing by +the Sage Vyasa, they are believed to have been preserved for ages by +tradition. The primary doctrine of the Vedas is the Unity of God. There +is, they say, “but one Deity, the Supreme Spirit, the Lord of the +Universe, whose work is the universe.” “Let as adore the supremacy of +that divine Sun, the Godhead, who illuminates all, who recreates all, +from whom all proceed, to whom all must return, whom we invoke to +direct our understandings aright in our progress towards His holy seat. +What the sun and light are to this world, that are the Supreme Good and +Truth to the intellectual and invisible universe; and as our corporeal +eyes have a distinct perception of objects enlightened by the sun, thus +our souls acquire certain knowledge by meditating on the light of truth +which emanates from the Being of beings; that is the light by which +alone our minds can be directed to the path of beatitude.” + +Every Brahmin must pray at morning and evening twilight in some +unfrequented place, near pure water, and must bathe daily; he must also +daily perform five sacraments, viz., studying the Vedas, making +oblations to the manes of the departed, giving rice to living +creatures, and receiving guests with honour. As to the doctrine of a +future state, they believe in the transmigration of the soul, but that +between the different stages of existence it enjoys, according to merit +or demerit, years and years of happiness in some of the heavens, or +suffers torments of similar duration in some of the hells. The most +wicked, however, after being purged of their crimes by ages of +suffering, and by repeated transmigrations, may ascend in the scale of +being until they finally enter heaven and attain the highest reward of +all good, which is incorporation with the Divine Essence. + +Like more enlightened systems of religion, the Hindoo faith has +degenerated from the purity originally inculcated. The Monotheism, +though still existing, has been almost smothered by a system of +innumerable incarnations; by means of which the attributes of an unseen +Deity were to be brought to the understandings of the ignorant; and, as +might be expected, the hidden symbol has been almost lost in the +tangible reality. The later Scriptures, or Pûranas, are believed to +have been compiled between the eighth and sixteenth centuries, A.D.; +and though still upholding the existence of a Supreme Being, by whom +all things are composed, they introduce a variety of incarnations and +divinities almost innumerable. Of these, the three principal are +Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, representing respectively the creating, +preserving, and destroying principles; and their wives, Sereswutee, +Lukshmee, and Dewee. These latter are the active powers which develop +the principles represented by the triad. The divinity most commonly +portrayed however, though not publicly worshipped, is Gunesh. Almost +every dwelling has her effigy rudely painted over the entrance; and she +is invoked at the beginning of all undertakings, and is the remover of +all difficulties. Her peculiar appearance is accounted for by the fact +of her having been killed at an early period of life by Siva, who cut +off her head, and, afterwards relenting, replaced it with the first +that happened to come to hand, which turned out to be an elephant’s! + +Gunesh was produced by the intense wishes of Dewee, and is now appealed +to at the commencement of almost every act in Hindoo life. + +The following invocation to this “household god” will give some idea of +the position she holds in public estimation. It is taken from the “Prem +Sagur,” or Ocean of Love, a history of the life of Krishna, a son of +Vishnu, who, with Siva and Dewee, or Mahadewee, monopolises almost the +entire public respect and adoration:— + + + “Oh elephant-faced Deity, obviator of difficulties, of exalted fame + resplendent, + Grant as a boon, pure language, wisdom, and felicity may be much + promoted. + Thou on whose two celestial feet the world is gazing, worshipping + both day and night, + O mother of the universe, grant unto me, remembering thee, true + skill and utterance.” + + +The “Ocean of Love” gives a full account of the various incarnations of +Krishna, the favourite divinity of the Hindoos, and opens with the +scene of his birth. Kans, his uncle, has placed guards, in order that +the child may be killed at his first appearance, it having been +predicted that Kans himself is to fall by the hands of Krishna. The +Cashmerian artist—whose powers of colouring were his chief +recommendation—has depicted the moment when Vasadeo and Devakee, the +father and mother, viewing Krishna, with long-drawn sighs, both begin +to say, “If, by some means, we could send away this child, then it +would escape the guilty Kans.” Vasadeo says, “Without destiny none can +preserve him; the writing of Fate, that only will be accomplished.” + +Destiny being propitious, the guards fall asleep upon their posts, as +shown in the accompanying design, and another child is substituted for +Krishna. He is afterwards brought up as a herdsman, and spends his +childhood among the milkmaids of Braj, upon whom he plays all sorts of +tricks. “One day the divine Krishna played upon the flute in the +forest, when, hearing the sound of the instrument, all the young women +of Braj arose in confusion, and hastened and assembled in one place. +The dark-blue Krishna, with body of the hue of clouds, stood in the +midst; and such was the beauty of the fair ones, as they sported, that +they resembled golden creepers growing from beneath a blue mountain!” + +The description of the state of the world, on Krishna’s appearance, is +given by the saintly Shukadeo to King Parikshah—“O King, at the time of +the divine Krishna appearing, in the minds of all such joy arose, that +not even the name of grief remained. With joy the woods and groves +began to bear fruits and flowers, their verdure still increasing. The +rivers, streams, and lakes were filled with water, and upon them birds +of every kind were sporting; and, from city to city, from house to +house, from village to village, rejoicings were celebrated. The +Brahmins were performing sacrifice; the Regents of the ten divisions of +the horizon rejoiced. Clouds were moving over the circuit of Braj. The +deities, seated in their cars, rained down flowers; the holders of the +magic pill, the celestial musicians, and heavenly bards, continually +sounding drums, kettledrums, and pipes, were singing the praises of the +divine virtues; and, in one direction, Urvasee, and all the celestial +dancers, were dancing. In such a time, then, on Wednesday, the eighth +day of the dark half of the month Bhadon, at midnight, while the moon +was in the mansion of Rohanee, the divine Krishna was born, of the +colour of clouds, moon-faced and lotus-eyed, with a girdle of yellow +cloth passing round his loins, wearing a crown, and arrayed in a +necklace of five jewels, produced from the elements of nature, and with +ornaments set with gems, in a four-armed form, sustaining the shell, +the quoit, the mace, and the lotus he presented himself.” + +Krishna afterwards espouses a fair lady, of the name of Rûkminee, and +the marriage is thus poetically described. Rûkminee has written a +letter, filled with love, and sent it by the hand of a Brahmin, to the +Root of Joy, Krishna:—“The Brahmin having arrived at Dûarika, perceives +that the town is in the midst of the ocean, and on the four sides of it +there are great mountains and woods and groves, which add beauty to the +scene. In these were various kinds of beasts and birds, and the limpid +lakes were filled with pure water, and lotus flowers were blooming, +upon which swarms upon swarms of black bees were humming. To the +distance of many miles orchards, containing an endless variety of fruit +and flowers, extended; along these enclosures betel gardens were +flourishing. The gardeners, standing at the wells, were singing with +sweet strains; and, working waterwheels and buckets, were irrigating +the high and low grounds.” + +Beholding this beautiful scene, and being gladdened thereby, the +Brahmin, still advancing, beholds that “on four sides of the city are +very lofty ramparts, with four gateways, in which folding-doors, inlaid +with gold, are fixed, and, inside the city, houses of five and six +stories high, of silver and gold, adorned with jewels, so lofty as to +converse with the sky, are glittering. Their minarets and pinnacles are +gleaming like lightning, and banners and pennons of many colours are +fluttering. The warm fragrance of perfumes was issuing from windows, +air-holes, and lattices. At every door were placed pillars of the +plantain-tree, with fresh shoots, and golden vessels. Garlands and +wreathed flowers were festooned from house to house, and joyful music +was sounding. From place to place, the recital of the Pûranas and +discourse about Krishna was kept up. The eighteen classes were dwelling +in case and tranquillity.” + +On hearing the Brahmin’s message, the warder says:—“‘Great sir, be +pleased to enter the palace; the divine Krishna reposes, in front of +you, on a throne.’ Krishna, descending, bows to him, and shows him much +respect, and those attentions which a man would show to his friend. +Having applied fragrant unguents, and caused him to be bathed and +washed, he partakes of food, possessing the six flavours. Afterwards he +gave him the betel leaf, made up with areca nut, spices, and chunam; +and having perfumed his body with saffron and sandal wood oil, and +arranged his dress, and put upon him a necklace of flowers, he +conducted him into a palace adorned with jewels, and caused him to +repose in a fair curtained bed, studded with gems.” After sleeping +profoundly, the Brahmin awakes, and relates his mission. Krishna goes +to claim his bride, and orders his charioteer, Darak, to prepare his +chariot. Darak quickly yokes four horses. Then the divine Krishna, +having ascended, and seated the Brahmin, departs from Dûarika to +Kundalpore. On coming forth from the city, behold! “on the right hand +herds upon herds of deer are moving, and in front, a lion and lioness, +carrying their prey, are advancing, roaring.” + +Having seen this auspicious event, the Brahmin, having mentally +reflected, said, “Sire, from beholding, at this time, this good omen, +it appears to my mind that, just as these are advancing, having +accomplished their object, just so you will return, having effected +yours.” Arrived at Kundalpore, he finds preparations made for the +marriage: + + + “Swept were the streets, the crossings o’er-canopied, and with + perfumes sprinkled and sandal oil; + Clusters were formed of flowers of white and of red, and + interspersed with cocoa-nuts of gold. + The green foliage, fruits, and flowers, were in profusion, and from + house to house flowering wreaths. + Banners and pennons and flowers, in golden tissues, were suspended, + and well-fashioned vessels of gold + And in every house reigned joy!” + + +“As for Rûkminee, with agitated frame, she gazed in every direction, as +the moon is dimmed by the morn. Extreme anxiety showed in the heart of +the fair one; she gazed, standing in a lofty balcony; her frame was +agitated, her heart most sad; she drew deep sighs. While, through +distress, tears rain from her eyes, she says, “Why has not Krishna +arrived?” When the marriage-day dawns, she sends, by a Brahmin, to +Krishna: “Receptacle of favour,—When two hours of the day remain I +shall go to perform worship in the temple of Dewee, to the east of the +city.” Her companions and attendants, arriving, first filled a square +place in the courtyard with pearls, and spread a seat of gold set with +pearls, on which they caused Rûkminee to sit, and anointed her with oil +by the hands of seven married women whose husbands were alive. +Afterwards, having rubbed her with fragrant paste, they adorned her +with sixteen ornaments, and put on her twelve trinkets, and having +arrayed her in a red boddice they seated her, fully adorned. Then the +young Rûkminee, accompanied by all her handmaidens, went, with the +sound of music, to perform her devotions. Screened by a curtain of +silk, and surrounded by crowd upon crowd of companions, she appeared +among the swarthy group who accompanied her as beautiful, as amid dark +blue clouds, the moon with its company of stars!” + +Having arrived at the temple of Dewee, the royal maiden, having washed +her hands and feet and sipped water, proceeded to offer sandal oil, +unbroken grains of rice, flowers, incense, lamps, and consecrated food, +and with earnest faith performed the worship of Dewee according to the +prescribed ritual. + +“After which she fed women of the Brahmin caste with delectable food, +and having attired them in fair garments, she drew a mark on their +foreheads with a mixture of rice, alum, turmeric, and acid, and having +caused to adhere some unbroken grains of rice, she received their +benediction. Hearing from an attendant that Krishna has arrived, the +Princess is filled with ecstatic delight, so that she cannot contain +herself; and leaning on the arm of an attendant, in a graceful +attitude, remains slightly smiling, in such a manner that no +description can express her beauty. The guards become fascinated and +remain immoveable. With trembling frame and coy of heart she finally +departs with Krishna.” + +The domestic life and appearance of Krishna and Rûkminee is still +further characteristically described in the imaginative pages of the +“Ocean of Love:”—“Once on a time, in a palace of gold, studded with +jewels, a gem-adorned bedstead, with curtains, was spread, on which a +bedding white as foam, and adorned with flowers, with pillows for the +cheek and for the head, continued to exhale perfumes. On all four sides +of the bed vessels containing camphor, rose-water, saffron, sandal oil, +and other ingredients, were placed; various kinds of marvellous +pictures were delineated on the walls on all sides. In recesses, here +and there, flowers, fruits, sweetmeats, and confections were placed, +and all that could be required for enjoyment was at hand. Clothed in a +petticoat and a full loose robe of dazzling splendour, embroidered with +pearls, and a sparkling boddice, and a long refulgent wrapper, and +wearing a glittering veil, covered with ornaments from head to foot; +with red lines drawn across the forehead, having a nose-ring of the +largest pearls, ornaments for the head, earrings, ornamental line at +the parting of the hair, marks between the eyebrows, ornaments for the +ears and forehead, a necklace composed of circular pieces of gold, a +string of gold beads and coral, a breast ornament, a necklace of five +strings and of seven, a pearl necklace, double and triple bracelets of +nine gems, armlets, wristlets, and other kinds of fastenings for the +arm; bangles, seals; seal rings, a girdle of bells, rings for the great +toe, toe ornaments, anklets, and other ornaments of all kinds studded +with jewels; the moon-faced, tulip-complexioned, gazelle-eyed, +bird-voiced, elephant-gaited, slim-waisted, divine Rûkminee, and the +cloud-coloured, lotus-eyed Krishna, ocean of beauty, splendour of the +three worlds, root of joy, wearing a diadem like the crest of a +peacock, and a necklace of forest flowers, a silken robe of yellow hue, +and a scarf of the same, were reposing, when, all of sudden, the divine +Krishna said to Rûkminee, ‘Listen, fair one,’” &c. + +Krishna afterwards takes 16,100 wives, and always at early dawn, one +would wash his face, another would apply a fragrant paste to his body, +another would prepare for him and give him to eat food of six flavours, +another would make nice betel, with cloves, cardamums, mace, and +nutmegs, for her beloved. “Each produced a daughter fair as Rûkminee; +each ten sons, brave sons were they! 161,000 and all alike, such were +the sons of Krishna!” + +Such is part of the history of the favourite divinity of the benighted +Hindoo as related in the flowery pages of the “Ocean of Love,” and the +history may be, more or less, read in the every-day scenes of Indian +life which pass around one. + +The description of Rûkminee, strange as it is, corresponds with many +other fair portraits in the Hindee; witness that of “Oonmadinee,” the +daughter of “Rutundutt”:— + +“Her beauty was like a light in a dark house—her eyes were those of a +deer, her curls like female snakes, her eyebrows like a bow, her nose +like a parrot’s, her teeth like a string of pearls, her lips like the +red gourds, her neck like a pigeon’s, her waist like a leopard’s, her +hands and feet like a soft lotus, her face like the moon, with the gait +of a goose, and the voice of a cuckoo!” + +More apparent even than in the earthly nature of the Hindoo’s +conception of the Divine attributes, the falsity and the human origin +of his Faith may be seen in the effect it produces wherever it is +allowed to obtain undivided sway. Combining dirt, idleness, and +religion together, the Hindoo Fukeer, attired in the minutest rag of +raiment, at times in none at all, wanders from place to place, and with +long and matted hair, blood-shot haggard eyes, and scowling visage, +fancies himself upon the path which leads direct to Paradise. + +Attenuated to the last degree, he suffers all extremes of heat and +cold, sleeps upon a bed of ashes, and sits moodily beneath the burning +mid-day sun, lives on charity while scorning usually to ask for alms, +and bears the reputation of a saint while reducing himself to the very +level of the beasts that perish. + +Something of the cheerful feelings which actuate these religious +mendicants may be found in the following passage:—“He may be called a +wise ‘Jogee,’ or ‘Fukeer,’ who has dried up the reservoir of hope with +the fire of austere devotion, and who has subdued his mind, and kept +the organs of sense in their proper place; and this is the condition of +persons in this world, that their bodies undergo dissolution, their +heads shake, and their teeth fall out. When men become old, they walk +about with sticks, and it is thus that time passes away. Night succeeds +day, and year succeeds month, and old age succeeds childhood, and we +know not who we are ourselves, and who others are; one comes and +another departs; and at last all living creatures must depart. And, +behold! night passes away, and then day dawns; the moon goes down and +the sun rises; thus does youth depart, and old age comes on, and thus +Time pursues his course: but although man sees all these things, he +does not become wise. There are bodies of many kinds, and minds of many +kinds, and affections or fascinations of many kinds, and Brahma has +created wickedness of many kinds; but a wise man, having escaped from +these, and having subdued hope and avarice, and shaved his head, and +taken a stick and water-pot in his hands, having subjugated the passion +of love and anger, and become a ‘Jogee,’ who wanders and travels about +with naked feet to places of pilgrimage, obtains final liberation. And, +behold, this world is like a dream.” + +The derivation of the word “Fukeer,” and an illustration of the +disposition of the mendicant race, is given in a Persian tale, called +the “Four Dervishes.” The story was originally narrated to amuse a king +of Delhi, who was sick, and was afterwards done into Hindostanee by a +Mussulman author, who styles himself, “This wicked sinner, Meer Ammun +of Delhi.” + +The speaker, a certain prince, who aspires to the title of “generous,” +has built a lofty house, with forty high and spacious doors, where, at +all times, from morning to evening, he gives rupees and gold mohurs +[35] to the poor and necessitous, and whoever asks for anything he +satisfies him. “One day a Fukeer came to the front door and begged. I +gave him a gold mohur; again he came to a second door, and asked for +two gold mohurs. I passed over the matter, and gave him two gold +mohurs. + +“In this manner he came to every door, and asked for an additional gold +mohur each time, and I gave him according to his request. Having come +to the fortieth door, and received forty gold mohurs, he came in again +by the first door, and begged afresh. + +“This appeared to me a very bad action on his part. I said to him, ‘O +avaricious man! what sort of mendicant art thou, who knowest not the +three letters of “Fukur” (poverty), according to which a Fukeer should +act?’ The Fukeer said, ‘Well, O liberal person, do you explain them to +me.’ I replied, ‘The three letters are f, k, and r. From f comes “faka” +(fasting); from k, “kinaüt” (contentment); and from r comes “reeazut” +(abstinence). He is not a Fukeer in whom these qualities are not. Oh, +avaricious creature! you have taken from forty doors, from one gold +mohur to forty. Calculate, therefore, how many you have received. And, +in addition to this, your avarice has brought you again to the first +door. Expend what you have received, and return and take whatever you +ask for. A Fukeer should take thought for one day; on the second day +there will be some fresh bestower of alms.’ Having heard this speech of +mine, he became angry and dissatisfied, and threw all he had received +from me on the ground, and said, ‘Enough, father; be not so warm; take +all your presents back again. Do not again assume the name of +“Liberal.” You cannot lift the weights of liberality. When will you +arrive at that day’s journey?’ + +“When I heard this I was alarmed, and with many solicitations asked him +to forgive my fault, and to take whatsoever he wished. He would not +accept my gifts at all, and went away saying, ‘If you were now to offer +me your whole kingdom I would not receive it from you.’” + +This studied indifference about a matter of more than a thousand +pounds, though perhaps not often exercised upon so large a scale, is +just that which these wandering fanatics display towards every offering +they receive, and in every action of their useless lives. Whatever may +be said against them, however, their profession of poverty and +suffering is no mockery, as was that of the well-fed “monks of old,” +whose reasonings were something similar on religious points. + +The Fukeer soliloquizes: “The condition of our being born is, that our +griefs are many and our pleasures few, because this world is the root +of misery. What happiness, therefore, has man? If any man should climb +to the top of a tree, or sit down on the summit of a hill, or remain +concealed in water, yet death does not allow him to escape. At the +most, man’s age is a hundred years, half of which passes away in night, +half of the other half is expended in childhood and old age; the +remainder is spent in altercation, separation from those we love, and +affliction, and the soul is restless as a wave of the sea. No one who +has come into the world has escaped from affliction. It is vain to fix +one’s affections on it, and therefore it is best to cultivate and +practise religion.” And so, as a remedy for the evil which he has +discovered to exist upon the earth, and to work out a successful escape +from it, he sits himself down in dust and ashes, and, mistaking the +sign-post, adopts the path which leads him furthest from the point he +wishes to arrive at. + +As the Hindoo is the most ancient of religions, so the Buddhist is the +one which is professed by the largest portion of the human race. It is +the religion of Burmah, Ceylon, China, Siam, Thibet, and Russian +Tartary, and is computed to claim as many as three hundred and +sixty-nine millions among its Votaries. [36] “Gautama,” or “Sakya +mounee,” its founder, was born in Bengal about the seventh century +before Christ. Yet India at present contains no modern temples of its +worship, and no native of India, that I have ever met, knew anything of +its founder, or was even acquainted with the term “Buddha,” or +“Buddhist.” Its doctrines are the most curious of those that have ever +been promulgated, and appear even now to be scarcely understood in all +their ramifications. According to original Buddhism, there is no +Creator, nor being that is self-existent and eternal. The great object +is the attainment, in this life, of complete abstraction from all +worldly affairs and passions, and the ultimate result, of entire +annihilation. Like the Hindoo, the Buddhist believes in transmigration +of souls, and until utter annihilation is reached, he is doomed to +shift his earthly tenement, from form to form, according to the deeds +done in the flesh. It is, therefore, the great object of all beings, +who would be released from the sorrows of successive birth, to seek the +destruction of the moral cause of continued existence, that is, the +cleaving to existing objects or evil desire. It is only possible to +accomplish this end by attending to a prescribed course of discipline, +and by fixing the mind upon the perfections of Buddha. Those who after +successive births have entirely destroyed all evil desires are called +“Rahuts,” and after death the Rahut attains “Nirwana,” or ceases to +exist. The actual meaning of the word “Rahut,” is “Tranquillity,” and +it appears to be the same word which is used on a small scale, to +express the soothing qualities of that far-famed Eastern sweetmeat, the +Rahut-lûkma, or “Morsels of tranquillity.” + +The Buddhas themselves are beings who appear after intervals of time +inconceivably vast. Previous to their reception of the state, they pass +through countless phases of being, at, one time appearing in human +form, at another as a frog, or fish, &c., in each of which states they +acquire a greater degree of merit. + +In the birth in which they become Buddha, they are always of woman +born, and pass through infancy and youth like ordinary mortals, until +at the prescribed age they abandon the world and retire to the +wilderness, where they receive the supernatural powers with which the +office is endowed. Their highest glory is that they receive the wisdom +by which they can direct sentient beings to the path that leads to the +desired cessation of existence. + +The Buddhism of Thibet appears to be an innovation on the original +system of religion. It was introduced into the country about the +seventh century of our era; and although Sakya mounee, who is supposed +by the Thibetians to have lived one thousand years before Christ, is +still believed to be the founder of the present system, the Delai Lama, +at Lassa, is regarded as an incarnation of Buddha, and is the supreme +infallible head of the whole Thibetian religious community. + +The original tenets, too, have been modified, and the modern Scriptures +have been adapted to three different capacities of mankind—viz. the +lowest, mean (or middle), and the highest. The principles thus declared +are as follows:— + +“1. Men of vulgar capacity must believe that there is a God, a future +life, and that they shall therein reap the fruits of their works in +this life. + +“2. Those that are in a middle degree of intellectual and moral +capacity, besides admitting the former position, must know that every +compound thing is perishable, that there is no reality in things, that +every imperfection is pain, and that deliverance from pain or bodily +existence is final happiness. + +“3. Those of the highest capacities, besides the above enumerated +articles, must know that, from the body to the supreme soul, nothing is +existing by itself, neither can it be said that it will continue always +or cease absolutely, but that everything exists by a dependant or +casual connexion.” [37] + +One cause of the extension of the religion of Buddha appears to be the +broad basis upon which admission to the priesthood has ‘been placed. No +one can become a Brahmin except by birth, but the privileges of +becoming a Lama are open to all who are willing to receive them upon +the conditions implied in their acceptance. The principal duties to be +attended to, by one about to become a priest, are thus laid down:—“He +who, with a firm faith in the religion of Truth, believes in Buddha, +shall rise before daylight, and, having cleaned his teeth, shall then +sweep all the places appointed to be swept in the vicinity of the +‘Vihara,’ or monastery; after which he shall fetch the water that is +required for use, filter it, and place it ready for drinking. When this +is done, he shall retire to a solitary place, and for the space of +three hours meditate on the obligations of his vow. The bell will then +ring, and he must reflect that greater than the gift of 100 elephants, +100 horses, and 100 chariots, is the reward of him who takes one step +towards the place where worship is offered. Thus reflecting, he shall +approach the ‘Dagoba,’ where relics of holy men are placed, and perform +that which is appointed; he shall offer flowers just as if Buddha were +present in person, meditate on the nine virtues of Buddha with a fixed +and determined mind, and seek forgiveness for his faults, just as if +the sacred relics were endowed with life. He shall then meditate on the +advantages to be derived from carrying the alms-bowl and putting on the +yellow robe.” The injunctions on the priesthood relative to their +abstracting their thoughts and desires from all earthly matters +whatever, are of the strictest nature. “The door of the eye is to be +kept shut. When the outer gates of the city are left open, though the +door of every separate house and store be shut, the enemy will enter +the city and take possession; in like manner, though all the ordinances +be kept, if the eye be permitted to wander, affection for worldly +objects will be produced.” A story is told of a priest named +Chittagutta, who resided once in a cave, upon the walls of which the +history of Buddha was painted “in the finest style of art.” + +The cave was visited by some priests, who expressed their admiration of +the paintings to Chittagutta, but the devotee replied that he had lived +there sixty years and had never seen them, nor would he, except for +their information, ever have become aware of their existence. There was +near the door of his cave a spreading tree; but he only knew that it +was there by the fall of its leaves or flowers; the tree itself he +never saw, as he carefully observed the precept not to look upwards, or +to a distance! + +The priest of Buddha must possess but eight articles: three of these +are matters of dress; the others, a girdle for the loins, an alms-bowl, +a razor, a needle, and a water-strainer. The bowl receives the food +presented in alms; the razor is for shaving the head; the needle keeps +his yellow wardrobe in order; and the water-strainer is the most +serviceable of all, for “if any priest shall knowingly drink water +containing insects, he shall be ejected from the priesthood.” + +The Dagobas, or shrines of relics, which abound in such numbers in +Thibet, have also been found in India and other countries. Some of them +when opened have been found to contain what appears to be remains of a +funeral pile, also vessels of stone or metal, and, occasionally, +caskets of silver and gold, curiously wrought. “Some of these have been +chased with a series of four figures, representing Buddha in the act of +preaching; a mendicant is on his right, a lay follower on his left, and +behind the latter a female disciple.” This somewhat describes the +appearance of the stone-carved figures at the monastery of Hemis. [38] +These caskets have been set with rubies and chased with the leaves of +the lotus. Besides these have also been found small pearls, gold +buttons, rings, beads, pieces of clay and stone bearing impressions of +figures, bits of bone, and teeth of animals, pieces of cloth, &c. The +images are sometimes recumbent, at other times standing upright, with +the hand uplifted in the act of giving instruction. Sometimes they have +three heads and six or more arms. + +In order to form clear and accurate ideas of the religion of Buddha, it +would be necessary to study a vast number of volumes, some of them +contradictory and of very doubtful authority, and the result would +appear hardly to compensate for the trouble, so altered has modern +Buddhism become from ancient, and into so many different systems has it +been divided in the many different countries in which it is professed. +Among its doctrines there is much that is virtuous and true. It +preaches benevolence and goodwill towards men, but enjoins no active +efforts to prove the sincerity of such goodwill. It requires its +members to “confess their sins with a contrite heart, to ask +forgiveness of them, and to repent truly, with a resolution not to +commit such again. To rejoice in the moral merit and perfection of +human beings, and to wish that they may attain beatitude; further, to +pray and exhort others to turn the wheel of religion, that the world +may be benefited thereby.” Its general aim seems to be to overcome all +emotions and preferences of the mind, and all that would disturb its +repose and quiet. It seeks to destroy the human passions and not to +regulate them; and with faith in Buddha only as its aid, it succeeds +about as well as might have been anticipated. + +Between these two religions of Brahma and Buddha, that of the “Jains” +sprang up, apparently a heresy from both. It has nearly died out in +India, though many ruins of its temples remain. The Jains agree with +the Buddhists as to the transmigration of souls, and carry their +respect for life to the still greater extent, that besides a strainer +to remove all animalculæ from the water they imbibe, they carry a broom +to sweep away the insects from their path. They differ from the +Brahmins in repudiating their minor incarnations and gods, as the +following translation will serve to show:—“A rajah, of the name of +Gondshekur, had a minister, Abhûechund, who converted him to the Jain +religion. He prohibited the worship of Vishnu, and all gifts of cows, +land, and balls of flour and rice, and would not allow any one to carry +away bones to the Ganges. One day the minister began to say, ‘O great +king, be pleased to listen to the judgments and explanations of +religion: Whosoever takes another’s life, that other takes his life in +another world. The birth of a man after he has again come into the +world does not escape from this sin; he is born again and again, and +dies again and again. For this reason it is right for a man, who has +been born in the world, to cultivate religion. Behold! Brahma, Vishnu, +and Mahadeo, being under the influence of love, anger, and fascination, +descend upon the earth in various ways; but a cow is superior to them +all, for it is free from anger, enmity, intoxication, rage, avarice, +and inordinate affection, and affords protection to the subject; and +her sons also behave kindly to, and cherish the animals of the earth, +and therefore all the gods and sages regard the cow with respect. For +this reason, it is not right to regard the gods—in this world, respect +the cow. It is virtuous to protect all animals, from the elephant to +the ant, and from beasts and birds to man. In the world there is no act +so impious as for men to increase their own flesh by eating the flesh +of other creatures. They who do not sympathise in the griefs of +animated beings, and who kill and eat other animals, do not live long +on the earth, and are born lame, maimed, blind, dwarfs, and humpbacked, +&c.; and it is a great sin to drink wine and eat flesh; wherefore to do +so is improper. The minister, having thus explained his sentiments to +the rajah, converted him to the Jain religion, so that he did whatever +the minister said, and no longer paid any respect to Brahmins, Fukeers, +Jogies, Dervishes, &c., and carried on his government according to this +religion.” + +Next among the religions of the East, whose outward observances so +forcibly attract attention, comes that of the Moslem—“The marvellous +reformation wrought by Mahomet and the Koran in the manners, morals, +and religious feelings of so many millions.” + +Mahomet, in truth, although “The False Prophet,” would appear to have +been a considerable benefactor to his species. The Arabs, at the time +of his birth, were sunk in idolatry and the worship of the stars, while +their morals were under no control either of law or religion. The +Prophet’s aim appears, in the first instance, to have been, to secure a +system of orderly government, and at the same time to gain, for his own +family, a dignity which should be exalted beyond all fear of +competition—the dignity of lordship over the holy city of Mecca. This +was then held under no higher tenure than the sufferance and caprice of +the Arab tribes. To perpetuate this lordship by assuming an hereditary +and inviolable pontificate was Mahomet’s first idea, and at a banquet +given to the whole of his kinsmen he revealed his scheme. They, +however, rejected his appeal, and he then proclaimed himself as an +apostle to all, and setting aside existing forms and traditions +proceeded to a higher flight of ambition. For election by blood, he +substituted election of God; and assuming a direct revelation from on +high, he, by force of an ardent and ambitious will, carried out his +project even at Mecca itself, where, to all who visited his shrine, he +preached without distinction. From the powerful opposition brought +against him, Mahomet was at last obliged to fly; but before doing so, +and casting off the high position he held among his own tribe and +kinsmen, he assembled his followers together on a mountain near Mecca, +and there, without distinction of blood or calling, he enrolled them as +equal followers in one community, and entered with them into a solemn +and binding agreement. “That night Mahomet fled from Mecca to Medina, +and then took its rise a pontificate, an empire, and an era.” This +hegira, or “flight,” is believed to have occurred on the 19th June, +A.D. 622 [39] but has been variously stated; it is, however, the era +now in general use among no less than one hundred and sixty millions of +people. + +Although himself an undoubted impostor, and the Koran a manifest +forgery, Mahomet would appear to deserve a larger share of +appreciation, or at least of charitable judgment, than he usually +receives. + +“He was one richly furnished with natural endowments, showing +liberality to the poor, courtesy to every one, fortitude in trial, and, +above all, a high reverence for the name of God. He was a preacher of +patience, charity, mercy, beneficence, gratitude, honouring of parents +and superiors, and a frequent celebrator of Divine praise.” The great +doctrine of the Koran is the Unity of God, and in this creed Mahomet +himself seems to have been a sincere believer. “Its design was to unite +the professors of the three different religions then followed in +Arabia—who for the most part were without guides, the greater number +being idolaters, and the rest Jews and Christians, mostly of erroneous +and heterodox belief—in the knowledge and worship of one eternal and +invisible God, and to bring them to obedience of Mahomet as the only +prophet and ambassador of the truth.” The “fatiha,” or opening chapter +of the Koran, is said to contain the essence of the whole, and forms +part of the daily prayers of all zealous Mussulmans. It commences with +the formula pronounced at the beginning of their reading on all +occasions whenever an animal is slaughtered for food, and upon the +undertaking of all important actions whatever: + + + “In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate. Praise be to + God, the Lord of the Creation, the all-merciful, the + all-compassionate! Ruler of the day of reckoning! + + “Thee we worship, and Thee we invoke for help. Lead us in the + straight path—the path of those upon whom thou hast been gracious, + not of those that are the objects of wrath or that are in error.” + + +The Moslem faithful pray five times in the twenty-four hours: in the +morning before sunrise, at noon, before sunset, after sunset, and +before the first watch of the night: and that these observances were +not originally instituted merely that their prayers might be seen +before men, would appear from the injunction which lays down that “what +is principally to be regarded in the duty of prayer, is the inward +disposition of the heart, which is its entire life and spirit, the most +punctual observance being of no avail if performed without devotion, +reverence, attention, and hope.” + +Prayer was held by Mahomet to be the “pillar of religion” and the “key +of paradise,” and in the performance of it, his disciples are enjoined +to lay aside their ornaments and costly habits, and all that might +savour of either pride or arrogance. + +Its observance, however, at five stated times appears to be nowhere +mentioned in the Koran, although the custom is now an essential part, +and the most noticeable and characteristic feature of Mahomedanism. + +Saints and sinners join equally in the form. A crime just committed, or +one in immediate contemplation, in no way interferes with the +“five-time prayers,” and the neglect of them amounts to an abnegation +of the Faith. The summons to prayer was originally only one sentence, +“To public prayer.” Mahomet, however, afterwards bethought himself that +a more elaborate and striking call would be an improvement, and the +present “Azzan,” or call to prayer, was introduced. + +While the matter was under discussion, Mahomet being unable to decide +upon any suitable form, a certain Abdallah dreamed that he met a man +arrayed in green raiment carrying a bell. Abdallah sought to buy it, +thinking it would just suit the Prophet for assembling together the +Faithful. The stranger, however, replied, “I will show you a better way +than that; let a crier call aloud— + + + “Great is the Lord! great is the Lord! + I bear witness that there is no God but the Lord; + I bear witness that Mahomet is the Prophet of God! + Come unto prayer, come unto happiness— + God is great! God is great! There is no God but the Lord!” + + +Mahomet, learning the particulars of Abdallah’s dream, believed it to +have been a vision from on high, and sent his servant forthwith to +execute the Divine command. Ascending to the top of a lofty house, this +first of established Mûezzins, on the earliest appearance of light, +startled all around from their slumbers with the newly-adopted call, +adding to it, “Prayer is better than sleep! Prayer is better than +sleep!” And ever since, at the customary five hours, have his +successors thus summoned the people to their devotions. + +Concerning the future state, the Mahomedan believes that all will be +examined at the day of Judgment as to their words and actions in this +life. + +“Their time, as to how they spent it; their wealth, by what means they +acquired it, and how they employed it; their bodies, wherein they +exercised them; their knowledge and learning, what use they made of +them,” &c. “They enter Paradise, however, not by their own good works, +but by the mercy of God. At that day each person will make his defence +in the best manner he can, endeavouring to find excuses for his own +conduct by casting blame on others; so much so, that disputes shall +even arise between the Soul and Body. The Soul saying, “Lord, I was +created without a hand to lay hold with, a foot to walk with, an eye to +see with, or an understanding to apprehend with, until I came and +entered the Body: therefore punish it, but deliver me.” The Body, on +the other side, will make this apology, “Lord, thou createdst me like a +stock of wood, being neither able to hold with my hand, nor to walk +with my feet, till this Soul, like a ray of light, entered into me, and +my tongue began to speak, my eye to see, and my foot to walk: therefore +punish it, but deliver me.” Then shall the following parable be +propounded:—“A certain king having a pleasant garden, in which were +ripe fruits, set two persons to keep it, one of whom was blind, and the +other lame—the former not being able to see the fruit, nor the latter +to gather it. The lame man, however, seeing the fruit, persuaded the +blind man to take him on his shoulders; and by that means he easily +gathered the fruits, which they divided between them. The lord of the +garden coming some time after, and inquiring after the fruit, each +began to excuse himself; the blind man said he had no eyes to see it +with, and the lame man that he had no feet to approach the trees. Then +the king, ordering the lame man to be set on the blind, passed sentence +on them both, and punished them together. + +“In like manner shall be judged the Body and the Soul.” + +Such are some few of the religious tenets of those among whom one’s lot +is cast while wandering in the East. Sunk for the most part in +ignorance, and held as infidels for wanting faith in what they never +heard, they nevertheless attract attention chiefly by their Faith, and +by their zealous worship of the Being, whom, although in darkest +ignorance as to His attributes and laws, their original creed would +teach them to believe the one Eternal God. + +Some idea of the number represented by these different sects may be +derived from the following table:— + + + { Buddhists 369,000,000 + Asiatic Religions { Hindoos 231,000,000 + { Mussulmen 160,000,000 + + { Roman Catholics 170,000,000 + Christians { Protestants 80,000,000 + { Greek Church 76,000,000 + + Jews 5,000,000 + Other Religions 200,000,000 [40] + + +And when we reflect how great is the proportion of those who sit in +darkness, and that “even all who tread the earth are but a handful to +the tribes that slumber in its bosom,” it is but natural to consider +what our own belief would bid us hold as to the future destiny of so +large a portion of the human family. + +At the same time, the question, “Are there few that be saved?” not +having been answered eighteen centuries ago, would appear to be one to +which no definite reply was intended to be rendered, and which might +well be left till now unanswered, by those who hold the religion of +Faith, Hope, and Charity. When, however, the Church to which we belong +boldly affirms, in words which as the public profession of its faith, +should be beyond all doubt or misconception by either friend or foe, +that none can be saved but those who hold the Catholic Faith, as she +would have them hold it, then, at least, we may fairly consider the +matter so far as to doubt whether the answer thus forced upon us is one +which, even on such high authority, we are bound to accept. Before, at +least, concurring in a solution of the question which, thus virtually +bringing it within the limits of a simple arithmetical calculation, +would summarily dispose of so many millions of the human race, we may +remember that some things have been taught as possible which men, and +even saints, may deem impossible; and, before attempting to reduce +“goodwill toward men” to human and determinable proportions, we may +also remember that “good tidings of great joy” were promised to all +people, and that they may possibly prove therefore to have in some way +benefited even those who have never heard them with their mortal ears. + +Meanwhile, in the matter of “Turks and Infidels,” we may perhaps learn +something even from an Infidel creed, and, borrowing a definition from +the religion of Islam, may be allowed to hold with it, that + + + “Truly to despair of the goodness of God—this is ‘Infidelity.’” + + + + + + + +APPENDIX A. + +THE TEMPLES OF CASHMERE. + + + Extract from “An Essay on the Arian Order of Architecture, as + exhibited in the Temples of Kashmír,” by Capt. A. Cunningham. + “Journal of the Asiatic Society,” Vol. XVII. + + +The architectural remains of Kashmír are perhaps the most remarkable of +the existing monuments of India, as they exhibit undoubted traces of +the influence of Grecian art. The Hindú temple is generally a sort of +architectural pasty, a huge collection of ornamental fritters, huddled +together with or without keeping; while the “Jain” temple is usually a +vast forest of pillars, made to look as unlike one another as possible, +by some paltry differences in their petty details. + +On the other hand, the Kashmirian fanes are distinguished by the +graceful elegance of their outlines, by the massive boldness of their +parts, and by the happy propriety of their decorations. + +They cannot, indeed, vie with the severe simplicity of the Parthenon, +but they possess great beauty—different, indeed, yet quite their own. + +The characteristic features of the Kashmirian architecture are its +lofty pyramidal roofs, its trefoiled doorways, covered by pyramidal +pediments, and the great width of the intercolumniations. + +Most of the Kashmirian temples are more or less injured, but more +particularly those at Wantipúr, which are mere heaps of ruins. Speaking +of these temples, Trebeck says: “It is scarcely possible to imagine +that the state of ruin to which they have been reduced has been the +work of time, or even of man, as their solidity is fully equal to that +of the most massive monuments of Egypt. Earthquakes must have been the +cause of their overthrow.” In my opinion, their overthrow is too +complete to have been the result of an earthquake, which would have +simply prostrated the buildings in large masses. But the whole of the +superstructure of these temples is now lying in one confused heap of +stones, totally disjointed from one another. + +I believe, therefore, that I am fully justified in saying, from my own +experience, that such a complete and disruptive overturn could only +have been produced by gunpowder. + +The destruction of the Kashmirian temples is universally attributed, +both by history and by tradition, to the bigoted Sikander. (A.D. 1396.) +He was reigning at the period of Timúr’s invasion of India, with whom +he exchanged friendly presents, and from whom, I suppose, he may have +received a present of the villainous saltpetre. + +As it would appear that the Turks had metal cannon at the siege of +Constantinople in 1422, I think it no great stretch of probability to +suppose that gunpowder itself had been carried into the East, even as +far as Kashmír, at least ten or twenty years earlier—that is, about +A.D. 1400 to 1420, or certainly during the reign of Sikander, who died +in 1416. + +Even if this be not admitted, I still adhere to my opinion, that the +complete ruin of the Wantipúr temples could only have been effected by +gunpowder; and I would, then, ascribe their overthrow to the bigoted +“Aurungzíb.” + +“Ferishta” attributed to Sikander the demolition of all the Kashmirian +temples save one, which was dedicated to Mahadeo, and which only +escaped “in consequence of its foundations being below the surface of +the neighbouring water.” + +In A.D. 1580, “Abul Fazl” mentions that some of the idolatrous temples +were in “perfect preservation;” and Ferishta describes many of these +temples as having been in existence in his own time, or about A.D. +1600. + +As several are still standing, though more or less injured, it is +certain that Sikander could not have destroyed them all. He most likely +gave orders that they should be overturned; and I have no doubt that +many of the principal temples were thrown down during his reign. + +But, besides the ruthless hand of the destroyer, another agency, less +immediate, but equally certain in its ultimate effects, must have been +at work upon the large temples of Kashmír. The silent ravages of the +destroyer, who carries away pillars and stone, for the erection of +other edifices, has been going on for centuries. Pillars, from which +the architraves have been thus removed, have been thrown down by +earthquakes, ready to be set up again for the decoration of the first +Musjid that might be erected in the neighbourhood. Thus every Mahomedan +building in Kashmír is constructed either entirely or in part of the +ruins of Hindú temples. + + + + +TAKT I SULÍMAN. + +The oldest temple in Kashmír, both in appearance and according to +tradition, is that upon the hill of “Takt i Sulíman,” or Solomon’s +Throne. It stands 1,000 feet above the plain, and commands a view of +the greater part of Kashmír. + +The situation is a noble one, and must have been amongst the first +throughout the whole valley which was selected as the position of a +temple. Its erection is ascribed to Jaloka, the son of Asoka, who +reigned about 220 B.C. + +The plan of the temple is octagonal, each side being fifteen feet in +length. It is approached by a flight of eighteen steps, eight feet in +width, and inclosed between two sloping walls. Its height cannot now be +ascertained, as the present roof is a modern plastered dome, which was +probably built since the occupation of the country by the Sikhs. The +walls are eight feet thick, which I consider one of the strongest +proofs of the great antiquity of the building. + + + + +PÁNDRETHÁN. + +This name means the old capital, or ancient chief town. The name has, +however, been spelt by different travellers in many different ways. +“Moorcroft” calls it Pándenthán, “Vigne” Pandrenton, and “Hugel” +Pandriton. + +The building of this temple is recorded between A.D. 913 and 921; and +it is afterwards mentioned between the years 958 and 972, as having +escaped destruction when the King Abhimanyú—Nero-like—set fire to his +own capital. + +As this is the only temple situated in the old capital, there can be +very little, if any, doubt that it is the very same building which now +exists. For as it is surrounded by water, it was, of course, quite safe +amid the fire, which reduced the other buildings to mere masses of +quicklime. + +Baron Hugel calls the Pándrethán edifice a “Buddhist temple,” and +states that there are some well-preserved Buddhist figures in the +interior. But he is doubly mistaken, for the temple was dedicated to +Vishnú, and the figures in the inside have no connexion with Buddhism. + +Trebeck swam into the interior, and could discover no figures of any +kind; but as the whole ceiling was formerly hidden by a coating of +plaster, his statement was, at that time, perfectly correct. + +The object of erecting the temples in the midst of water must have been +to place them more immediately under the protection of the Nágas, or +human-bodied and snake-tailed gods, who were zealously worshipped for +ages through Kashmír. + + + + +MÁRTTAND. + +Of all the existing remains of Kashmirian grandeur, the most striking +in size and situation is the noble ruin of Márttand. + +This majestic temple stands at the northern end of the elevated +table-land of “Matan,” about three miles to the eastward of Islámabád. + +This is undoubtedly the finest position in Kashmír. The temple itself +is not now (1848) more than forty feet in height, but its solid walls +and bold outlines towering over the fluted pillars of the surrounding +colonnade give it a most imposing appearance. + +There are no petty confused details; but all are distinct and massive, +and most admirably suited to the general character of the building. + +Many vain speculations have been hazarded regarding the date of the +erection of this temple and the worship to which it was appropriated. + +It is usually called the “House of the Pandús” by the Brahmins, and by +the people “Mattan.” + +The true appellation appears to be preserved in the latter, Matan being +only a corruption of the Sanscrit Márttand मार्त्तण्ड, or the sun, to which +the temple was dedicated. + +The true date of the erection of this temple—the wonder of Kashmír—is a +disputed point of chronology; but the period of its foundation can be +determined within the limits of one century, or between A.D. 370 and +500. + +The mass of building now known by the name of Matan, or Márttand, +consists of one lofty central edifice, with a small detached wing on +each side of the entrance, the whole standing on a large quadrangle +surrounded by a colonnade of fluted pillars, with intervening +trefoil-headed recesses. The central building is sixty-three feet in +length, by thirty-six in width. + +As the main building is at present entirely uncovered, the original +form of the roof can only be determined by a reference to other +temples, and to the general form and character of the various parts of +the Márttand temple itself. + +The angle of the roof in the Temple of Pándrethán, and in other +instances, is obtained by making the sides of the pyramid which forms +it parallel to the sides of the doorway pediment, and in restoring the +Temples of Patrun and Márttand I have followed the same rule. + +The height of the Pándrethán temple—of the cloistered recesses, porch +pediments, and niches of Márttand itself—were all just double their +respective widths. This agreement in the relative proportions of my +restored roof of Márttand with those deduced from other examples, is a +presumptive proof of the correctness of my restoration. The +entrance-chamber and the wings I suppose to have been also covered by +similar pyramidal roofs. There would thus have been four distinct +pyramids, of which that over the inner chamber must have been the +loftiest, the height of its pinnacle above the ground being about +seventy-five feet. + +The interior must have been as imposing as the exterior. On ascending +the flight of steps—now covered by ruins—the votary of the sun entered +a highly-decorated chamber, with a doorway on each side covered by a +pediment, with a trefoil-headed niche containing a bust of the Hindú +triad, and on the flanks of the main entrance, as well as on those of +the side doorways, were pointed and trefoil niches, each of which held +a statue of a Hindú divinity. + +The interior decorations of the roof can only be conjecturally +determined, as I was unable to discover any ornamented stones that +could with certainty be assigned to it. Baron Hugel doubts that +Márttand ever had a roof; but, as the walls of the temple are still +standing, the numerous heaps of large stones that are scattered about +on all sides can only have belonged to the roof. + +I can almost fancy that the erection of this sun-temple was suggested +by the magnificent sunny prospect which its position commands. It +overlooks the finest view in Kashmír, and perhaps in the known world, +Beneath it lies the paradise of the East, with its sacred streams and +cedarn glens, its brown orchards and green fields, surrounded on all +sides by vast snowy mountains, whose lofty peaks seem to smile upon the +beautiful valley below. The vast extent of the scene makes it sublime; +for this magnificent view of Kashmír is no petty peep into a half-mile +glen, but the full display of a valley sixty miles in breadth and +upwards of a hundred miles in length, the whole of which lies beneath +“the ken of the wonderful Márttand.” + +The principal buildings that still exist in Kashmír are entirely +composed of a blue limestone, which is capable of taking the highest +polish—a property to which I mainly attribute the beautiful state of +preservation in which some of them at present exist. + +Even at first sight one is immediately struck by the strong resemblance +which the Kashmirian colonnades bear to the classic peristyles of +Greece. Even the temples themselves, with their porches and pediments, +remind one more of Greece than of India; and it is difficult to believe +that a style of architecture which differs so much from all Indian +examples, and which has so much in common with those of Greece, could +have been indebted to chance alone for this striking resemblance. + +One great similarity between the Kashmirian architecture and that of +the various Greek orders is its stereotyped style, which, during the +long flourishing period of several centuries, remained unchanged. In +this respect it is so widely different from the ever-varying forms and +plastic vagaries of the Hindú architecture that it is impossible to +conceive their evolution from a common origin. + +I feel convinced myself that several of the Kashmirian forms, and many +of the details, were borrowed from the temples of the Kabúlian Greeks, +while the arrangements of the interior and the relative proportions of +the different parts were of Hindú origin. Such, in fact, must +necessarily have been the case with imitations by Indian workmen, which +would naturally have been engrafted upon the indigenous architecture. +The general arrangements would still remain Indian, while many of the +details, and even some of the larger forms, might be of foreign origin. + +As a whole, I think that the Kashmirian architecture, with its noble +fluted pillars, its vast colonnades, its lofty pediments, and its +elegant trefoiled arches, is fully entitled to be classed as a distinct +style. I have therefore ventured to call it the Arian order—a name to +which it has a double right; first, because it was the style of the +Aryas, or Arians, of Kashmír; and, secondly, because its +intercolumniations are always of four diameters—an interval which the +Greeks called Araiostyle. + + + + +EXTRACT FROM VIGNE’S “TRAVELS IN KASHMÍR.” + +The Hindú temple of Márttand is commonly called the House of the +Pandús. Of the Pandús it is only necessary to say that they are the +Cyclopes of the East. Every old building, of whose origin the poorer +class of Hindús in general have no information, is believed to have +been the work of the Pandús. As an isolated ruin, this deserves, on +account of its solitary and massive grandeur, to be ranked not only as +the first ruin of the kind in Kashmír, but as one of the noblest among +the architectural relics of antiquity that are to be seen in any +country. Its noble and exposed situation at the foot of the hills +reminded me of that of the Escurial. It has no forest of cork-trees and +evergreen-oaks before it, nor is it to be compared, in point of size, +with that stupendous building; but it is visible from as great a +distance. And the Spanish sierra cannot for a moment be placed in +competition with the verdant magnificence of the mountain-scenery of +Kashmír. + +Few of the Kashmirian temples, if any, I should say, were Buddhist. +Those in or upon the edge of the water were rather, I should suppose, +referable to the worship of the Nágas, or snake-gods. The figures in +all the temples are almost always in an erect position, and I have +never been able to discover any inscription in those now remaining. + +I had been struck with the great general resemblance which the temple +bore to the recorded disposition of the Ark and its surrounding +curtains, in imitation of which the Temple at Jerusalem was built; and +it became for a moment a question whether the Kashmirian temples had +not been built by Jewish architects, who had recommended them to be +constructed on the same plan for the sake of convenience merely. It is, +however, a curious fact, that in Abyssinia, the ancient Ethiopia, which +was also called “Kush,” the ancient Christian churches are not unlike +those of Kashmír, and that they were originally built in imitation of +the temple, by the Israelites who followed the Queen of Sheba, whose +son took possession of the throne of Kush, where his descendants are at +this moment Kings of Abyssinia. + +Without being able to boast, either in extent or magnificence, of an +approach to equality with the temple of the sun at Palmyra, or the +ruins of the palace at Persepolis, Márttand is not without pretensions +to a locality of scarcely inferior interest, and deserves to be ranked +with them as the leading specimen of a gigantic style of architecture +that has decayed with the religion it was intended to cherish, and the +prosperity of a country it could not but adorn. + +In situation it is far superior to either. Palmyra is surrounded by an +ocean of sand, and Persepolis overlooks a marsh; but the temple of the +sun in Márttand is built upon a natural platform at the foot of some of +the noblest mountains, and beneath its ken lies what is undoubtedly the +finest and the most prononcé valley in the known world. + +We are not looking upon the monuments of the dead. We step not aside to +inspect a tomb, or pause to be saddened by an elegy. The noble pile in +the foreground is rather an emblem of age than of mortality; and the +interest with which we perambulate its ruins is not the less +pleasurable because we do not know much that is certain of its +antiquity, its founders, or its original use. + + + + + + + +APPENDIX B. + +THE MYSTIC SENTENCE OF THIBET. + + +Explication et origine de la formule bouddhique:—“Om mani padmè hoûm” +Par M. Klaproth. “Nouveau Journal Asiatique.” + +Les Tubétains et les Mongols ont perpétuellement cette prière dans la +bouche. Les mots de cette inscription sont Sanscrits, et donnent un +sens complet dans cette langue. En voici la transcription en +devanagri:— + + + ओं मणि पद्मे हुं + + +“Om” est, chez les Hindous, le nom mystique de la divinité, par lequel +toutes les prières commencent. Cette particule mystique équivaut à +l’interjection, oh! prononcée avec emphase et avec une entière +conviction religieuse. Mani signifie le joyau; Padma le lotus. Enfin +Hoûm est une particule qui équivaut à notre “Amen.” Le sens de la +phrase est très clair; “Om mani padmè hoûm” signifie “Oh! le joyau dans +le lotus, Amen.” Malgré ce sens indubitable, les Bouddhistes du Tubet +se sont évertués à chercher un sens mystique à chacune des six syllabes +qui composent cette phrase. Ils ont rempli des livres entiers de ces +explications imaginaires. + +Cette formule est particulière aux Bouddhistes du Tubet. + +Selon l’histoire de ce pays la formule Om mani padmè hoûm, y a été +apportée de l’Inde vers la moitié du 7e siècle de notre ère. + +La legende suivante traduite du Mongol contient des détails sur la +conversion du Tubet par le dieu Padmá pani, [41] et sur l’origine des +six syllabes sacrées, Om mani padmè hoûm. Ce dieu est appelé en +Sanscrit “Avalokites’ vara” ou “le maître qui contemple avec amour;” ce +que les Tubétains ont rendu par “le tout-voyant aux mille mains et aux +mille yeux:” Les Chinois on traduit le nom par “celui qui contemple les +sous du inonde.” + +“Autrefois, quand le ‘glorieux-accompli’ (Sakya mouni ou Buddh) +séjournait dans la forêt ‘d’Odma,’ il advint un jour, qu’étant entouré +de ses nombreux disciples un rayon de lumière de cinq couleurs sortit +tout-à-coup entre ses deux sourcils, forma un arc-en-ciel, et se +dirigea du côté de l’Empire septentrional de neige (Thibet). Les +regards du Bouddha suivaient ce rayon, et sa figure montra un sourire +de joie inexprimable. Un de ses disciples lui demanda de lui en +expliquer la raison, et sur sa prière le glorieux-accompli lui dit: + +“‘Fils d’illustre origine! dans le pays qu’aucun Bouddha des trois +âges n’a pu convertir, et qui est rempli d’une foule d’êtres +malfaisans, la loi se lèvera comme le soleil et s’y répandra dans les +temps futurs. + +“‘L’apôtre de cet Empire de neige âpre et sauvage, sera le +Khoutoukhtou’ (Padmá páni). + +“Après que ‘Sakya mouni’ eut prononcé ces paroles, un rayon de lumière, +éclatant comme un lotus blanc, sortit de son coeur et illumina toutes +les régions du monde et se plongea dans le coeur du Bouddha infiniment +resplendissant. Alors un autre éclat de lumière sortit du Bouddha +resplendissant et se plongea dans la mer des fleurs de Padmá (lotus), +et y transmit cette pensée du Bouddha, qu’il s’en élèverait et qu’il en +naitrait un Khoubilkhan [42] divin, destiné à la conversion de l’Empire +de neige. + +“Le Roi Dehdou qui était parvenu à participer à la béatitude de +l’empire de Soukhawatee, voulant un jour offrir au Bouddha un sacrifice +des fleurs, dépêcha quelques-uns des siens aux bords de la mer des +Padmá (Lotus), pour y cueillir de ces fleurs. Ses envoyés aperçurent +dans la mer une très grande tige de Lotus au milieu de laquelle il y +avait un bouton colossal entouré d’une foule de grandes feuilles, et +jetant des rayons de lumière de différentes couleurs. Les envoyés en +firent leur rapport au roi, qui, rempli d’étonnement, se rendit avec sa +cour sur un grand radeau à la place de la mer où se trouvait cette tige +merveilleuse. + +“Y’étant arrivé, il présenta ses offrandes et prononça la bénédiction; +le bouton s’ouvrit alors des quatre cotés, et au milieu apparut +l’apôtre de l’empire de neige, né comme ‘Khoubilkhan.’ Il y était +assis, les jambes croisées, avait mi visage et quatre mains; les deux +mains antérieures étaient jointes devant le cœur, la troisième de +droite tenait un rosaire de cristal, et la quatrième à gauche une fleur +de Lotus blanche, qui penchait vers l’oreille. + +“Sur sa figure, dont l’éclat se répandait vers les dix régions du +monde, se montrait un sourire qui pénétra dans tous les cœurs. + +“Le roi et sa suite portèrent le ‘Khoubilkhan’ au palais, en poussant +des cris de joie et entonnant des hymnes. Le roi se rendit devant le +Bouddha éternel et lui demanda la permission d’adopter pour fils, le +‘Khoubilkhan’ né dans la mer de lotus. Mais sa demande ne fut pas agréé +et il apprit, la véritable origine de ce ‘Khoubilkhan.’ Le Bouddha +infiniment resplendissant posa alors sa main sur la tête de celui-ci et +dit ‘Fils d’illustre origine! Les êtres qui habitent l’âpre empire de +la neige, qu’aucun Bouddha des temps passés n’a pu convertir, qu’aucun +du temps futurs ne convertira, et qu’aucun du temps présent n’a +converti, le seront par la force et la bénédiction de ton vœu. C’est +excellant; c’est excellant! Khoutoukhtou! [43] + +“‘Aussitôt que les habitans de l’âpre empire de neige te verront et +qu’ils entendront le son des six syllabes (Om mani padmè hoûm) ils +seront délivrés des trois naissances de mauvaise nature, et trouveront +la béatitude par la renaissance comme êtres d’une nature supérieure. +Les esprits malfaisans de l’âpre empire de neige, ainsi que tous les +êtres donnant des maladies ou la mort, aussitôt, Khoutoukhtou, qu’ils +te verront et qu’ils entendront le son des six syllabes, ils quitteront +la fureur et la méchanceté qui les anime, et deviendront compatissans. + +“‘Les tigres, les panthères, les loups, les ours et autres animaux +féroces, aussitôt, O Khoutoukhtou! qu’ils te verront et entendront le +son des six syllabes ils adouciront leurs hurlemens, et leur fureur +sanguinaire se changera en douceur bienveillante. Khoutoukhtou! ta +figure et le son des six syllabes rassaiseront les affamés et calmeront +la soif des altérés; il tombera comme une pluie d’eau bénite, et elle +remplira tous leurs desirs. Khoutoukhtou! tu es l’être gracieux destiné +à annoncer la volonté du Bouddha à cet empire de neige. + +“‘Selon ton example, un grand nombre de Bouddhas s’y montreront, dans +les temps futurs, et y répandront la foi. + +“‘Les six syllabes sont le sommaire de toute doctrine et l’âpre empire +de neige, sera rempli de cette doctrine par la force de ces six +syllabes— + + + Om ma ni pad me houm.’ + + +“Après cette consécration, le Khoutoukhtou s’agenouilla devant le +Bouddha, joignit les mains et prononça le vœu suivant: ‘Puissé-je être +en état de pouvoir faire parvenir à la béatitude les six espèces +d’êtres vivans dans les trois royaumes! Puissé-je, avant tout, conduire +sur le chemin du bonheur, les êtres vivans de l’empire de neige +(Thibet). + +“‘Loin de moi le désir de retourner dans mon Empire de joie, avant +d’avoir achevé l’œuvre si difficile de la conversion de ces êtres. Si +une telle pensée, produite par le dégoût et la mauvaise humeur, +s’empare de moi, que ma tête se fende en dix parties, et mon corps, +comme cette fleur de lotus, en mille.’ + +“Après ces mots, il se rendit dans le royaume de l’enfer, prononça les +six syllabes et détruisit les peines des enfers frois et chauds. De là +il s’éleva au royaume des animaux, prononça les six syllabes et +détruisit la peine que leur produit la chasse. Puis il se rendit dans +l’empire des hommes, prononça les six syllabes et détruisit la peine de +la naissance, de l’âge, des maladies et de la mort. Il s’éleva après à +l’empire des génies du ciel, prononça les six syllabes et détruisit +l’envie qui les tourmente pour se disputer et se combattre. Enfin, il +aborda le grand Royaume de neige (le Tubet). + +“Ici, il aperçut la mer d’ ‘Otang’ comme un enfer terrible, et il vit +que derechef, plusieurs millions d’êtres y’étaient, bouillis, brûlés, +et martyrisés. + +“Le Khoutouktou se rendit au bord de la mer et dit: ‘Oh! que tant de +milliers d’êtres qui se trouvent dans cette mer, où ils souffrent des +tourmens inexprimables par la chaleur, le froid, la faim, et la soif, +puissent rejeter loin d’eux leur enveloppe funeste et renaître dans mon +paradis commes êtres supérieures. Om mani padme houm!’ + +“A peine le ‘Khoutoukhtou’ avait-il prononcé ces mots que les tourmens +des damnés cessèrent; leur esprit fut tranquillisé, et ils se virent +transportés sur le chemin du Bouddha. Le Khoutoukhtou ayant ainsi rendu +propres à la délivrance les six espèces des êtres vivans dans les trois +royaumes du monde, se trouva fatigué, se reposa et tomba dans un état +de contemplation intérieure! + +“Après quelques temps il vit qu’à peine la centième partie des habitans +de l’empire de neige avaient été conduits sur le chemin de la +délivrance. Son âme en fut si douloureusement affectée qu’il eut le +désir de retourner dans son paradis. A peine l’avait-il conçu, +qu’ensuite de ce vœu, sa tête se fendit en dix et son corps en mille +pièces. + +“Le Bouddha infiniment resplendissant lui apparût dans le même moment, +guérit la tête et le corps fendus du Khoutoukhtou, le prit par la main +et lui dit: “Fils d’illustre origine! Vois les suites inévitables de +ton vœu; mais parce que tu l’avais fait pour l’illustration de tous les +Bouddhas, tu as été guéri sur-le-champ. Ne sois donc plus triste, car +quoique ta tête se soit fendue en dix pièces, chacune aura, par ma +bénédiction, une face particulière, et au-dessus d’elles sera placé mon +propre visage rayonnant. Cet onzième visage de l’infiniment +resplendissant, placé au-dessus de tes dix autres, te rendra l’objet de +l’adoration. + +“‘Quoique ton corps se soit fendu en mille morceaux, ils deviendront, +par ma bénédiction, mille mains qui représenteront les mille Bouddhas +d’un âge complet du monde (en sanscrit Kalpa), [44] et qui te rendront +l’objet le plus digne d’adoration.’” + +Cette légende nous explique, non seulement l’extrême importance que les +Bouddhistes du Tubet attachent à la formule “Om mani padmè hoûm,” mais +elle nous démontre aussi que son véritable sens est celui que j’ai +donné plus haut: Oh! le joyau dans le lotus; Amen! Il est évident +qu’elle se rapporte à “Avalokites’ vara” ou “Padma pani” lui-même, qui +naquit dans une fleur de lotus. [45] + + + +ÛM MANI PANEE. + +As will be seen by the foregoing extract from M. Klaproth’s +explanation, the mystic sentence, instead of being as I have +represented it, is in reality, “Om mani padme houm,” or, in a form of +spelling more English, if not more intelligible, “Om muni pudmay hoom,” +and the meaning, supposing its derivation from the Sanscrit to be +beyond doubt, would, as therein translated, be, “Oh the jewel in the +Lotus, Amen!” Almost every traveller who has mentioned the inscription +in question appears to have followed M. Klaproth’s pronunciation as +above; but this, although the one actually given by the value of the +Thibetian letters, is certainly not that in use by the people among +whom it is chiefly, if not alone, to be found. This I can vouch for, as +the words were so incessantly in the mouths of all to whom I applied +for information, that I had ample opportunity of hearing and +remembering their sound; and having written them on the spot in the +Persian character, the pronunciation would not be open to the +misapprehension or uncertainty to which, after the sounds themselves +had been forgotten, the English form of spelling might have rendered +them liable. [46] + +A form, however, different from both these, is given by one who, with +the exception perhaps of M. Hue, had better opportunities than most +others for ascertaining the meaning of the words and hearing their +actual pronunciation: this was Captain Turner, who was nominated by +Warren Hastings, in the year 1783, to undertake an embassy to the Court +of Thibet, at Lassa. + +He, however, makes no mention of the Sanscrit translation above given, +and confesses his inability to obtain, even at the head-quarters of +Thibetian Buddhism, a satisfactory explanation of the origin or import +of the sentence. The following account, taken from Captain Turner’s +Report on his Mission, may be of interest, as it explains the +circumstances under which an event so unusual as an embassy to the +Court of Thibet was agreed to by the Grand Lama. + +In 1772, a frontier warfare having broken out between the “Booteas,” +dependants of Thibet, and the English Government, in consequence of the +aggression of the former, Teshoo Lama, at the time regent of Thibet and +guardian of the Delai Lama, his superior in religious rank, united in +his own person the political authority and the spiritual hierarchy of +the country, subservient only to the Emperor of China. The Lama, +interested for the safety of Bootan, sent a deputation to Calcutta, +with a letter addressed to the governor, of which the following is a +translation:—“The affairs of this quarter in every respect flourish. I +am, night and day, employed in prayers for the increase of your +happiness and prosperity. Having been informed, by travellers from your +country, of your exalted fame and reputation, my heart, like the +blossoms of spring, abounds with satisfaction, gladness, and joy. + +“Praise be to God that the star of your fortune is in its ascension! +Praise be to Him that happiness and ease are the surrounding attendants +of myself and family! Neither to molest, nor persecute, is my aim. It +is even the characteristic of our sect to deprive ourselves of the +necessary refreshment of sleep, should an injury be done to a single +individual; but in justice and humanity, I am informed, you far surpass +us. + +“May you ever adorn the seat of justice and power, that mankind may, in +the shadow of your bosom, enjoy the blessings of peace and affluence.” + +The Lama then enters into the subject of the disturbances between his +dependants and the British Government, and concludes:—“As to my part, I +am but a Fakeer; and it is the custom of my sect, with the rosary in +our hands, to pray for the welfare of all mankind, and especially for +the peace and happiness of the inhabitants of this country; and I do +now, with my head uncovered, intreat that you will cease from all +hostilities in future. In this country the worship of the Almighty is +the profession of all. We poor creatures are in nothing equal to you. +Having, however, a few things in hand, I send them to you as tokens of +remembrance, and hope for your acceptance of them.” [47] + +The Lama being in this unusually agreeable frame of mind, the British +Government yielded without hesitation to his intercession. + +The governor himself readily embraced the opportunity, which he thought +the occurrence afforded, of extending the British influence to a +quarter of the world but little known, and with which we possessed +hardly any commercial connexion. + +In 1774 a deputation was sent to carry back an answer to the Lama, and +to offer him suitable presents. It was furnished also with a variety of +articles of English manufacture, to be produced as specimens of the +trade in which the subjects of the Lama might be invited to +participate. The result was, that in 1779, when the Lama visited the +Emperor of China at Pekin, desirous of improving his connexion with the +Government of Bengal, he desired the British envoy to go round by sea +to Canton, promising to join him at the capital. The Emperor’s promise +was at the same time obtained to permit the first openings of an +intercourse between that country and Bengal, through the intermediate +channel furnished by the Lama. + +The death of both the Lama and the envoy, however, which happened +nearly at the same time, destroyed the plans thus formed. + +Soon after the receipt of the letters announcing the Lama’s death, +intelligence arrived of his reappearance in Thibet! His soul, according +to the doctrines of their faith, had passed into and animated the body +of an infant, who, on the discovery of his identity by such testimony +as their religion prescribes, was proclaimed by the same title as his +predecessor. + +Warren Hastings then proposed a second deputation to Thibet, and +Captain Turner was accordingly nominated on the 9th January, 1783. + +His mention of the sculptured stones and inscription is as follows:— + +“Another sort of monument is a long wall, on both faces of which near +the top are inserted large tablets with the words ‘Oom maunee paimee +oom’ carved in relief. This is the sacred sentence repeated upon the +rosaries of the Lamas, and in general use in Tibet. Of the form of +words to which ideas of peculiar sanctity are annexed by the +inhabitants, I could never obtain a satisfactory explanation. It is +frequently engraven on the rocks in large and deep characters, and +sometimes I have seen it on the sides of hills; the letters, which are +formed by means of stones fixed in the earth, are of so vast a +magnitude as to be visible at a very considerable distance.” + +M. Hue’s account of an explanation of the formula, which he received +from the highest authority at Lassa, is as follows:—“Living beings are +divided into six classes—angels, demons, men, quadrupeds, birds, and +reptiles. These six classes of beings correspond to the syllables of +the formula, ‘Om mani padmè houm.’ Living beings by continual +transformations, and according to their merit or demerit, pass about in +these six classes until they have attained the apex of perfection, when +they are absorbed and lost in the grand essence of Buddha. Living +beings have, according to the class to which they belong, particular +means of sanctifying themselves, of rising to a superior class, of +obtaining perfection, and of arriving in process of time at the period +of their absorption. Men who repeat very frequently and devotedly ‘Om +mani padmè houm,’ escape falling after death into the six classes of +animate creatures, corresponding to the six syllables of the formula, +and obtain the plenitude of being, by their absorption into the eternal +and universal soul of Buddha.” + +One traveller only I have been able to find who mentions the sentence +as I have done. M. Jacquemont writes, in his “Letters from Cashmere and +Thibet,” in 1830:—“I am returned from afar; I have often been very +cold; I have had a hundred and eighteen very bad dinners: but I think +myself amply recompensed for these trans-Himalayan miseries by the +interesting observations and vast collections which I have been able to +make in a country perfectly new. The Tartars are a very good sort of +people. It is true that to please them I made myself a little heathen +after their fashion, and joined without scruple in the national chorus, +‘Houm mâni pani houm.’ ” + +Judging by the system of spelling he has adopted in other instances in +his letters, this would be nearly—as regards the two main words—the +same pronunciation as I have given. He however, in another part, +follows it still more closely, and at the same time shows that he is +aware of a translation which, although probably the true one, has no +connexion whatever with the words as he himself actually represents +them. + +He says—“In Thibet they sing a good deal also—that is, one or two +inhabitants per square league—but only a single song of three +words—‘Oum mani pani;’ which means, in the learned language, ‘Oh, +diamond water-lily!’ and leads the singers direct into Buddha’s +paradise. + +“But, though composed of three Thibetian words, it is evidently of +Indian origin, and I have proved it botanically. The lotus is a plant +peculiar to the lukewarm and temperate waters of India and Egypt. There +is not one of its genus, or even of its family, in Thibet.” + +The words, however, are not, as M. Jacquemont says, Thibetian, but +Sanscrit; and, although one of the characters in which they are clothed +is the current Thibetian, it would appear that neither their true +pronunciation nor actual meaning is known to the people who thus make +such frequent use of them. + +The sentence itself is in the mouths of all. In the monastery of Hemis +alone, probably as many as a hundred wheels are in continual motion, +bearing it within their folds not less than 1,700,000 times. The very +stones by the wayside present its well-known characters in countless +numbers, and the hills repeat it, and yet to those into whose daily +religious observances it thus so largely enters, it comes but as a vain +and empty sound, without either sense or signification. The Lamas +themselves, no doubt, believe that the doctrine contained in these +marvellous words is immense, and the higher dignitaries of the Church +may know their derivation; but, to the great majority, even the mystic +meaning and dim legendary history which the true pronunciation and +rightful origin of the words would bring to their minds, are unknown, +and they are thus deprived of that large amount of comfort and +consolation which they would otherwise derive from the glowing and +all-powerful sentence— + +“Oh, the jewel in the lotus, Amen!” + + + + + + + +APPENDIX C. + +A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF CASHMERE. + + +A Mahomedan Writer, “Noor ul deen,” who begins the history of Cashmere +with the Creation, affirms that the valley was visited by Adam after +the Fall; that the descendants of Seth reigned over the country for +1,110 years; and that, after the deluge, it became peopled by a tribe +from Turkistan. + +The Hindoo historians add, that, after the line of Seth became extinct, +the Hindoos conquered the country, and ruled it until the period of the +deluge; and that the Cashmerians were afterwards taught the worship of +one God by “Moses;” but, relapsing into Hindoo idolatry, were punished +by the local inundation of the province, and the conversion of the +valley into a vast lake. + +It would appear, from chronicles actually existing, that Cashmere has +been a regular kingdom for a period far beyond the limits of history in +general. From the year B.C. 2666 to A.D. 1024 it seems to have been +governed (according to these authorities) by Princes of Hindoo and +Tartar dynasties, and their names, to the number of about a hundred, +have been duly handed down to posterity. Of the titles of these +worthies, “Durlabhaverddhana” and “Bikrumajeet” will perhaps be +sufficient as specimens. During these years, the religion seems at +first to have been the worship of snakes, and afterwards Hindooism. + +In the reign of Asoca, about the 4th century before Christ, Buddhism +was introduced, and after remaining for some time, under Tartar +princes, the religion of the country, was again succeeded by Hindooism. + +The first Mahomedan king of Cashmere is believed to be “Shahmar,” who +came to the throne in A.D. 1341, and during the succeeding reigns +Thibet appears to have been first subdued, and was annexed for a time +to the kingdom. + +The next monarch, who appears notably on the stage, was “Sikunder,” +who, influenced by a certain Syud Alee Humudanee and other religious +fanatics recently arrived in the country, began to destroy the Hindoo +temples and images by fire, and to force the people to abjure idolatry. +Previous to this influx of zealots, the country was in a transition +state as regards religion and Mahomedanism then began to make some head +in the valley. + +After this period nothing of very great importance occurred in the +kingdom of Cashmere until the year 1584, when the great Akbar summoned +the then king “Yûsûf Shah” to present himself in person at the court of +Lahore. Finding his orders not complied with, he despatched an army of +50,000 men to enforce obedience, and Yûsûf Shah, preferring apparently +to die than fight, delivered himself up, and was sent to Lahore. + +The imperial army was afterwards, however, repulsed in attempting to +subdue the country, and it was not finally conquered for two years, +when Akbar, overcoming all resistance, took possession of the province. + +The purity of the emperor’s motives in annexing the territory, and his +opinion of his conquest, are amusingly shown in the following letter to +his minister Abdûllah Khan:— + +“On the mirror of your mind, which bears the stamp of Divine +illumination, be it manifest and evident, that at the time when my +imperial army happened to be in the territories of the Punjab, although +I at first had no other views than to amuse myself with sports and +hunting in this country, yet the conquest of the enchanting kingdom of +Cashmere, which has never yet been subdued by monarchs of the age, +which for natural strength and inaccessibility is unrivalled, and +which, for beauty and pleasantness, is a proverb among the most +sagacious beholders, became secretly an object of my wishes, because I +received constantly accounts of the tyranny of the rulers of that +region. Accordingly, in a very short time, my brave warriors annexed +that kingdom to my dominions. Though the princes of that country were +not remiss in their exertions, yet, as my intentions were established +on the basis of equity, it was completely conquered. + +“I myself also visited that happy spot, the possession of which is a +fresh instance of the Divine favour, and offered up my praise and +thanksgiving to the supreme Lord of all things. As I found myself +delighted with the romantic bowers of Cashmere, the residence of +pleasure, I made an excursion to the mountains of that country and +Thibet, and beheld, with the eyes of astonishment, the wonders of the +picture of Nature.” + +This visit was in A.D. 1588. + +The emperor then appears to have entered the valley by the Peer Punjal +Pass, and to have been received with every demonstration of joy by the +people in whom he took such a fatherly interest. The loyalty of his +children, however, was but short-lived, for about the year 1591 he +again writes to Abdûllah:— + +“I must acquaint your Highness, that just at this time certain persons, +under the predominance of an unlucky destiny, raised an insurrection in +Cashmere and breathed the air of rebellion and dissatisfaction at the +bounty of Providence. + +“As soon as the intelligence of this tumult arrived, regardless of +deluges of rain, I hastened away by forced marches, but before the +troops could get through the passes and enter into that kingdom, +certain Omrahs, attached to my interests, who had been obliged by +compulsion to join in that rash enterprise, availing themselves of an +opportunity, brought me the head of the rebel commander. + +“As my forces were near, I visited a second time that ever-verdant +garden, and gratified my mind and senses with the beauties of that +luxuriant spot.” + +With a view to keeping the capital in order, the Fort of Huree Purbut +was built, about A.D. 1597, at a cost of over 1,000,000l. + +Means were at the same time adopted of rendering the Cashmerians less +warlike, and of breaking their independent spirit. To effect this, it +is generally believed in Cashmere that the Emperor Akbar caused a +change to be made in the dress of the people. Instead of the ancient, +well-girdled tunic, adapted to activity and exercise, he introduced the +effeminate long gown of the present day, a change which may have led to +the introduction of the kangree, or pot of charcoal, now used in the +valley. + +During Akbar’s reign much was done towards the improvement of the +province. The country was adorned with palaces and gardens, and various +trees and shrubs were introduced and cultivated. + +About the beginning of the seventeenth century, Akbar visited Cashmere +for the third and last time, being succeeded, after a reign of +fifty-two years, by his son Selim, or Jehangeer, A.D. 1605. + +Jehangeer, during the early part of his reign, visited Cashmere many +times, and the valley having been surveyed and brought to order by +Akbar, nothing remained for his successor but to enjoy the delights of +the country in company with his empress, the famous Noor Jehan. In +1621, and in 1624, he repeated his visit, when he built many +summer-houses and palaces at Atchabull, Shalimar, &c., and in A.D. 1627 +he visited the valley for the last time. He was succeeded in that year +by Shah Jehan, who, in 1634, also visited his territories; and, besides +improving the country by the introduction of fruit-trees, flowers, &c. +from Cabul, he invaded Thibet, and taking the Fort of Ladak, annexed +the country to Cashmere. + +In 1645 he again visited the valley, and also in the following years, +being accompanied by many poets and savants; among the former was a +certain Hajee Mahomet Jan, a Persian, who composed a poem on the +country; but the difficulties of the road appear to have impressed his +mind rather more than the beauties of the scenery. He compares the +sharpness of the passes to “the swords of the Feringees,” and their +tortuous ascents to “the curls of a blackamoor’s hair!” + +In 1657, Shah Jehan, being deposed by his son Aurungzib, was confined +in the Fort of Agra for life; and in the year 1664 the new emperor also +paid a visit to his Cashmerian dominions. Of this magnificent +expedition, M. Bernier, the monarch’s state physician, gives an amusing +and detailed description, purporting to be + +“A relation of a voyage made in the year 1664, when the Great Mogul, +Aureng-Zebe, went with his army from, Dehly to Lahor, from Lahor to +Bember, and from thence to that small kingdom of Kachemere, or +Cassimere, called by the Mogols the Paradise of the Indies, concerning +which the author affirms that he hath a particular history of it, in +the Persian tongue.” + +“The weighty occasion and cause of this voyage of the Emperor’s, +together with an account of the state and posture of his army, and some +curious particulars observable in voyages of the Indies,” are thus +given by M. Bernier:—“Since that Aureng-Zebe began to find himself in +better health, it hath been constantly reported that he would make a +voyage to Kachemere, to be out of the way of the approaching summer +heats, though the more intelligent sort of men would hardly be +persuaded, that as long as he kept his father, Chah-Jean (Shah Jehan), +prisoner in the Fort of Agra, he would think it safe to be at such a +distance. Yet, notwithstanding, we have found that reason of State hath +given place to that of health, or rather, to the intrigues of +Rauchenara Begum, who was wild to breathe a more free air than that of +the Seraglio, and to have her turn in showing herself to a gallant and +magnificent army, as her sister had formerly done during the reign of +Chah-Jean.” + +The Emperor appears to have made preparations on this occasion for a +voyage of a year and a half. + +He had with him, not only thirty-five thousand horse, or thereabouts, +and ten thousand foot, but also “both his artilleries, the great or +heavy, and the small or lighter. + +For the carriage of the Emperor’s baggage and stores, no less than +30,000 coolies were required, although, for fear of starving that +little kingdom of Kachemere,” he only carried with him the least number +of ladies and cavaliers he could manage, and as few elephants and mules +as would suffice for the convenience of the former. + +Crossing the Peer Punjal, some of the ladies of the Seraglio +unfortunately paid the penalty of their too ardent desires to show +themselves off to “a gallant and magnificent army,” for “one of the +elephants fell back upon him that was next, and he upon the next, and +so on to the fifteenth, so that they did all tumble to the bottom of +the precipice. It was the good fortune of those poor women, however, +that there were but three or four of them killed; but the fifteen +elephants remained upon the place.” The historian rather ungallantly +adds, “When these bulky masses do once fall under those vast burdens +they never rise again, though the way be ever so fair.” + +On reaching the summit of the pass after this accident, the expedition +appears to have encountered more misfortunes, for “there blew a wind so +cold that all people shook and ran away, especially the silly Indians, +who never had seen ice or snow, or felt such cold.” + +Aurungzib appears to have remained three months in the valley on this +occasion. + +After his death there is no mention of his successors having visited +Cashmere, and the local governors became in consequence, in common with +those of other provinces of the tottering Mogul throne, little short of +independent rulers. Under the tender mercies of most of these, the +unfortunate Cashmeeries appear to have fared but badly. + +In 1745, however, a series of misfortunes from another source burst +forth upon the inhabitants of the happy valley. A dreadful famine first +broke out, during which it is said that slaves sold for four pice +(three half-pence) each. The famine produced its natural result, a +pestilence, which swept away many thousands of the people; an eclipse +also added to their terror, and storms of rain followed by floods +carried away all the bridges. + +In the year 1752, the country passed from the possession of the Mogul +throne, and fell under the rule of the Dûranees, and during many years +was convulsed by a series of wars and rebellions, and subject to +numerous different governors. In A.D. 1801, Runjeet Singh began to come +into notice, and, having consolidated the nation of the Sikhs, had, in +the year 1813 become one of the recognised princes of India. In that +year Futteh Shah entered into a treaty with him for a subsidiary force +for the invasion of Cashmere. The price of this accommodation was fixed +at 80,000l. yearly; but, before the expiration of the second year, the +Lion of the Punjab, on pretence of the non-fulfilment of the treaty, +invaded the valley on his own account at the head of a considerable +army. He was repulsed, however, and forced to retreat to Lahore with +the loss of his entire baggage. In A.D. 1819, encouraged by recent +successes against Moultan, Runjeet Singh collected an army “as numerous +as ants and locusts,” and invaded the valley a second time, and being +successful, the country again fell under the sway of a Hindoo +Sovereign. + +It, however, remained for some time afterwards in a disturbed state; +and for signal services against the rebellious frontier chiefs, who +were averse to Runjeet Singh’s rule, Gûlab Singh (the late Maharajah) +obtained possession of the territory of Jumoo, now included in the +kingdom of Cashmere. + +Runjeet Singh, dying in 1839, was succeeded by his son and grandson, +successively, both of whom died shortly after their accession; and the +state of anarchy and confusion which ensued among the Sikh Sirdars was +terminated by Shere Singh being installed as Maharajah of Lahore. + +Under his rule, in 1842, Gûlab Singh further brought himself into +notice by reducing the kingdom of little Thibet with the army under +Zorawur Singh, and on the termination of the Sikh Campaign of the +Sutlej—Duleep Singh being established on the throne of Lahore—he was +admitted, “in consideration of his good conduct,” to the privileges of +a separate treaty with the British Government. + +The result of these privileges was, that he was shortly afterwards put +in possession, for “a consideration,” of the entire kingdom of +Cashmere. + +As indemnification for the expenses of the Sikh Campaign, the British +Government had demanded from the Lahore State the sum of a crore and a +half of rupees, or 1,500,000l. The whole of this amount, however, was +not forthcoming, and it was agreed by Article 4 of the treaty of 9th +March, 1846, with the Maharajah Duleep Singh, that all the hill-country +between the rivers Indus and Beas, including the province of Cashmere, +should be ceded to the Honourable East India Company, in perpetual +sovereignty, as an equivalent for one million sterling. + +Article 12 of the same treaty guaranteed to Gûlab Singh, in consequence +of his services to the Lahore State, its recognition of his +independence in such territories as might afterwards be agreed upon; +and on the 16th March, 1846, the British Government, by special treaty, +made over for ever, in independent possession to Maharajah Gûlab Singh +and the heirs male of his body, the greater part of the territories +previously mentioned in Article 4. In consideration of this transfer, +the Maharajah was to pay to the British Government, within the year, +the sum of seventy-five lakhs of rupees (750,000l.). To acknowledge the +supremacy of that Government, and, in token of such supremacy, to +present it annually the following tribute, viz.:—One horse, twelve +perfect shawl goats of approved breed (six male and six female), and +three pairs of Cashmere shawls. + +Thus, “on the 16th day of March, in the year of our Lord 1846, +corresponding with the 17th day of Rubbeeoolawul, 1262, Hijree, was +done at Umritsur,” the treaty of ten articles, by which Gûlab Singh was +raised to the rank and dignity of an independent ruler. + +For seventy-five lakhs of rupees the unfortunate Cashmeeries were +handed over to the tender mercies of “the most thorough ruffian that +ever was created—a villain from a kingdom down to a half-penny,” and +the “Paradise of the Indies,” after remaining rather less than a week a +British possession, was relinquished by England for ever. + + + + THE END. + + + + + + + +NOTES + + +[1] Vide Appendix A. + +[2] ROADS—I. There are four authorized routes for European visitors to +Cashmere. + +First. The principal road from the plains by Bimbhur and Rajâoree. This +road over the “Peer Punjal” range is not open until May, and is closed +by snow at the beginning of November: it is the old imperial route, and +the stages are marked by the remains of serais. + +[3] A hill conveyance something similar to a hammock, suspended from a +pole, with straps for the feet and back, and carried by two bearers. + +[4] M. Jacquemont, in his “Letters from Kashmir and Thibet,” carried +away no doubt by the ardour of Botanical research, mentions having made +a similar discovery, in the following glowing terms:—“The mountains +here produce rhubarb; celestial happiness!” + +[5] The Pass of the Peer Punjal is 13,000 feet above the level of the +sea; the highest peak of the range being 15,000. + +[6] Supposed to designate “The City of the Sun;” Sûrya meaning in +Sanscrit “the Sun,” and Nugger “a City.” + +[7] Cashmere seems to have been regarded for many ages merely as a +source of wealth to its absentee lords or present governors, and to +have suffered more than ever, since falling under the dominion of +Hindoo rulers. + +Of the first of this dynasty, who subdued and took possession of the +valley in the year 1819, Vigne remarks, in his Travels, “Runjeet Singh +assuredly well knew that the greater the prosperity of Kashmīr, the +stronger would be the inducement to invasion by the East India Company. +‘Après moi le déluge’ has been his motto, and its ruin has been +accelerated not less by his rapacity than by his political jealousy, +which suggested to him at any cost the merciless removal of its wealth +and the reckless havoc he has made in its resources.” + +[8] The Tukt-i-Suliman, an old Hindoo temple, the throne of Solomon the +magnificent, the prophet, the mighty magician, whom all pious +Mussulmans believe to have been carried through the air on a throne +supported by Dives or Afrites, whom the Almighty had made subservient +to His will.—Vigne. The summit stands 1,000 feet above the level of the +plain, and the date of its erection is believed to be 220 B.C. Vide +Appendix A. + +[9] “There is no God but God;” “In the name of God.” + +[10] This was written without being aware that the native name of +Mutton is a corruption of Martund, by which name the temple is also +designated. + +The meaning of Martund being in Sanscrit “the Sun,” additional grounds +have thus been furnished for determining the origin of the ruin. Vide +Appendix A. + +[11] On this subject a good deal of difference of opinion seems to +exist, and from Moore’s descriptions of the furniture of his +terrestrial paradise, which have added so much to the fame of the +valley, it appears probable that his “muse,” thinking it useless to +search abroad for materials which existed in abundance at home, +supplied him with what he supposed to be Eastern celestial creations, +entirely from his native shores. Vigne, however, says, “I do not think +that the beauty of the Kashmirian women has been overrated. They are, +of course, wholly deficient in the graces and fascinations derivable +from cultivation and accomplishment; but for mere uneducated eyes, I +know of none that surpass those of Kashmir.” On the other hand, M. +Jacquemont, who found “celestial happiness” in a plant of rhubarb, is +unable to discover any beauty whatever in the Cashmerian ladies, and +has no patience with his neighbour’s little flights of fancy in +depicting their perfections. “Moore,” he writes, in his “Letters from +India,” “is a perfumer, and a liar to boot. Know that I have never seen +anywhere such hideous witches as in Cashmere. The female race is +remarkably ugly.” Instead of adding to such conflicting evidence, I +have endeavoured to subpœna a credible witness to speak for herself; +and the right of private judgment being thus reserved to the reader, +Gûlabie will no doubt be charitably dealt with, and will find her +proper position somewhere within the limits of a “hideous witch” and a +“celestial being.” + +[12] This place is mentioned in the “Tûzûk Jehangeery,” or “Precepts of +Jehangeer,” in a way which shows that the Conqueror of the World had +not included himself among his victories. + +The name appears on a Persian inscription as Wurnagh, but is called by +the natives Vernagh, and is mentioned by Jehangeer in his journal as +Tirnagh:— + +“The source of the river Bhet (Jhelum) ((The Jhelum is called in +Cashmere, Behat—a contraction of the Sanscrit Vedasta, which the Greeks +slightly altered to Hydaspes.)) lies in a fountain in Cashmeer, named +Tirnagh, which, in the language, of Hindostan, signifies a +snake—probably some large snake had been seen there. During the +lifetime of my father (Akbar) I went twice to this fountain, which is +about twenty kos from the city of Cashmere. Its form is octagonal, and +the sides of it are about twenty yards in length. + +“I accompanied my father to this spot during the season of flowers. In +some places the beds of saffron-flowers extend to a kos. Their +appearance is best at a distance, and when they are plucked they emit a +strong smell. My attendants were all seized with a headache, and though +I was myself at the time intoxicated with liquor, I felt also my head +affected. I inquired of the brutal Cashmeerians who were employed in +plucking them, what was their condition, and they replied that they +never had a headache in their lifetime.” + +[13] The title of Noor-ûl-deen is also mentioned by Jehangeer in his +Journal from Lahore to Cabul, and its origin is thus accounted for in +his own words: + + “Now that I had become a king, it occurred to me that I ought to + change my name, which was liable to be confounded with that of the + Cæsars, of Rome. + + “The Secret Inspirer of thoughts suggested to me that, as the + business of kings is the conquest of the world, I ought to assume + the name of Jehangeer, or Conqueror of the World; and that as my + accession to the throne had taken place, about sunrise, I ought + therefore to take the title of Noor-ûl-deen, or the Light of + Religion. I had heard during the time of my youth from several + learned Hindoos, that after the expiration of the reign of Akbar, + the throne would be filled by a kin, named Noor-ûl-deen. This + circumstance made an impression on me, and I therefore assumed the + name and title of Jehangeer Badshah.” + +[14] These ruins appear to be in the greatest dilapidation of any in +the valley. The date of their erection is believed to be A.D. 852. + +[15] See Appendix A. + +[16] Vide Appendix A. + +[17] These monuments would appear to be of the kind designated +Chod-tens and Dung-tens, which have been thus described:—“In the +monuments which are dedicated to the celestial Buddha, the invisible +being who pervades all space, no deposit was made; but the Divine +Spirit, who was light, was supposed to occupy the interim. Such are the +numerous Chod-tens in Tibet dedicated to the celestial Buddha, in +contradistinction to the Dung-tens, which are built in honour of the +mortal Buddhas, and which ought to contain some portion of their +relies, real or supposed. The first means an offering to the Deity, the +latter a bone or relic receptacle. In the Sanscrit these are termed +Chaitya and Dagoba.”—Cunningham. + +[18] This appears to have been one of the Dagobas or bone-holders, +which are erected either over the corse of a Lama or the ashes of some +person of consequence. “The tribute of respect is paid in Tibet to the +manes of the dead in various ways. It is the custom to preserve entire +the mortal remains of the sovereign Lamas only. As soon as life has +left the body of a Lama, it is placed upright, sitting in an attitude +of devotion, his legs being folded before him, with the instep resting +on each thigh, and the sides of the feet turned upwards. The right hand +is rested with its back upon the thigh, with the thumb bent across the +palm. The left arm is bent and held close to the body, the hand being +open and the thumb touching the point of the shoulder. This is the +attitude of abstracted meditation. + +“The bodies of inferior Lamas are usually burnt, and their ashes +preserved with the greatest care, and the monuments in which they are +contained are ever after looked upon as sacred, and visited with +religious awe.”—Turner. + +[19] جو خُدا كريگا سو كويِ نہين كريگا + +[20] “Tibet may be considered the head-quarters of Buddhism in the +present age, and immense volumes are still to be found in that country +(faithful translations of the Sanskrit text), which refer to the +manners, customs, opinions, knowledge, ignorance, superstition, hopes +and fears of a great part of Asia, especially of India in former +ages.”—Csoma de Kőrös, Preface to Tibetan Grammar. + +[21] These stones would appear to be peculiar to Thibet, although the +sentence inscribed upon them has been occasionally discovered +elsewhere. Mention of it is thus made in the Journal of the Asiatic +Society of Bengal:—“On the main road from the Valley of Nipal to Tibet +stands a diminutive stone, ‘Chaitya.’ Upon this is inscribed a variety +of texts from the Buddha Scriptures, and amongst others the celebrated +Mantra, or charmed sentence of Tibet. The system of letters called +Lantzá in Tibet, and there considered foreign and Indian, though +nowhere extant in the Plains of India, is the common vehicle of +Sanscrit language among the Buddhists of Nipal Proper, by whom it is +denominated Ranjá, in Devanagri रंजा. + +“Ranjá, therefore, and not, according to a barbarian metamorphosis, +Lántzá, it should be called by us, and by way of further and clearer +distinction, the Nipalese variety of Devánágrí. Obviously deducible as +this form is from the Indian standard, it is interesting to observe it +in practical collocation with the ordinary Thibetan form, and when it +is considered that Lántzá or Ranjá is the common extant vehicle of +those original Sanscrit works of which the Thibetan books are +translations, the interest of an inscription traced on one slab in both +characters cannot but be allowed to be considerable. The habit of +promulgation of the doctrines of their faith by inscriptions patent on +the face of religious edifices, stones, &c., is peculiar to the +Buddhists of Thibet. The Mantrá is also quite unknown to the Buddhists +of Ceylon and the Eastern peninsula, and forms the peculiar feature of +Thibetan Buddhism.” + +[22] This was the only explanation of the mounds of inscribed stones +which I was able to obtain from a native source; and some foundation +for the story may be traced in the legend—which will be found in +Appendix B—upon which M. Klaproth has founded the only explanation of +the mystic inscription, which I have been as yet able to discover. + +By the Lamas themselves I never heard these mounds alluded to otherwise +than by the words “Mani panee.” Cunningham, however, who had ample +opportunity of ascertaining their meaning and origin, terms them +“Manís” (in another form of spelling, “Munees”), and thus describes +them:—“The Maní—a word naturalized from the Sanscrit—is a stone dyke, +from four to five feet high, and from six to twelve in breadth; length +from ten or twenty feet to half a mile The surface of the Maní is +always covered with inscribed slabs; these are votive offerings from +all classes of people for the attainment of some particular object. +Does a childless man wish for a son, or a merchant about to travel hope +for a safe return; each goes to a Lama and purchases a slate, which he +deposits carefully on the village ‘Maní,’ and returns to his home in +full confidence that his prayers will be heard.” + +[23] This was in all probability intended to represent the form of the +lotus. Vide Appendix B. + +[24] Of this custom Turner remarks, alluding to Thibet Proper:—“Here we +find a practice at once different from the modes of Europe, and +opposite to those of Asia. That of one female associating her fate and +fortune with all the brothers of a family, without any restriction of +age or numbers. The choice of a wife is the privilege of the elder +brother; and singular as it may seem, a Thibetan wife is as jealous of +her connubial rites as ever the despot of an Indian Zenana is of the +favours of his imprisoned fair.” + +[25] “As the inscription of course begins at opposite ends on each +side, the Thibetans are careful in passing that they do not trace the +words backwards.”—Turner. + +[26] This is Mount “Everest,” which has been called, the King of the +South. The King of the North, “Nunga Purbut,” is 26,629 feet above the +level of the sea. + +[27] Vide illustration, Hemis Monastery. + +[28] The only information I here again received was “Ûm mani panee!” +The wheel consisted of a roll of the thinnest paper, six inches in +diameter, and five and a half in width, closely printed throughout with +the eternally recurring words, which all appeared so ready to pronounce +and none seemed able to explain. The roll was sixty yards long, and was +composed of a succession of strips, one foot nine inches in length, and +all joined together. The whole was inclosed in a coarse canvas cover, +open at both ends, and marked with what was no doubt the official seal +of the particular society for the diffusion of ignorance at Lassa, from +which it had originally emanated. Each of the strips contained the +mystic sentence, one hundred and seventy times, so that I was thus at +once put into possession of all the valuable intelligence to be derived +from “Ûm mani panee,” repeated between seventeen and eighteen thousand +times. Vide Appendix B. + +[29] The origin of this divinity is probably derived from the legend of +Khoutoukhtou, which will be found in Appendix B. + +[30] The most remarkable of these were “Ser” and “Mer,” otherwise +called “Nanoo” and “Kanoo;” respectively 23,407 and 23,264 feet above +the level of the sea. + +[31] The true version of the story appears to be that Gûlab Singh had +quarrelled with the Rajah of Cashmere, his rightful master, and entered +into the service of the Rajah of Kushtwar. After about three years, +hearing that Runjeet Singh was preparing an expedition against +Cashmere, he went to him and offered his services. Being accepted, he +was successful against his old enemy, and took possession of the +country for Runjeet Singh; after which he wrote to the Rajah of +Kushtwar, falsely telling him that the Maharajah was going to send a +force against him also. The Rajah and his people prepared for +resistance, and Gûlab Singh then forged a paper containing an +invitation from the chief men in the army of Kushtwar to the Maharajah, +encouraging him to come forward and invade the country. + +This paper Gûlab then forwarded to the Rajah himself, with a note, in +which he told him that it was folly to talk of resistance when the +chief men of his country were opposed to him. The Rajah, who had been +in possession of Kushtwar for twenty-seven years, was completely +deceived, and repaired, by invitation, with only a few followers to +Gûlab’s camp. Here he was kept for three months upon an allowance of +10l. a-day, which was afterwards reduced to 10s., and Gûlab Singh in +the meantime took possession of Kushtwar without opposition. + +[32] The value which a Kashmirian sets upon his Kangrí may be known by +the following distich:— + + “Oh Kangrí! Oh Kangrí! + You are the gift of Houris and Fairies; + When I take you under my arm + You drive away fear from my heart.” + + —Vigne. + +[33] “Won’t the old bearers get something, your honour?” + +[34] According to M. Voysey, in his Asiatic Researches, “A single +flower in the screen contains a hundred stones, each cut to the exact +shape necessary, and highly polished; and, although everything is +finished like an ornament for a drawing-room chimney-piece, the general +effect produced is rather solemn and impressive than gaudy. + +“In the minute beauties of execution, the flowers are by no means equal +to those on tables and other small works in Pietra dura at Florence. It +is the taste displayed in outline and application of this ornament, +combined with the lightness and simplicity of the building, which gives +it an advantage so prodigious over the gloomy portals of the chapel of +the Medici. The graceful flow, the harmonious colours, combined with +the mild lustre of the marble on which the ornamentation is displayed, +form the peculiar charm of the building, and distinguish it from any +other in the world. The materials are Lapis Lazuli, Jasper, Heliotrope +or blood stone, Chalcedony, and other agates, Cornelian, Jade, &c.” + +[35] A coin of the value of thirty-two shillings. + +[36] Hardy’s “Eastern Monachisms.” + +[37] Csoma de Kőrös. + +[38] Vide page 202. + +[39] Muir’s “Life of Mahomet.” + +[40] M. Dietrici. + +[41] Padmà pâni, fils céleste du Bouddha divin du monde actuel, est, +dans cette qualité, entré en fonction depuis la mort du Bouddha +terrestre Sakya mouni, comme son remplaçant, chargé d’être après lui le +protecteur constant, le gardien et le propagateur de la foi bouddhique +renouvelée par Sakya. C’est pour cette raison qu’il ne se borne pas à +une apparition unique comme les Bouddhas, mais qu’il se soumet presque +sans interruption à une série de naissances qui dureront jusqu’à +l’avénement de Maitreya, le futur Bouddha. + +On croit aussi qu’il est incarné dans la personne du “Dalai Lama,” et +qu’il paraîtra en qualité de Bouddha, le millième de la période +actuelle du monde. + +Le Tibet est sa terra de prédilection; il est le père de ses habitants, +et la formule célèbre: Om mani padmè hom, est un de ses +bienfaits.—Rélation des Royaumes Bouddhiques, par Chy Fa Hian, traduit +par M. Remusat. + +[42] Le mot Khoubilkhan, en Mongol, désigne l’incarnation d’une âme +supérieure. + +[43] Khoutoukhtou, en Mongol, signifie “Un Saint Maître.” + +[44] Le plus petit “Kalpa” est de seize millions huit cent mille ans, +et le grand “Kalpa” est d’un milliard trois cents quarante-quatre +millions d’années. + +[45] Je ne l’ai encore trouvée cette phrase dans aucun ouvrage chinois +ou japonais, et notre savant collègue M. Bournouf, m’a dit aussi qu’il +ne l’a jamais rencontrée dans les livres palis, birmans et siamois. + +[46] اُم مانِپانِي + +[47] Amongst these were sheets of gilt leather, stamped with the black +eagle of the Russian armorial; talents of gold and silver, bags of +genuine musk, narrow cloths of woollen the manufacture of Thibet, and +silks of China. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIARY OF A PEDESTRIAN IN CASHMERE +AND THIBET *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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