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diff --git a/old/3639.txt b/old/3639.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..421959b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/3639.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8663 @@ +Project Gutenberg Diary of a Pedestrian in Cashmere and Thibet +by William Henry Knight + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.12.12.00*END* + + + + + +This Etext Created by Jeroen Hellingman <jehe@kabelfoon.nl> + + + + + +Diary of a Pedestrian in Cashmere and Thibet. + +Captain Knight + + + + +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and +that as a faithful picture of travel in regions where excursion trains +are still unknown, and Travellers' Guides unpublished, the book may +not be found altogether devoid of interest or amusement.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 A, E, I, +O, and U, 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 +Kashmir, 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. + + + + + +Contents. + + + + + + +Illustrations. + + +Ladak +View in Sirinugger +Solomon's Throne +Hurree Purbut +Martund +Pandreton +Lamieroo +Road to Egnemo +Rajah's Palace, Ladak +Monastery of Hemis +Seventh Bridge, Sirinugger +Hindoo Temple in the Himalayas +Gunesh +Birth of Krishna +Temple Decoration, Himalayas +Ancient Jain Temple + + + +Chubootra, or Resting-place in the Himalayas +The Head of Affairs +An Unpropitious Moment +Kismut +Crossing the Sutlej +A Halting-place in Cashmere +Latticed Window, Sirinugger +Sacred Tank, Islamabad +Painting VERSUS Poetry +Love-lighted Eyes +Vernagh +Cashmerian Temple Sculpture +Patrun +Roadside Monument, Thibet +Road to Moulwee +Rock Sculpture +Thibetian Monument +Natives and Lama +Thibetian Religious Literature +Inscribed Stones +Inscribed Stones +Monument at Hemis +Painted Stone +Buddha +Snow Bridge +Kangree +Ancient Hindoo Temple +Fukeer of Solomon's Throne + + + +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 civilisation, 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 dak 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 "Dak 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. + + + + + +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 daks, 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 dak 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 dak 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 regime, 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 dolies, 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 "Dak 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." + + + +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 aerial 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 +"shikarees," or native sportsmen, and made preparations for a DETOUR +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 +shikarees with their two assistants. The two former wore named Khandari +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 shikaree 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 +shikarees' 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 shikaree 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 shikarees 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 shikaree 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 shikarees, +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. + + + +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 mache, 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 mache 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 Suleeman, +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 +Wuler 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 Wuler 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 Bowun, 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 Iong +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. 1612. The +inscription runs thus: -- + + +"The king of seven climes, the spreader of justice, Abdool, Muzuffer, +Noor-ul-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 Kukunath, 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 Mahadeo 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 Jug, 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 Jug, +1,728,000 years; Treth Jug, 1,296,000 years; Duapur Jug, 864,000 years; +and Kul Jug. 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. + + + +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 Gundisursing, 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 Gugenigiera. + +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, inaccesible 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 VITAE, 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 Gulab 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 Lotzum, 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 Lotzum 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 Gulab 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 "Um 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 "Um 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 Buddh. + +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 "Um mani panee, Um 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 +"Um 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 "Um 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 Nurila, 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 Nurila we travelled along the Indus bank to Suspul, +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 Suspul 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. Suspul 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 Suspul, 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. + + + +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 -- Gulab 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 +Compass 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 ([pound sterling]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 +"Um 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 "Um 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 "Um 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 "Um 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 "Um 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 "Um 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 71/2 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. + + + +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 Suspul 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 Nurila 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 Suspul, +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 "Um 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 Lotzum, 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 Gulab 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 Gulab 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 procedings 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 tomorrow'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 m 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 391/2 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 (kanuk), 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 Gulab 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 ([pound sterling]l) 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 Kukunath. 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 Sopru, 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 Kukunath. 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 Kukunath. 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. + + + +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 manoeuvre 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 Bahadur 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 manoeuvring 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 CONFRERES 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 piu forte, "Sahib!" crescendo, "Sahib, +Sahib!" and then at last, in a burst of harmony, "Sahib purana Baira +kutch 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 Purana 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 Mumtaz 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 Mumtaz 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. + +Mumtaz, 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. +Allahabad +Cawnpore 120 +Ghoorsahagunge 72 +Etawah 73 +Kurga 72 +Delhi 51 +Kurnaul 73 +Umballa 45 +Kalka 40 +Kussowlie 9 +Simla 40 +Hureepore 20 +Kalka 29 +Umballa 40 +Thikanmajura 36 +Jullundur 61 +Umritsur 59 +Lahore 35 +Gugerwalla 39 +Goojerat 30 +Bimber 27 +Serai Saidabad 12 +Nowshera 11 +Chungas 11 +Rajaori 12 +Thanna 12 +Burrumgulla 11 +Poshana 6 +Peer Punjal 9 +Poshana 9 +Aliabad 11 +Heerpore 13 +Shupayon 6 +Ramoon 9 +Sirinugger 14 +Wuler by water +Islamabad ,, +Atchabull 6 +Vernagh 11 +Islamabad 15 +Sirinugger by water +Gunberbull ,, +Kungur 11 +Gundisursing 12 +Soonamurg 14 +Foot of the Hills 9 +Pandras 24 +Dras 8 +Tusgam 14 +Chungun 12 +Pushkoom 10 +Waka 13 +Khurboo 10 +Lamieroo 12 +Nurila 16 +Suspul 14 +Egnemo 10 +Ladak 18 +Chunga 18 +Hemis 2 +Ladak 20 +Pitok 4 +Egnemo 14 +Suspul 10 +Nurila 14 +Lamieroo 16 +Khurboo 12 +Waka 10 +Pushkoom 13 +Thambis 14 +Sankoo 16 +Sooroo 12 +Among the Mountains 11 +Ditto 14 +Sucknez 11 +Bragnion 14 +Peer 16 +Nowbogh 9 +Kukunath 10 +Atchabull 8 +Islamabad 6 +Sirinugger by water +Baramoula ,, +Nowshera 8 +Uree 15 +Chukothee 15 +Hutteian 14 +Chukar 9 +Mehra 6 +Dunna 6 +Puttun 6 +Dewul 9 +Muree 11 +Rawul Pindee 37 +Gugerkhan 30 +Jhelum 37 +Goojerat 31 +Gugerwalla 30 +Lahore 39 +Umritsur 35 +Jullundur 59 +Loodiana 32 +Umballa 71 +Kurnaul 45 +Ghureekulla 36 +Delhi 36 +Allyghur 79 +Agra 50 +Bewah 82 +Ghoorsahagunge 79 +Cawnpore 72 +Allahabad 120 + + +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 +"Um 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 "Khuda 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 Puranas, 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 Rukminee, +and the marriage is thus poetically described. Rukminee 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 Duarika, +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 Puranas 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 Duarika 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 Rukminee, 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 Rukminee 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 Rukminee, 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 Rukminee 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 Rukminee, 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 Rukminee, '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 +Rukminee; 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 Rukminee, 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, "kinaut" (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-lukma, 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 animalculae 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, Abhuechund, 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 Muezzins, 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: -- + + +Asiatic Religions Buddhists 369,000,000 + Hindoos 231,000,000 + Mussulmen 160,000,000 + +ChristiansRoman Catholics 170,000,000 + 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.' " + + + + + +CHAPTER A type=appendix + +The Temples of Cashmere. + +Extract from "An Essay on the Arian Order of Architecture, as exhibited +in the Temples of Kashmir," by Capt. A. Cunningham. "Journal of the +Asiatic Society," Vol. XVII. + +The architectural remains of Kashmir are perhaps the most remarkable +of the existing monuments of India, as they exhibit undoubted traces +of the influence of Grecian art. The Hindu 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 Wantipur, 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 Timur'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 Kashmir, 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 Wantipur temples could only have been effected by +gunpowder; and I would, then, ascribe their overthrow to the bigoted +"Aurungzib." + +"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 Kashmir. 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 Kashmir is constructed either entirely or in +part of the ruins of Hindu temples. + + + +Takt I Suliman. + +The oldest temple in Kashmir, both in appearance and according to +tradition, is that upon the hill of "Takt i Suliman," or Solomon's +Throne. It stands 1,000 feet above the plain, and commands a view of +the greater part of Kashmir. + +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. + + +Pandrethan. + +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 Pandenthan, "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 Abhimanyu -- 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 Pandrethan 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 +Vishnu, 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 Nagas, +or human-bodied and snake-tailed gods, who were zealously worshipped +for ages through Kashmir. + + +Marttand. + +Of all the existing remains of Kashmirian grandeur, the most striking +in size and situation is the noble ruin of Marttand. + +This majestic temple stands at the northern end of the elevated +table-land of "Matan," about three miles to the eastward of Islamabad. + +This is undoubtedly the finest position in Kashmir. 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 Pandus" 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 Marttand maartta.n.d, or the sun, +to which the temple was dedicated. + +The true date of the erection of this temple -- the wonder of Kashmir +-- 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 Marttand, +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 Marttand temple itself. + +The angle of the roof in the Temple of Pandrethan, 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 Marttand I have followed the same rule. + +The height of the Pandrethan temple -- of the cloistered recesses, +porch pediments, and niches of Marttand itself -- were all just double +their respective widths. This agreement in the relative proportions of +my restored roof of Marttand 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 Hindu 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 Hindu 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 +Marttand 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 Kashmir, 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 Kashmir 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 Marttand." + +The principal buildings that still exist in Kashmir 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 Hindu 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 Kabulian Greeks, +while the arrangements of the interior and the relative proportions +of the different parts were of Hindu 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 Kashmir; and, secondly, +because its intercolumniations are always of four diameters -- an +interval which the Greeks called Araiostyle. + + +Extract from Vigne's "Travels in Kashmir." + +The Hindu temple of Marttand is commonly called the House of the +Pandus. Of the Pandus it is only necessary to say that they are the +Cyclopes of the East. Every old building, of whose origin the poorer +class of Hindus in general have no information, is believed to have +been the work of the Pandus. 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 Kashmir, 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 Kashmir. + +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 Nagas, 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 Kashmir, 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, Marttand 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 Marttand 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 PRONONCE 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. + + + +CHAPTER B + +The Mystic Sentence of Thibet. + + + +Explication et origine de la formule bouddhique: -- "Om mani padme +houm" Par M. Klaproth. "Nouveau Journal Asiatique." + +Les Tubetains et les Mongols ont perpetuellement cette priere dans +la bouche. Les mots de cette inscription sont Sanscrits, et donnent +un sens complet dans cette langue. En voici la transcription en +devanagri: -- + + +o.m ma.ni padme hu.m + + +"Om" est, chez les Hindous, le nom mystique de la divinite, par lequel +toutes les prieres commencent. Cette particule mystique equivaut +a l'interjection, OH! prononcee avec emphase et avec une entiere +conviction religieuse. Mani signifie LE JOYAU; Padma LE LOTUS. Enfin +Houm est une particule qui equivaut a notre "AMEN." Le sens de la +phrase est tres clair; "Om mani padme houm" signifie "OH! LE JOYAU +DANS LE LOTUS, AMEN." Malgre ce sens indubitable, les Bouddhistes +du Tubet se sont evertues a chercher un sens mystique a chacune des +six syllabes qui composent cette phrase. Ils ont rempli des livres +entiers de ces explications imaginaires. + +Cette formule est particuliere aux Bouddhistes du Tubet. + +Selon l'histoire de ce pays la formule Om mani padme houm, y a ete +apportee de l'Inde vers la moitie du 7e siecle de notre ere. + +La legende suivante traduite du Mongol contient des details sur la +conversion du Tubet par le dieu Padma pani,[41] et sur l'origine +des six syllabes sacrees, Om mani padme houm. Ce dieu est appele en +Sanscrit "Avalokites' vara" ou "le maitre qui contemple avec amour;" +ce que les Tubetains 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) +sejournait dans la foret 'd'Odma,' il advint un jour, qu'etant +entoure de ses nombreux disciples un rayon de lumiere de cinq couleurs +sortit tout-a-coup entre ses deux sourcils, forma un arc-en-ciel, et +se dirigea du cote 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 priere le glorieux-accompli lui dit: + +" 'Fils d'illustre origine! dans le pays qu'aucun Bouddha des +trois ages n'a pu convertir, et qui est rempli d'une foule d'etres +malfaisans, la loi se levera comme le soleil et s'y repandra dans +les temps futurs. + +" 'L'apotre de cet Empire de neige apre et sauvage, sera le +Khoutoukhtou' (Padma pani). + +"Apres que 'Sakya mouni' eut prononce ces paroles, un rayon de lumiere, +eclatant comme un lotus blanc, sortit de son coeur et illumina +toutes les regions du monde et se plongea dans le coeur du BOUDDHA +INFINIMENT RESPLENDISSANT. Alors un autre eclat de lumiere sortit du +Bouddha resplendissant et se plongea dans la mer des fleurs de PADMA +(lotus), et y transmit cette pensee du Bouddha, qu'il s'en eleverait +et qu'il en naitrait un Khoubilkhan[42] divin, destine a la conversion +de l'Empire de neige. + +"Le Roi Dehdou qui etait parvenu a participer a la beatitude de +l'empire de Soukhawatee, voulant un jour offrir au Bouddha un sacrifice +des fleurs, depecha quelques-uns des siens aux bords de la mer des +PADMA (Lotus), pour y cueillir de ces fleurs. Ses envoyes apercurent +dans la mer une tres grande tige de Lotus au milieu de laquelle il +y avait un bouton colossal entoure d'une foule de grandes feuilles, +et jetant des rayons de lumiere de differentes couleurs. Les envoyes +en firent leur rapport au roi, qui, rempli d'etonnement, se rendit +avec sa cour sur un grand radeau a la place de la mer ou se trouvait +cette tige merveilleuse. + +"Y'etant arrive, il presenta ses offrandes et prononca la benediction; +le bouton s'ouvrit alors des quatre cotes, et au milieu apparut +l'apotre de l'empire de neige, ne comme 'Khoubilkhan.' Il y etait +assis, les jambes croisees, avait mi visage et quatre mains; les deux +mains anterieures etaient jointes devant le coeur, la troisieme de +droite tenait un rosaire de cristal, et la quatrieme a gauche une +fleur de Lotus blanche, qui penchait vers l'oreille. + +"Sur sa figure, dont l'eclat se repandait vers les dix regions du +monde, se montrait un sourire qui penetra dans tous les coeurs. + +"Le roi et sa suite porterent le 'Khoubilkhan' au palais, en poussant +des cris de joie et entonnant des hymnes. Le roi se rendit devant le +Bouddha eternel et lui demanda la permission d'adopter pour fils, le +'Khoubilkhan' ne dans la mer de lotus. Mais sa demande ne fut pas +agree et il apprit, la veritable origine de ce 'Khoubilkhan.' Le +Bouddha infiniment resplendissant posa alors sa main sur la tete +de celui-ci et dit 'Fils d'illustre origine! Les etres qui habitent +l'apre empire de la neige, qu'aucun Bouddha des temps passes n'a pu +convertir, qu'aucun du temps futurs ne convertira, et qu'aucun du +temps present n'a converti, le seront par la force et la benediction +de ton voeu. C'est excellant; c'est excellant! Khoutoukhtou![43] + +" 'Aussitot que les habitans de l'apre empire de neige te verront +et qu'ils entendront le son des six syllabes (Om mani padme houm) +ils seront delivres des trois naissances de mauvaise nature, +et trouveront la beatitude par la renaissance comme etres d'une +nature superieure. Les esprits malfaisans de l'apre empire de neige, +ainsi que tous les etres donnant des maladies ou la mort, aussitot, +Khoutoukhtou, qu'ils te verront et qu'ils entendront le son des six +syllabes, ils quitteront la fureur et la mechancete qui les anime, +et deviendront compatissans. + +" 'Les tigres, les pantheres, les loups, les ours et autres animaux +feroces, aussitot, 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 affames et calmeront +la soif des alteres; il tombera comme une pluie d'eau benite, et +elle remplira tous leurs desirs. Khoutoukhtou! tu es l'etre gracieux +destine a annoncer la volonte du Bouddha a cet empire de neige. + +" 'Selon ton example, un grand nombre de Bouddhas s'y montreront, +dans les temps futurs, et y repandront la foi. + +" 'Les six syllabes sont le sommaire de toute doctrine et l'apre +empire de neige, sera rempli de cette doctrine par la force de ces +six syllabes -- + + +Om ma ni pad me houm.' + + +"Apres cette consecration, le Khoutoukhtou s'agenouilla devant le +Bouddha, joignit les mains et prononca le voeu suivant: 'Puisse-je +etre en etat de pouvoir faire parvenir a la beatitude les six especes +d'etres vivans dans les trois royaumes! Puisse-je, avant tout, +conduire sur le chemin du bonheur, les etres vivans de l'empire de +neige (Thibet). + +" 'Loin de moi le desir de retourner dans mon Empire de joie, avant +d'avoir acheve l'oeuvre si difficile de la conversion de ces etres. Si +une telle pensee, produite par le degout et la mauvaise humeur, +s'empare de moi, que ma tete se fende en dix parties, et mon corps, +comme cette fleur de lotus, en mille.' + +"Apres ces mots, il se rendit dans le royaume de l'enfer, prononca les +six syllabes et detruisit les peines des enfers frois et chauds. De +la il s'eleva au royaume des animaux, prononca les six syllabes et +detruisit la peine que leur produit la chasse. Puis il se rendit dans +l'empire des hommes, prononca les six syllabes et detruisit la peine de +la naissance, de l'age, des maladies et de la mort. Il s'eleva apres +a l'empire des genies du ciel, prononca les six syllabes et detruisit +l'envie qui les tourmente pour se disputer et se combattre. Enfin, +il aborda le grand Royaume de neige (le Tubet). + +"Ici, il apercut la mer d' 'Otang' comme un enfer terrible, et il +vit que derechef, plusieurs millions d'etres y'etaient, bouillis, +brules, et martyrises. + +"Le Khoutouktou se rendit au bord de la mer et dit: 'Oh! que tant de +milliers d'etres qui se trouvent dans cette mer, ou ils souffrent des +tourmens inexprimables par la chaleur, le froid, la faim, et la soif, +puissent rejeter loin d'eux leur enveloppe funeste et renaitre dans +mon paradis commes etres superieures. Om mani padme houm!' + +"A peine le 'Khoutoukhtou' avait-il prononce ces mots que les tourmens +des damnes cesserent; leur esprit fut tranquillise, et ils se virent +transportes sur le chemin du Bouddha. Le Khoutoukhtou ayant ainsi +rendu propres a la delivrance les six especes des etres vivans dans +les trois royaumes du monde, se trouva fatigue, se reposa et tomba +dans un etat de contemplation interieure! + +"Apres quelques temps il vit qu'a peine la centieme partie des +habitans de l'empire de neige avaient ete conduits sur le chemin de +la delivrance. Son ame en fut si douloureusement affectee qu'il eut +le desir de retourner dans son paradis. A peine l'avait-il concu, +qu'ensuite de ce voeu, sa tete se fendit en dix et son corps en +mille pieces. + +"Le Bouddha infiniment resplendissant lui apparut dans le meme moment, +guerit la tete et le corps fendus du Khoutoukhtou, le prit par la main +et lui dit: "Fils d'illustre origine! Vois les suites inevitables de +ton voeu; mais parce que tu l'avais fait pour l'illustration de tous +les Bouddhas, tu as ete gueri sur-le-champ. Ne sois donc plus triste, +car quoique ta tete se soit fendue en dix pieces, chacune aura, +par ma benediction, une face particuliere, et au-dessus d'elles sera +place mon propre visage rayonnant. Cet onzieme visage de L'INFINIMENT +RESPLENDISSANT, place 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 benediction, mille mains qui representeront les mille Bouddhas +d'un age complet du monde (en sanscrit Kalpa),[44] et qui te rendront +l'objet le plus digne d'adoration.' " + +Cette legende nous explique, non seulement l'extreme importance que +les Bouddhistes du Tubet attachent a la formule "Om mani padme houm," +mais elle nous demontre aussi que son veritable sens est celui que +j'ai donne plus haut: Oh! le joyau dans le lotus; Amen! Il est evident +qu'elle se rapporte a "Avalokites' vara" ou "Padma pani" lui-meme, +qui naquit dans une fleur de lotus.[45] + + + +Um 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 padme 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 padme 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 mani 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!" + + + +CHAPTER 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 "Yusuf 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 Yusuf 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 Abdullah 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 Abdullah: -- + +"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 +summerhouses 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 Duranees, 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, Gulab 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, Gulab 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 Gulab 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 Gulab 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 Gulab 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 Rajaoree. 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;" Surya 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 Kashmir, +the stronger would be the inducement to invasion by the East India +Company. 'Apres moi le deluge' 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 subpoena a credible witness to speak for herself; +and the right of private judgment being thus reserved to the reader, +Gulabie 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 "Tuzuk 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)[*] 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." + +[*] -- The Jhelum is called in Cashmere, Behat -- a contraction of the +Sanscrit VEDASTA, which the Greeks slightly altered to Hydaspes. + +[13] -- The title of Noor-ul-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 Caesars, +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-ul-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-ul-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] -- jo khula kariga so kui nahin kariga + +[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 Koros, 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 Lantza 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 Ranja, in Devanagri ra.mjaa + +"Ranja, therefore, and not, according to a barbarian metamorphosis, +Lantza, it should be called by us, and by way of further and clearer +distinction, the Nipalese variety of Devanagri. 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 Lantza or Ranja 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 Mantra 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 "Manis" (in another form of spelling, "Munees"), and thus +describes them: -- "The Mani -- 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 Mani 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 +'Mani,' 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 "Um 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 "Um 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 Gulab 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 Gulab 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 Gulab 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 +Gulab's camp. Here he was kept for three months upon an allowance of +10L. a-day, which was afterwards reduced to 10S., and Gulab Singh in +the meantime took possession of Kushtwar without opposition. + +[32] -- The value which a Kashmirian sets upon his Kangri may be +known by the following distich: -- + + +"Oh Kangri! Oh Kangri! +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 Koros. + +[38] -- VIDE page 202. + +[39] -- Muir's "Life of Mahomet." + +[40] -- M. Dietrici. + +[41] -- Padma pani, fils celeste du Bouddha divin du monde actuel, +est, dans cette qualite, entre en fonction depuis la mort du Bouddha +terrestre Sakya mouni, comme son remplacant, charge d'etre apres +lui le protecteur constant, le gardien et le propagateur de la foi +bouddhique renouvelee par Sakya. C'est pour cette raison qu'il ne +se borne pas a une apparition unique comme les Bouddhas, mais qu'il +se soumet presque sans interruption a une serie de naissances qui +dureront jusqu'a l'avenement de Maitreya, le futur Bouddha. + +On croit aussi qu'il est incarne dans la personne du "Dalai Lama," +et qu'il paraitra en qualite de Bouddha, le millieme de la periode +actuelle du monde. + +Le Tibet est sa terra de predilection; il est le pere de ses habitants, +et la formule celebre: Om mani padme hom, est un de ses bienfaits. -- +RELATION DES ROYAUMES BOUDDHIQUES, par Chy Fa Hian, traduit par +M. Remusat. + +[42] -- Le mot Khoubilkhan, en Mongol, designe l'incarnation d'une +ame superieure. + +[43] -- Khoutoukhtou, en Mongol, signifie "UN SAINT MAITRE." + +[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'annees. + +[45] -- Je ne l'ai encore trouvee cette phrase dans aucun ouvrage +chinois ou japonais, et notre savant collegue M. Bournouf, m'a dit +aussi qu'il ne l'a jamais rencontree dans les livres palis, birmans +et siamois. + +[46] -- um maani padmi + +[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 Project Gutenberg Diary of a Pedestrian in Cashmere and Thibet + |