152 AFOOT THROUGH THE 



CHAPTER XIII 



I think the spectacle of a whole life in which you have no part paralyses 

 personal desire; you are content to become a mere spectator." Stevenson. 



I luxuriate in the spectacle of others' labours Some details as 

 to arts and crafts in Srinagar A pleasant tea party and a 

 late return. 



OF the city of Srinagar I had thus far seen really very 

 little, and as it is impossible to live in a world of 

 merchants, all selling amazingly artistic wares, without 

 giving one's self up to some of the joys of collecting, for 

 several days I eschewed long expeditions and gave my 

 gracious permission to all the various sellers who passed 

 in their swift little shikars to board my doonga and 

 show me their goods. This is an ideal form of shopping, 

 no bustle, no hurry, and the buyer is enabled to 

 order exactly what he wants, for the goods 

 produced at the first meeting are merely specimens 

 from which cost and quality may be gauged. 

 Any orders are entered in a book, with price offered 

 by purchasers, and name and address of latter ; also the 

 time when the things are to be completed and returned. 

 Naturally in practice this system does not quite fulfil its 

 ideal theory. Like true artists the Kashmiri workman 



