KASHMIR 



BY ANDREW WILSON. 



[MAGA. APRIL-MAY 1875.] 



I. 



4 LMOST every one longs, and many hope, to see 

 -t*- the beautiful Vale of Kashmir. Probably no 

 region of the earth is so well known to the eye of ima- 

 gination, or so readily suggests the idea of a terres- 

 trial Paradise. So far from having been disappointed 

 with the reality, or having experienced any cause for 

 wishing that I had left Kashmir imvisited, I can most 

 sincerely say that the beautiful reality excels the 

 somewhat vague poetic vision which has been associ- 

 ated with the name. But Kashmir is rather a diffi- 

 cult country to get at, especially when you come 

 down upon it from behind, by way of Zanskar and 

 Siiru. According to tradition, it was formerly the 

 Garden of Eden ; and one is very well disposed to 

 accept that theory when trying to get into it from 

 VOL. vi. p 



