KASHMIR. 267 



have been destroyed, how many dearest ties severed, 

 and how many dark regrets remain ! For that there 

 is no consolation Avorth speaking of except the faith 

 that all which was good and beautiful here below 

 still lives and blooms above. 



There are several very beautiful or striking places 

 about the sources of the Jhelam which no visitor to 

 Kashmir should omit to see. Islamabad can be 

 reached in two days by boat, if the river is not in 

 flood ; and the mat awning of the boats lets down 

 close to the gunwale, so as to form a comfortable 

 closed apartment for night. In late autumn at least, 

 the waters of Kashmir are so warm, as compared 

 with the evening and night air, that towards after- 

 noon an extraordinary amount of steam begins to 

 rise from them. But the air is exceedingly dry not- 

 withstanding the immense amount of water in the 

 valley, and the frequent showers of rain which fall ; 

 and there is very little wind in Kashmir, which is 

 an immense comfort, especially for dwellers in tents. 

 There is now no difficulty in obtaining information 

 in regard to Kashmir amply sufficient to guide the 

 visitor. The older books on that country are well 

 enough known, such as those of Bernier, Jacquemont, 

 Moorcroft, Hiigel, and Yigne ; and it is curious how 

 much information we owe to them, and how repeatedly 

 that information has been produced by later writers, 

 apparently without any attempt to verify it, or to 

 correct it up to date. Three books on Kashmir, 



