KASHMIR. 277 



that if the fleas in the larger edifice were at all 

 unanimous, they could easily push the traveller out 

 of bed. The water of the sacred tanks proceeds from 

 springs, and is slightly sulphureous in character, 

 which does not appear to affect the health of the 

 fish ; but it is strictly forbidden to kill these fish. 



At Islamabad, when I visited it, a good many 

 newly-plucked crocus-flowers were in course of being 

 dried in order to make saffron, though the great 

 beds of this plant are farther down the Jhelam. I 

 entirely agree with the Emperor Jehangi'r the man 

 who would let nobody get drunk except himself 

 when he says, in his journal, of these crocus-flowers, 

 " Their appearance is best at a distance, and when 

 plucked they emit a strong smell." With some 

 humour Jehangir goes on to say " My attendants 

 were all seized with a headache ; and although I 

 myself was intoxicated with liquor at the time, I 

 also felt my head affected." One would like to 

 know how the Light of the World was affected on 

 this occasion, but history is silent ; and, so far as I 

 know, only Tmolus loved to adorn his head with 

 crocus-flowers, as we learn from the first Georgic of 

 Virgil, 56 



'' Xonne vides, croceos ut Tmolus odores, 

 India mittet ebur, molles sua thura Sabsci." 



Notwithstanding their odious smell when fresh, these 

 saffron-flowers, when dried, are much valued as con- 



