KASHMIR. 289 



lover of field-sports, as well as a most practical ruler, 

 and he gave the country a great impetus. This van- 

 tage-ground, however, was lost almost immediately 

 after his death, and, as he had foreseen, by the 

 growing power of the native class of the Chdks, 

 who soon rose to supreme power in Kashmir by 

 placing themselves at the head of the national party. 

 Under one of their chiefs the valley asserted itself 

 nobly and victoriously against its external enemies ; 

 but this advantage was soon lost, through internal 

 jealousies, enmities, and treachery ; and a request 

 for assistance offered by one of the Chak chiefs 

 afforded Akbar the pretext for conquering the 

 country and making it a part of the great Mogul 

 Empire. 



On the way from Martand to Achibal I saw the 

 only serpent which appeared before me in Kashmir ; 

 but, before I could get hold of it, the wily creature 

 had disappeared in the grass ; and those who have 

 closely observed serpents know how readily they do 

 disappear, and how wonderfully the more innocuous 

 ones, even the large rock-snakes, manage to conceal 

 themselves from the human eye in short grass, where 

 it might be thought that even a small snake could 

 easily be detected. I have been instructed by Indian 

 snake-charmers, who are rather averse to parting with 

 their peculiar knowledge, and have tried my hand 

 successfully on a small wild cobra, between three 

 and four feet in length, so I speak with knowledge 



