96 ORIGIN OF THE SHAWL PATTERN. 



what guidance and information he wanted from a villager, 

 whilst he, the impostor, pocketed the profits. Although 

 these remarks may not be very entertaining, they may be 

 useful to a sportsman visiting Cashmere for the first time. 



Of course we were soon surrounded by these rascals 

 wanting service, and as at that time we knew no better, 

 engaged two. My companion was more lucky in his choice 

 than I was in mine, as his man turned out to be a great 

 acquisition; the one I engaged proved the very reverse. 

 Again taking to our boats, we continued our course up the 

 river to Islamabad. 



Tor some distance above Srinuggur the windings of the 

 Jhelum are so tortuous as to form a succession of pear- 

 shaped loops, so to speak, of water. There is a legend in 

 Cashmere that the idea of the loop -like pattern, so common 

 in Cashmere shawls, was originally suggested by the ap- 

 pearance of the river thus winding through the valley, as 

 viewed from the top of an eminence near the city, on 

 which stands the ancient temple called Takht-i-Suliman 

 (Solomon's throne). 



Islamabad we reached next day, and after inspecting its 

 tanks, teeming with sacred fish, and collecting men to carry 

 our traps, at once went on to the village of Shangus, about 

 eight miles distant. At this place we purchased a supply of 

 rice for our followers, as we were told that food for them 

 would not be procurable in Wurdwan. Here also I was 

 lucky enough to secure the services of a well-known shi- 

 karee. This man's demeanour was totally different from 

 that of the sham one I had had the misfortune to already 

 engage. Ramzan Meer was a grave, taciturn, little old fel- 

 low, very much addicted to snuff, and was not, at first sight, 

 either in appearance or costume, the sort of person one 

 would have taken for the first-rate hunter he really was. 

 He was dressed in the loose wide-sleeved garment of light 

 woollen cloth commonly worn by Cashmerees, wliich reached 

 almost to his feet. His waist was girt with a white hum- 



