1836.] Notice of a Visit to the Valley of Kashmir. 185 



before a regular publication of my residence in 1835 can be made in 

 Europe and reach India, that of Mr. Jacquemont will have lost much 

 of its interest as a new topic, I do not hesitate to come forward with 

 my notes in their original form, how unfavourable to them it may be. 



Kashmir in a political and financial point of view, has been much over- 

 rated : not in a picturesque one. The valley in its length, from N. W. 

 by W. to S. E. by E. is little more than 80 miles long ; the breadth 

 crossing the former line, varying from 30 miles to 6. I speak of the 

 actual plains : from the eternal snow of the Pir Panjahl to the Tibet 

 Panjahl are 50 to 60 miles : both ranges run nearly parallel in the 

 first direction, with a great number of peaks. The height of the passes 

 from Bimbar to Kashmir, and that from Kashmir to Iscardo is the 

 same, 13,000 feet; the highest point of the Pir Panjahl, 15,000 feet 

 by the boiling point. The city of Kashmir 6,300 feet* ; Kashmir 

 town, Dalawer Khan Bagh on the 19th November, gave meridional 

 altitude 72° 4', artificial horizon, which shews its northern latitude to be 

 34° 35'. 



Population. — Four years ago about 800,000 ; now not exceeding 

 200,000. The valley is divided in 36perganahs, containing ten towns 

 and 2,200 villages. Kashmir town contains still 40,000 inhabitants ; 

 Chupinian, 3000 ; Islamabad and Pampur, 2000. It was not the bad 

 administration of the Sikhs, but a famine brought on by frost at the 

 time the rice was in flower, and cholera in consequence of it, that re- 

 duced the population to one fourth of the former number by death and 

 emigration : many villages are entirely deserted. Chirar town con- 

 tains now 2000 houses and only 150 inhabitants ! 



Revenue. — Last year very nearly nothing, Ranji't Singh wishing 

 that the country should recover : this year (1836) he asks 23 lakhs from 

 the Governor Mohan Singh, which the country cannot give. The 

 emigration has brought to the Panjab and Hindustan many shawl 

 manufacturers, and Kashmir will most likely never yield again what it 

 did a few years ago. Niirpur, Lodiana, and many other places can 

 bring to the market shawls cheaper than Kashmir, where every article 

 of food is dearer than in the Panjab and Hindustan. 



Twelve passes, Pansahl in the Kashmir language (from which Pir 

 Panjhal of the Musalmans) now exist ; three to Tibet (Iscardo and 

 Ladak) ; eight to the Panjab ; one to the west. In former times 

 there were only seven : the defence of which was entrusted to Malliks 

 with hereditary appointments : four passes are open the whole year : 

 one to Ladak, the western pass, (Baramulla,) and two to the south. 



* Three thermometers brought it very near to the same height. 

 2 B 



