I860.] Memorandum on the Survey of Kashmir. 25 



up in frames of wood. The walls seldom exceed a single brick in thick- 

 ness, so that but for the wooden frame work, these habitations would 

 not be very safe. Siriuagur, like all Indian cities, is exceedingly dirty, 

 and the inhabitants, except the shawl and wool merchants, vie with 

 each other in uncleanliness. 



The bridges over the Jhelum, shewn on the map opposite Sirinagur, 

 are entirely constructed of logs of wood heaped up cross wise, which 

 serve as piers, over which a platform is laid of planks and beams 

 roughly nailed or tied together, the spaces between the piles of wood 

 being left open and of such width, as to allow of the passage of the 

 boats on the river. 



The garden houses and dhurrumsallas in the suburbs of the city 

 are chiefly used by visitors. 



"The mountains around Kashmir" Capt. Montgomerie observes, 

 " are covered with snow for at least eight months in the year, many 

 being from 15,000 to nearly 18,000 feet above the sea, include large 

 glaciers between their spurs, and retain the snow throughout the year. 



The chief peculiarities of the survey operations arise from this 

 great elevation. Special arrangements were required for the protection 

 of the natives and for the necessary supplies of food and wood, when 

 the surveyors were working far above villages and even above the 

 forest itself. 



" The triangulation depends upon the Kashmir Series of the 

 Great Trigonometrical Survey, which emanates from a side of the 

 North-West Longitudinal Series in low hills near Sealkote. 



" In order to connect the triangulation in the Punjab with Kashmir, 

 it was necessary to carry it across the Chatadhar and Pir Punjal 

 snowy ridges. This was done by taking observations from the tops 

 of the snowy peaks best adapted to form a series of symmetrical 

 polygons and quadrilaterals. In this way the triangulation has been 

 carried on systematically from the foundation. It consists of one 

 main axis, viz. the principal triangulation, which is composed of 

 polygons and quadrilaterals. From this axis, diverge numerous minor 

 Series of triangles, which starting from one side of the principal 

 Series are tested by closing on another side of the same, or upon a 

 side of the North-west Himalaya Series. 



E 



