1866. ] the Western Himalaya and Afghan Mountains. 93 
Cuaptir I.—Felstone and Porphyry. 
The mountains South-West, South and West of Cashmir. 
Baramoola is a small city, well’ known to the tourist in Cashmir 
and to the pedestrian coming from Murree; it is a haven of rest, for 
here boats may be hired to take him to Srinagar, the very heart of 
the valley. From the heights above the town the traveller gets his 
first view of the celebrated vale, and in the spring of the year it is 
difficult to imagine any more beautiful landscape than it affords. It 
is here also that disappointment or enthusiasm commences, according 
to the traveller’s disposition: for to many Cashmir is an overrated 
land, whilst to the scientific man, to the artist or the antiquarian it is 
a mine of great wealth. 
The town is built at the foot of a hill which has a direction west 
to east, and is cut in two to give a passage to the river Jheelum. It 
is approximatively in N. Latitude 31° 13’ and H. Longitude 74° 23’, 
Its southern view is limited by a small hill, the Atala, and on 
the west a mountain of 8,467 feet, the Shumalarum, also confines 
the horizon. Thus, placed in a cradle of hills, on the banks of the 
Vedusta, it has a picturesque aspect, a damp cold climate, a celebrity 
for rain and storms, and a great name for earthquakes. 
The hills at the foot of which Baramoola is built are the extreme 
eastern extension of the great Kaj Nag Range, which, proceeding 
from EH. to W. for 20 miles, bifurcates into a huge north-westerly 
branch (which I shall leave alone for the present, as I know nothing 
about it), and a southern branch which, proceeding S. 8. W., divides 
again, one arm going west towards Mozofferabad, whilst the other, 
the Kiren or Kirna range, crosses the river at Ori (or rather the river 
crosses it) to be continued with the Kandi range in the direction of 
the Pir Punjal chain. 
2. The whole range of hills near Baramoola dips 8S. by a few 
degrees H., and in describing the rocks from 8. EH. to N. W., we shall 
therefore proceed from the more superficial to the deepest. 
On the left bank of the river, we find a clinkstone or felstone of a 
dark grey colour and slaty texture, and an appearance as if it had been 
drawn while in a viscid state. It has a sandy feel to the hand; it 
breaks into long narrow flags having a close resemblance to pieces of 
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