NATURALIST IN INDIA. 247 



the natural and artificial portions of the panorama, so faintly- 

 blending with each other, and yet so grand, that the eye in 

 one sweep passed over most perfect pictures of lake and 

 mountain scenery. Towards the city stretched a nohle avenue 

 of poplars, upwards of a mile in length, and straight as arrows ; 

 whilst away towards the east rich pastures and fields teemed 

 with graiil ; villages nestled in clusters of trees, which in 

 rows were seen fringing the banks of the classical Hydaspes, 

 that like a huge snake twisted through the plain. Then, last 

 of the many beauties, rose those grand and noble mountains, 

 encircling the whole panorama, and shielding the paradise from 

 the northern blasts, whilst from their rugged sides dashed a 

 thousand riUs to fertilise and beautify its soiL On the palace 

 parade-ground Goulab Singh's soldiers were at driU — a curious- 

 looking, iU-dressed, and badly-accoutred mob. The loud 

 discordant bray of their instruments grated harshly on our 

 ears as they marched past in review order, before the chief. 

 "We thought, would the British soldier ever march past on 

 that same plain? and what a happy day for Cashmere it would 

 be when the old flag of England waved on the ramparts of 

 Serinuggur ! We paid a visit to the Isle of Chunars, and sat 

 in Nourmahal's bower, now only traceable by a few hewn 

 stones. In the fragment of a wall was the tablet erected by 

 the travellers Vigne, Henderson, and Baron Hugel to com- 

 memorate their meeting in the valley some fifteen years 

 previously. The inscription was much defaced ; and when I 

 revisited the island two years afterwards the entire slab had 

 been removed, possibly thrown into the lake. 



