766 Some account of the valley of Kashmir. [Sept. 



in the rajgee. In raja Beer Kishore Deo's time two dreadful 

 famines were experienced*. 



Raja Dirb Singh Deo reigned 18 years. He was an excellent and 

 virtuous prince. He paid a regular peshcush and built the nour at 

 Khonda Gurh. Raja Mukoond Deo reigned after him 20 years. In 

 the 9th Auk the Feringees entered Cuttack and acquired the province 

 of Orissa. 



VI. — Some account of the valley of Kashmir, Ghazni, and Kdbul ; in a 



letter from G. J. Vigne, Esq. dated Bunderpore, on the Wuler lake, 



Kashmir, June 16, 1837f. 



My conscience smites me for not having according to your request 

 sent you a word or two on the «""ea *ai voov avdpou of the countries 

 which I have lately visited. I have to request you in perusing 

 the following observations, to bear in mind that they are chiefly from 

 memory, as my notes are at Loodiana, and that had I intended, when 

 I quitted England, to visit these regions of past, present, poetical, and 

 coming interest, I should have been better prepared both with in- 

 formation and instruments for scientific research. 



Before speaking in detail of the natural curiosities of Kashmir, it 

 must be remarked that by far the greatest is the valley itself. To 

 say nothing of its verdant lawns, its innumerable streams and the dense 

 deodar and fir forests on its southern side ; it cannot I imagine be 

 contemplated as a rocky basin or cradle, without admiration of its 

 size, and its unrivalled proportions of height to distance. By the 

 Poonah road it is 160 miles marching from Bunber to Baramula very 

 severe in places. By the Rajawur road somewhat less to Shupeony. 

 Its greatest length is 75 or 80 miles. Its greatest breadth does not 

 exceed 24° 13^ miles by actual survey in a straight line from the 

 hill of Skupton to that of Islamabad. Its smallest width is about 

 14 miles. The height of the peaks of the Pir Punjal will be 

 found I think, when actually taken, to be at about 16,000 feet. 

 Abramukha on the north side of the valley is higher ; and is so consi- 



* All these are well known occurrences in the modern history of the province. 



•f* We are much obliged to Mr. Vigne for this interesting account of some of the 

 countries he has lately made his home. We have left his notes as they stand, 

 bespeaking some indulgence from his readers for the want of strict arrangement 

 in a hasty epistle, — but a much larger share for the blunders we have doubtless 

 committed in many of the names ; for besides the difficulties of a crossed and 

 interlined manuscript in no very legible hand, the letter reached us soaked 

 through and nearly obliterated by a journey of 1,500 miles in the rains. We 

 were forced to recopy the whole before the compositors could undertake it. — Ed. 



