1S37.] Some account of the valley of Kashmir. 769 



roirian Thermopylae in its way, which a good engineer and a very 

 inferior force could soon render almost impregnable. 



There are many such smaller valleys running from Kashmir, but 

 Bdramula happens to be the lowest, and the river of course cho9e 

 that for its outlet. 



The Cosa Nagh is a large lake lying in the gorges of the Pir Pan- 

 jal several miles in length ; but I have not yet visited it though I 

 much wish to do so, and have been to the neighbourhood on purpose. 

 Its surface is not far below the limit of the forest. 



The Ganga is a lake a good long day's journey up the mountain of 

 Huraunk. To this water the Hindus make their pilgrimages with 

 the bones of their relations. Hakritsir, Pamritsir, and others are all 

 connected with each other and with the river by canals artificial or 

 natural . 



Mahte Bal is a very pretty lake half way between the city and the 

 Wuler ; it is said to be much deeper than the others. Verney is the 

 largest spring. Loka Nagh is said to be the finest water. There 

 are nine salphur springs, one chalybeate, two or three warm 

 springs that I found in the pergunnah of Lolab, (the most retired 

 spot conceivable, being a valley within a valley at the west end of 

 Kashmir) and one that ebbs and flows, in this month only, at the east 

 end. Also two iron and one lead mine worked only for the supply of 

 Kashmir. 



Gul nang, which I have just visited is a verdant plain 2,000 feet 

 above the valley ; nothing was wanting but a herd of deer to make it 

 resemble an English park. 



Baba Pamrishi ; the Zedrat at its foot is the only Mussulman con- 

 vent I know of. There are no women in the village : 200 or 300 is 

 the number of the community with a Pir or Father at their head. 

 They have lands of their own and are very hospitable. I was 

 awakened here by a severe shock of an earthquake that made the 

 house vibrate. 



Chirar or Shah Nur-ud-din left his name to the most holy Zedrat 

 in the valley because the holy man was a Kashmirian by birth. 



There are not less than 40 Hindu temples in the country of Kash* 

 mir and 30 in the city, usually in ruins of large stones. The largest 

 is the PdndaU Khorou at Mdthan near Isldmdbdd, built by the brothers 

 Pdndau in their wanderings, a magnificent ruin formerly much higher 

 than at present. It has, and most of them had, a colonnade around 

 them: the capitals are of this shape, (see fig. 1. PI. XXXVII.) the shaft 

 not long enough for its size ; usually the centre building of this shape, 

 (see tig. 2. PI. XXXVI 1.) but none are now perfect ; there is one 

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