90 Correspondence of the Commissioners [Feb. 



in these ancient temples of Kashmir, is distinguished by great elegance 

 of design, combined with extreme solidity of construction. It is infi- 

 nitely superior to any thing that I have seen in India ; and from the 

 simplicity of its outlines, and the beauty of its proportions, I think 

 it may be ranked as an order of architecture not much inferior to our 

 own classic models. I annex an elevation of one of the pillars of the 

 temple of Marttand. It is a polygon of twenty fluted sides. 



5. During my stay of five days in the city of Kashmir, I set up 

 the declination magnetometer and the dip-circle, and I made hourly 

 observations of the meteorological instruments for two days. I also 

 obtained four meridian altitudes, as well as several equal altitudes of the 

 sun, and a few observations of the Pole star for the latitude ; and the 

 lunar distance of Venus for the longitude. I was also fortunate enough 

 to procure copious Vocabularies of two of the three dialects of the 

 Dardii language, viz. the Shina, spoken in Gilgit and Hasora, and the 

 Khajna, spoken in Hunza and Nager. The remaining dialect, the 

 Armya of Chitral and Yasan, I expect to obtain without any difficulty 

 amongst the Dardus on the Kishen-Gauga. I will hereafter compare 

 them with the Persian, Pashtu, Sanskrit and Hindi : but, from a cur- 

 sory examinatian of the two above dialects, I should say that they con- 

 sist chiefly of Sanskrit and Hindi. 



6. I expect to reach the city of Kashmir on the 18th, where I 

 shall agciin observe the various instruments ; and, after a halt of a few 

 days for that purpose, I intend to proceed via the Baramula Pass, to 

 Mozufarabad, and thence up the Kishen-Gauga river as far as may be 

 practicable at this season. On my route to Baramula I shall visit the 

 ruins of Paharispur and Patan. 



7. I have been so continuously occupied since I reached the city 

 of Kashmir that I have been unable to prepare a Diary of my marches : 

 but I will transmit this document along with my next report. 



I have, &c. 

 (Signed) Alex. Cunningham, 

 lit. Capt. Senior Commissioner, Tibetan Frontier, 

 Camp Bij-Bihara, 1 4th November, 1847. 

 (True Copy) 



II, M. Lawrence, 



Agent and Resident. 



