A PILGRIMAGE TO AMERXATH 



523 



AN AQUATIC RUNABOUT 



The shikara is built for speed rather than capacity. Four oarsmen, usin 

 paddles, can propel such a craft at almost motor-boat speed. 



Photograph by William Jessop 



heart-shaped 



back to Rawalpindi, although we 

 never quite figure it out. 



IN A VENICE OE THE EAST 



could 



Upon the charm of Suryya Nagar 

 (Srinagar) I cannot dwell. This Venice 

 of the East, with its fascinating water 

 life, its beautiful embroideries, silver- 

 ware, beaten copper, carved woodwork, 

 papier-mache done after old Persian de- 

 signs, its brass, silk, and precious stones, 

 casts over one a sort of spell from which 

 it is hard to escape. 



"I will away," we say and in the same 

 breath plead with ourselves for further 

 delay. The temptation is strong to give 

 up the mountain trip and laze away the 

 days in this interesting City of the Sun. 



We must harden our hearts if we are 

 really to reach Amernath and reluctantly 

 the order is given to go up the river to 

 Islamabad. How peaceful and restful 

 those three days were, as we were towed 

 and poled up that quiet, sluggish stream, 

 with nothing to do but eat and sleep, read 

 a little, write a little, and lie back in a 

 comfortable chair on the top of the boat, 



looking at the native craft and their life, 

 the passing villages and the changing 

 hills ! 



Following the great curves of the river, 

 the original of the Kashmir shawl pat- 

 tern, the distance to Islamabad or its 

 port, Kanbal, is about 47 miles. The dis- 

 tinctive features of the scenery in this 

 part of Kashmir are the karewahs, or 

 alluvial plateaus. These are often con- 

 tinuous with the foothills, but are some- 

 times isolated, having low-lying ground 

 all around. On the lower slopes are ter- 

 raced rice-fields, with Indian corn grow- 

 ing higher up and wheat on the top. 



MAN, WOMAN, OR CHILD TOWED THE 

 HOUSE-BOAT 



Life in a house-boat would soon be- 

 come confined and tiresome, were it not 

 for the frequent stops for food and water 

 and in order to see interesting ruins along 

 the way. Our cooking was done in a 

 separate boat, supposed to be attached to 

 the stern of the one we lived on. but more 

 often it was far behind, sometimes in the 

 dim distance, if the meals were not ready 



