HISTORY OF CASHMIR. 5# 



self down from the window of his prison, and swim over the river to his 

 troops, but Jayapira urged its impracticability, not only on account of 

 the height of the window from the ground, but the impossibility of crossing 

 the torrent without assistance : after some discussion, the minister withdrew, 

 purposing professedly to return, but as a considerable interval elapsed dur- 

 ing which he did not appear, the king went to seek him, and found him dead 

 on the floor of an adjoining chamber, strangled with his own turban: be- 

 side him lay a leaf, on which he had written these words with his nail ; 

 " You must effect your escape ; I die to enable you: my body inflated with 

 your breath will serve you as a float, tie yourself with my turban,, and 

 quickly cross the river." Penetrated with admiration at the proof of at- 

 tachment, and with grief for the loss of so faithful a friend, the king obeyed 

 his posthumous counsel, and safely effected ajunction with his troops : eager 

 to wipe off his disgrace he fell upon the unprepared and astonished Ne- 

 palese, killed their king, and left their country a depopulated waste. 



Returning to Cashmir Jayapira spent some time in the enjoyment of the 

 treasures he had acquired by the late expedition, when an extraordinary 

 occurrence gave a new complexion to his character, and changed him into 

 an oppressive and extortionary prince. Mahapadma the Ndga appeared 

 to him in a dream, and implored his aid against a magician of Drdvira, 

 whose enchantments sought to secure the person of the Ndga, and carry 

 him off. Mahapadma promised the king as a reward for his protection, 

 that he would reveal to him the existence of a gold mine, and then disap- 

 peared. In the morning, the king not quite satisfied of the veracity of the 

 Ndga, sent for the magician, and desired him to shew him the person of 

 the snake God: this the magician effected ; the waters of a lake retiring at 

 his command, exposed the Ndga and his serpent train. Jayapira however 

 would not allow the magician to seizle his prey, but ordering him to recall 

 the waters of the lake, gave him a liberal recompense, and sent him to his 

 own country. The Ndga soon visited him again in his slumbers, but in- 

 stead of a mine of gold, he punished him for his want of faith, by discover- 

 ing to him the site of a copper mine, a source of considerable though infe* 



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