1861.] 
The progress of the Kashmir Series. 
105 
strangers that he could and of exchanging, them for the large dogs 
so much prized in that part of the world. Goraman and his son had 
till this year held Yassin, and for a short time Gilgit also, though 
once or twice driven out by the Dogras from the latter. 
In addition to the main body of the Dogra force advancing from 
the south, an armed body of Baltis advanced through Shigar and 
thence by the Nagar and Hoonza valleys threatening Gilgit on the 
east. 
Another force was to have advanced from the west under the in- 
structions of an agent from Dheer and Chitral, but it was not appar- 
ently in time, though possibly the mere talk of it made the Gora- 
man’s son unhappy as to his line of retreat. 
This conquest, which may be said to have been made without loss 
of life, is highly creditable to the Maharajah and his officers who plan- 
ned and carried it out. The effects are in some respects likely to be 
very salutary. In the first place, the mere fact of the Maharajah 
having a force in Gilgit overawes and keeps in check the robber- 
clans of Nagar and Hoonza who have for .years infested the roads 
between Haiti and Ladak on the. one side, and Yarkand on the other ( 
and latterly to such an extent that those roads in their immediate 
neighbourhood, though the shortest, have been almost completely 
closed to anything in the shape of a merchant. Keeping possession 
of Gilgit during the cold weather when all communication with 
Kashmir is closed, has always .been the most difficult business. The 
Maharajah has, however, left nearly 3000 men in the valley and con- 
sequently in future it is to be hoped that his troops will hold their own 
and that the traffic from Skardo direct to Yarkand will again be 
resumed. 
In the second place, this successful expedition has had a very whole- 
some effect on all the petty tribes lying between Gilgit and the 
Cabul territories, and ultimately will be of assistance in keeping the 
Swat valley in check. Swat being still one of the recusant tribes on 
our N. W. Frontier. 
.At the durbars of the Maharajah during this season men from 
Chitraul, Dheer, Swat, Kholi, Palus, &c. were in attendance, as well 
as from Chilas, Nagar and Hoonza who have been constant attend- 
ants for some years. 
