Journals Kept in Hyderabad, Kashmir, Sikkim, and Nepal Volume 2 (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: EXTRACTS FKoK A LETTER TO LORD LYTTON, From Darjilixo, Dated 30iH September, 1870. I note herein in the briefest manner the main points to which a traveller to Kashmir should pay attention, if he be obliged to make his visit a short one. But it must be remembered that the famous Valley has different aspects at different seasons. My two visits were made in early spring and midsummer; if the traveller go there in autumn?some points will appear differently to him than they did to me. There are three principal entrances to the valley: ? the Banihal route from Jammiin, used by persons of consequence and friends of the Maharaja; the Pir Pantsal route from Bhimbar, which is much the most beautiful, and that by which the Emperors of old used to enter, being strewed stage by stage with the ruins of the Great Mnghals; the Baramula route, running for the most part along banks of the Jhelam, and very important politically, being free from snow nearly all the yearround?which the other routes are not?and therefore practicable for troops. If the traveller enters by the Banihal route, he ascends from the Indian side, and just tops the crest of the pass, when suddenly Kashmir, if the weather be favourable, bursts upon him in all its glory: ?the valley is at his feet, with its rivers and lakes looking like little silver streaks; and beyond it are the grand Himalayan snowy groups, of which Amarnath on the east, the great place of Hindu pilgrimage, is the nearest, and Nanga Parbat on the west the farthest. I should add that a good glass is desirable if all the view is to bo seen. Descending to the valley he should stop at Vernag, one of the reputed sources of the Jhelam. It is a circular fountain with peculiarly beautiful colours in the water? azure, turquoise, and emerald?and s...