of weather, which is braved at all seasons by these men of the mountains. In the paffage of fome of the fteep hills the Khan was obliged to walk, and it feemed to me furprifing, that the bearers were able to carry the litter over them. The Kashmirians, who are the ordinary travellers of this road, ufe fandals made of straw rope, as an approved defence of their feet, and to fave their fhoes. On leaving Sumboo, I had been advised to adopt this practice, but, my feet not being proof against the rough collifion of the ftraw, I foon became lame and threw off my fandals. From a glaring deficiency of method, in the arrangement of my remarks, I am often fearful that but faint traces of a general chain will be exhibited. It is not that my ideas flow fo thick and strong, as, in confidence of their fuperiour excellency, to contemn restriction or that obedience to order, which is fo effential to their utility; it is an habit, perhaps an idle one, that impels me to note at the moment, the train of thoughts which occur; and it becomes neceffary I fee to plead this excufe, for having fo abruptly dragged in the story of the khan's litter and my ftraw fhoes, when I fhould have been laying before you sketches of this beautiful country, which, in the language of Perfia, is called Kachmire be Nazeer.* In the vicinity of Veere Naug is seen a torrent of water bursting from the fide of a mountain with impetuous force, and imme On diately forming a confiderable ftream, which contributes, with numerous other rivulets, to fertilize the valley of Kashmire. the fpot, where this piece of water reaches the plain, a bason of a fquare form has been conftructed, it is faid, by the emperor Jehanguir, for receiving and discharging the current; and the trees of various kinds, which overspread the borders of the bafon, at once give an ornament to the scene, and a grateful shade to the inhabitants of that quarter, who, in the summer season, make it a place of common refort. The road from Veere Naug leads through a country, exhibiting that store of luxuriant imagery, which is produced by a happy disposition of hill, dale, wood and water; and, that these rare excellencies of nature might be displayed in their full glory, it was the feafon of spring, when the trees, the apple, pear, the peach, apricot, the cherry and mulberry bore a variegated load of bloffom. The clusters alfo, of the red and white rose, with an infinite class of flowering fhrubs, prefented a view fo gayly decked, that no extraordinary warmth of imagination, was required to fancy that I ftood, at least, on a province of fairy land. Except the mulberry, I do not believe that this country produces any fpecies of the fruits of India, and but few of its vegetables; fuch is the change effected within a space of two degrees of latitude: this fudden revolution of climate cannot be It is called Vheit or Bchat in the Kashmirian language, and in the Sanfcrit, Vetuftah. afcribed afcribed to the northern fituation of Kafhmire, which is little more than two hundred miles from Lahore, where, many of the fruits of fouthern India come to maturity, but to the furrounding fnowy mountains, and an highly elevated land; which the Hindoos fay, though very widely, is three perpendicular miles higher than the Punjab. On the 26th of April, at Durroo or Lurroo, a small but very populous town, feven coffes from Bannaul, where our khan and his suite were hospitably received by the chief, and lodged that night at his house. Our entertainment, and the cordial behaviour of the hoft, made us a general recompence for the fatigues of the journey; and I in an inftant, forgot the pains of my bruised feet, in the pleasant comparison between a commodious fhelter and the boisterous weather of the mountains. - On the 27th, at Iflaamabad, five coffes -a a large town, fituate on the north fide of the river Jalum, which is here springing from the mountains, or penetrating them in narrow openings. At this place the Jalum, over which a wooden bridge is built, is about eighty yards across, and from the level furface of the country has a gentle current. Our party, this evening, hired a boat to proceed to the city, and had gone more than five miles, when a written order arrived, in an evil hour, requiring us to return and remain at Iflaamabad, until a paffport fhould be obtained from the court. check infufed a general gloom, and rendered our fituation, already confined and irksome, almost comfortless. The boat, a very fmall This one, one, was fcantily covered with a flender mat, and the wind, current, and a heavy rain had fet in against us. The rain continued inceffantly the whole night, and though my bedding was drenched with water, I received no injury from having lain on it feveral hours. After exprefling my grateful acknowledgements to a hale conftitution, I am induced to afcribe a great share of the prevention of fickness, on this as on other occafions to the frequent use of tobacco, which manifeftly poffeffes the property of defending the body against the impreflion of damps and cold or impure air, which, from the thick ranges of wood and hills, is tainted with noxious vapours, produces fevers of a malignant kind, and I am prompted to attribute the good health I enjoyed in those parts, to the common habit of smoking tobacco. OUR party was greatly furprized at the receipt of this very unfeasonable mandate, as we had during the day, occupied one of the most public places of the town, where most of the principal people visited Zulphucar Khan, supplied him with provisions, and were apprized of his intention to depart in the evening. But it had been issued I believe by the governor of the town, in resentment of the khan's not vifiting him; and operated with a quick force, on the minds of all the men, and even the children of Iflaamabad, who, but the short day before, from treating us with a studied kindnefs, would now pafs our quarters without a notice. In every region of the earth, the lofs of power, nay the trivial croffes of life, too often cause the desertion of thofe, whom the language of the world has has entitled friends, but the averted looks of the prince are ever faithfully copied by the courtiers. The difgraced courtier of Asia, or he against whom the frown of the defpot shall be pointed, becomes immediatly infected, and all men, by intuitive knowledge, it fhould feem, fhun him. A retreat is rarely made by an Afiatic stateiman, who usually clofes his political career in a dungeon or on a fcaffold. IN Afia, the principles of justice, honor or patriotism, as they confer no fubftantial benefit, nor tend to elevate the character, are seldom feen to actuate the mind of the subject, who is conftitutionally led to fix the tenure of life and property, and fame, on the will of his prince. Zulphucar Khan informs me, that the chief of Kashmire, though a youth, stands in the foremost rank of tyrants, and that the exactions of a Hindoo cuftom-house will be foon forgotten in the oppreffion of his government. The one, he faid, affects a trifling portion of property, the other involves fortun and life. Two or three days after our arrival at Iflaamabad, the Dewan, or principal office of the governor of Kashmire encamped in our vicinity, and being acqu nted with Zulphucar Khan, obtained permiffion for the procedure of our party to the city. It is here neceffary to obferve, that no perfon, except by ftealth, can enter or depart from Kashmire without an order, marked with the feal of government. The Dewan, attracted I fuppofe by the appearance of fo white a perfon, made fome enquiry into the nature of my occu |