of fine poplars, and patiently awaited the arrival of my baggage which was a long time coming.  The gate was guarded by the Maharajah’s sepoys who endeavoured to prevent my entrance.  The Thikadar told me he had no authority for this, but had done it “Zubbur-dustee.”  They also say that the occupant of the Barahduree has just come from England.  He is a being shrouded in mystery, and I shall endeavour to unravel it.  My first step will be to report the occurrence to the officials at S——­ when I get there.  I took a swim in the Jhelum, whose course I have now followed for eighty-four crooked miles, and on whose bosom I shall to-morrow continue my journey.

July 17th.—­By boat up the river, the day so bright, the view so glorious, the breeze so balmy and delicious, and the motion so gentle and pleasant, that lying on my bed I devote myself to lazy listlessness, to a perfect sense of the “dolce far niente” and can hardly prevail on myself to disturb my tranquillity by writing these few notes.  The contrast to my thirteen heavy marches is so great that I am content to remain for the present without thought or action, enjoying absolute rest.  Evening—­We halt at Sopoor, and now let me endeavour to continue the diary.  Got up at seven this morning and sent for a boat, one of the larger kind about thirty feet long, and six feet broad in the middle, the centre portion covered with an awning made of grass matting.  The crew consisting of an entire family, from the elderly parents to quite young children—­9 in all.  I was towed up the still widening river by all of them in turns, one wee girl not three feet high being most energetic, though I should think of little real service.  Boat flat bottomed, and alike at both ends, they use paddles instead of oars.  But the scene!  I am unable now to do justice to it, so I will only give the outlines to be elaborated hereafter.  Splendid river—­verdant plain covered with many varieties of trees, poplar and chenar or tulip tree the most conspicuous, extending as far as the eye can reach and enclosed by lofty snow capped mountains, on which rest the clouds of heaven.  Bright blue King-fishers darting like flashes of light or hovering hawk-like before the plunge after fish and the many hued dragon flies upon the water weeds.  Among the several varieties of the weeds, I noticed a great quantity of “Anacharis.”  Got fresh mutton and apple-pie for dinner.  Swarms of very minute flies came to the candle dancing their dance of death.  Many thousands were destroyed, and their bodies darkened the board which serves me for a table.  Sopoor like Baramula, river bridged, and grass growing on the roofs of the houses.