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Journey to Thibet classical looking jewelry of Kashmir. The lacquered papier mache of Kashmir is the choicest in India.
Constant invasions and plunders have reduced the Kashmirians to poverty. They still retain much of their proud mienthe men are strongly built, the women the most beautiful in the world with, their clear white complexions and haughty bearing.
Shrinagar, the capital, sometimes called Kashmir, is situated on the banks of the jhelum, along which it extends the distance of about three miles; the houses of two stories in which live a population of 100,000 inhabitants, border the banks of the river, which is spanned by several bridges; the city is a little over a mile in width; steps lead from the houses to the waters of the Jhelum, where all the day people are to be seen performing their sacred ablutions, bathing or cleansing their utensils of copper. One part of the inhabitants are followers of the Mahomedan religion, twothirds are Hindus, with a few Buddhists interspersed among them.
Manufacturers of shawls, gun-makers, workers in leather and papier mache, jewelers, tailors, shoe-makers, watchmenders, in fact all sorts of artisans, remarkable for their mechanical talent are to be found in this city. A visit to the showrooms of shawl-merchants is a pleasure to the traveller.
Around the city there are several interesting places. The Tukht-i-Suliman or Solomon's Throne is an old Hindu temple, the oldest in Kashmir, situated upon a hill. 1,000 feet above the plain. Its erection is ascribed to Jaloka, the son of Ashoka, who reigned in the third century before Christ. The fort of Hari Parvat is another interesting sight; built by Akbar in 1597 A. C. at a cost of $5,000,000.
On the morning of October 27th, M. Notovitch left this interesting city to journey towards Thibet, adding to his retinue by purchasing a large dog which had previously made the journey in
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