1 exoe|A wldieni in the aemoe of the Mb, «re:Bllowed ta wear «niis
2 widiSn the tky. The nine fertrictum it not nnpoaed in die ooontiy,
3 hot the power of the native chiefe is annihitotei!, and e.atnnig 'Ibroe
4 of A%h»ims and KuirilbauaheB is kept up within the-vallej-* whicb is
5 8ii£BMaait to dieck any disposition to revolt
6 Hie governor is invested with all the powers of a King, and. the
7 administration is very tyrannical. From the small number of passes,
8 the government is enaUed to prevent any persons enteringbr quitt ing
9 Cashmeer vrithout its permission. Its numerous spies pervade all
10 ranks of society, and the inhabitants are harassed by every kind of
11 oppression : this misEfovprnment increase the depravity of their
12 chnrrutor, but their natural gaiety prev^ts its destroying their
13 hapiiincss.
14 The cit v ofCashincer is the largest in the DoDraunce dominions.
15 It coTitHUiii tfom a hundred and fifty to two hundred thousand inha-
16 bitants.
17 The gross revenue of the province' is said to be 4,626>300 rupees*
18 which is nearly equal to £ 500,000.
19 The suni tiue to the King deptads on the contract entered into by
20 the governor. When at the highest, it was 2,200,000 rupees, from
21 which a deduction of 700,000 was allowed for .the pay of troops, so
22 diat 1,500,000 was the whole wlucfa reached the rojsl treasnry. Up-
23 wards of six lades are assigned in Teools to the nd|^ibouring rajahs^
24 to Afghaon chiefi, and to mooDahs, dervises, and Hindoo fekccre.
25 Hie rest is charged to the real or alleged expenoes of collection, and
26 to the pay of dvU and military establishments.
27 The governor has constantly at his disposal ia force of five thousand
28 finir hundred hdrs^ and three Humsand two hundred foot
29 The A%hauna, who serve in Cssfameer, seem entirely to alter their
30 cfaamoter, and to become insolent and luxuriotn. Most of tliem are
31 pleased with their situation* but still their fondness for their own
32 country prevents the western Afghanns from remaining long in
33 Cashmeer.
34 Hie remote position of Cashmeer, and the absoluti^ auliiority en-
35 8x2
36 Digrtized by Google