1 244 SIR,
2 shawls, paper, leather, firearms, and attar of rose,* but these have
3 nearly disappeared under the crue] oppression which has long
4 crushed the energies of a people naturally ingenious, industrious,
5 and persevering. Notwithstanding the notorious pusillanimity
6 of the Kashmirians, the Sikhs, conscious of the hatred with which
7 they are regarded, maintain a garrison of about fourteen hundred
8 men, to coerce the miserable population of Sirinagur, computed
9 ¢ P. Von Hugel, by some not to exceed forty thousand persons. Moorcroft,” who
10 cane Bokh. i, Visited the city in 1823, estimated the population at two hundred
11 Py mer and forty thousand; the judicious and cautious Elphinstone,® in
12 507. the early part of the present century, at ‘“ from a hundred and
13 fifty to two hundred thousand.” This appalling reduction of the
14 population in so brief a period has been the combined effect of
15 oppression, pestilence, and famine.t Sirinagur is generally con-
16 sidered to have been founded by Pravarasena, who reigned in Kash-
17 9 As. Res. xv.40, mir from A.D. 128 to 176.9 It is supposed to have succeeded
18 Wilson, Hist. of e . . e
19 Cashmir. to a more ancient city of the same name, the ruins of which are
20 ‘Vigne, 25. — conjectured by some to be observable at Wentipur,!} by others at
21 2p. Von Hugel, i. Matan.? ‘The elevation of Sirinagur above the sea has been the
22 or subject of much controversy, though stated by several intelligent
23 Europeans who have resided at the city for a considerable time,
24 and made this point the specific object of their notice. There
25 can be little doubt that it exceeds 5,000 feet, and falls below
26 6,000, and 5,500§ may be taken as the mean and probable
27 amount. Lat. 34° 5’, long. 74° 41’.
28 SIRINGNAGHUR.—See Srarnacur.
29 rests aie SIRI POOL,|| or “Bridge End,” in Afghanistan, a town
30 Countries, 48. close to the northern frontier, where the Huzareh mountains
31 slope towards the lowlands of Kunduz. It is held by an Uzbeg
32 chieftain, who can myster about a thousand horsemen, and con-
33 * See the notice on Kashmir, i. 362.
34 Vit, 138. + Vigne,' as well as Cunningham,? estimates the population at 80,000,
35 2 Jour. As, Soc. ce =
36 Beng. 1841, p. 114, Jacquemont? at 250,000, and there seems too much reason to conclude that
37 on the Sources of the lowest estimate is nearest the truth.
38 Sean { Wilson,‘ from Sanscrit authorities, attributes the founding of Wentipur
39 ‘Ae Res xv.o1, Ventipur, or Avantipur, to Avanti Verma, who reigned in Kashmir A.D. 876.
40 It consequently could not be identical with the ancient Sirinagur.
41 Jour. As. Soc. § See the notice on Kashmir, i. 352, note, for the various authorities on
42 Reng. 1841, on the this point. Cunningham states the elevation at 5,046 fect.
43 Sources of tho
44 Punjab Rivers. ) From 4s ‘ head,’” and cy “ bridge.”
45 A