1 THE HOLY LAKE. 151
2 appearance of very great depth. Its elevation, by
3 thermometer, and judging also from the limit of forest,
4 must be about 12,000 i'eet above the sea, whilst the
5 highest of the peaks around it may be about 1000 feet
6 higher. Hara Muk or Muki signifies all mouths or
7 faces, and is so called either from the square-sided,
8 rick-shaped figure of its summit, or from its being,
9 visible from all sides, by reason of its isolated situ-
10 ation and superior height. Besides the basaltic
11 amygdaloid, so common in Kashmir, I found granite
12 upon Harainuk, but not in situ. The immense acci-
13 dental blocks of granite in the Baramula pass, already
14 noticed, would seem from their relative position, and
15 the course of the river, to have passed over Haramuk,
16 and been transported to their present place by the
17 agency of the deluge.
18 The Hindus of Kashmir appear to have been
19 wiser than their neighbours of the plains. I was told
20 that a Sati had never taken place until the time of the
21 Sikhs ; that is, whilst it was in possession of the suc-
22 cessive Mohamedan masters, who forbid the custom.
23 Of course we may reasonably conclude that they
24 were common enough during the time of its ancient
25 Hindu dynasty.
26 At present there are three places on the out-
27 skirts of the city where the bodies of Hindus are
28 burnt. Two days afterwards three small bones are
29 picked from the ashes, and placed, with a small piece
30 of money, in an earthern vessel closed up with clay,