'A Journey from Bengal to England, through the Northern part of India, Kashmire, Afghanistan, and Persia, and into Russia, by the Caspian-Sea. By George Forster. In the Civil Service of the Honourable the East-India Company in Two Volumes. Vol. II.' [‎15] (28/314)

FORSTER’S TRAVELS.
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the pufillanimous fickle Kaflimirians, who reconciled their con-
du£l to the Perfian, by urging, that if he had remained in
Kalhmire, he would have converted them all to the faith of Ali
and cut them off from the hope of falvation. A Kaflimirian mu ft
have been grievoufly embarraffed to juftify his conduct when he
afcribed it to any principle of religion ; for he is a Hindoo,
a Mahometan, and would become a Chriftian if a prieft were at
hand, according to the fajhion or intereft of the day.
The environs of the town, to the eaft and weft, are laid
out in private gardens, which, fkirting the banks of the Jalum,
or fupplied with canals from the lake, afford a various retreat
of pleafure to the inhabitants. The plane-tree, that fpecies
termed the Platanus Orientalis, is commonly cultivated in Kafli-
mire, where it is faid to arrive at a greater perfection than in
other countries. This tree, which in moft parts of Afia is
called the Chinaur, grows to the fize of an oak, and has a
taper ftreight trunk, with a filver coloured bark; and its leaf,
not unlike an expanded hand, is of a pale green. When in
full foliage, it has a grand and beautiful appearance, and in
the hot weather, it affords a refrefliing fhade. But I may ven
ture to clafs in the firft rank of vegetable produce, the rofe of
Kafhmire, which, for its brilliancy and delicate of odour, has
long been proverbial in the eaft; and its effential oil or ottar
is held in univerfal eftimation. The feafon, when the rofe
firft opens into bloffom, is celebrated with ijiuch feftivity by
the