Page:Younghusband - Kashmir.pdf/27

 THE ROAD IN 5

valley of the Jhelum, with the river continually dashing past us on the left, a strong impetuous stream now being turned to useful ends, firstly, in generating electric power near Rampur, and secondly, in irrigating millions of acres in the plains of the Punjab below. We had driven through the peaceful deodar forest on either side of Rampur, and the splendid limestone cliffs which rise precipitously from them. Just beyond we had passed massive ruins of the so-called Buddhist, but really Hindu temple, dating back to about 700 a.p. All the country had been blanketed with snow; and the hill-sides forested with thou- sands of Christmas trees glistening in the brilliant sunshine. When gradually the narrow valley opened out; the enclosing hills widened apart; the river from a rushing torrent became as placid as the Thames; and the little town of Baramula, with the first distinctive chalet-like, but shaky habitations of Kashmir; fine specimens of the famous chenar trees;' and a typical log bridge; came into view. And then, as the hill-sides finally parted asunder, the glorious valley itself—a valley on so extensive a scale as really to be a plain amidst the mountains—was disclosed; and faintly

1 The Platanus orientalis. le