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 54 SRINAGAR AND NEIGHBOURHOOD

the river, with the great stone blocks from the temples and cities of ancient Hindu times.

And so the procession up the river continues, through the avenue of houses, mosques, and temples; past rows of grain barges and house- boats tethered to the shores; past the curious wooden bathing-boxes, under the old-style wooden bridges ; past flights of steps leading to the water's edge and crowded with people mostly, it is sad to say, in dull brown or the dirtiest white, but some- times in gay orange, green, or purple; past the old residence of the Governors and the villa of the late Sir Amar Singh till the Maharaja’s palace is reached, where the procession finally halts while all the hundreds of little boats which had followed in rear swarm round the palace steps. The Resident then takes leave, the Maharaja ascends into his palace, and the Resident and the European community proceed still farther up the river to the European settlement in the area known as the Munshi Bagh.

The palace, though large, is disappointing. It is not what one would have expected on such a site. Even the native portion is not handsome, and on to this has been tacked an ugly European edifice, A great chance has been thrown away, and one