On one face of the coin
are the letters I.H.S. stamped, a strange enough device for a heathen
or any other mint to have adopted. While floating about the Eastern
Venice, we discovered a number of finely-cut old blocks of stone in
the built-up wall which bounded the river; and on inspecting the place,
we came upon an ancient Mussulman cemetery and ruined Musjid, in which
there were some very antique-looking carvings, which apparently had
commenced life elsewhere than on Mussulman ground. The graveyard,
however, was itself extremely old, although many of the turbaned and
lettered tombstones of the faithful were in perfect preservation. All
began with the "La Ulah ila Ullah," or "B'ism Ullah,"[9] with which
everything connected with a Mussulman does commence, either in life
or death.
All through the city one can trace the remains of some much more
ancient structure in the huge blocks of carved stone which are
scattered about among their more plebeian brethren, and serve to form
with them, in humble forgetfulness of past grandeur, the foundations
of the lofty rattletrap but picturesque wooden structures which line
both sides of the river and form the city of Cashmere in the year of
grace 1860.
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