" On the other hand,
M. Jacquemont, who found "celestial happiness" in a plant of rhubarb,
is unable to discover any beauty whatever in the Cashmerian ladies,
and has no patience with his neighbour's little flights of fancy in
depicting their perfections. "Moore," he writes, in his "Letters from
India," "is a perfumer, and a liar to boot. Know that I have never
seen anywhere such hideous witches as in Cashmere. The female race is
remarkably ugly." Instead of adding to such conflicting evidence, I
have endeavoured to subpoena a credible witness to speak for herself;
and the right of private judgment being thus reserved to the reader,
Gulabie will no doubt be charitably dealt with, and will find her
proper position somewhere within the limits of a "hideous witch"
and a "celestial being."
[12] -- This place is mentioned in the "Tuzuk Jehangeery," or "Precepts
of Jehangeer," in a way which shows that the Conqueror of the World
had not included himself among his victories.
The name appears on a Persian inscription as Wurnagh, but is called
by the natives Vernagh, and is mentioned by Jehangeer in his journal
as Tirnagh: --
"The source of the river Bhet (Jhelum)[*] lies in a fountain in Cashmeer,
named Tirnagh, which, in the language, of Hindostan, signifies a
snake -- probably some large snake had been seen there.
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