The romantic East: Burma, Assam, & Kashmir - Khamkoo

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY 173
Another sahib thought we were seeing the
valley at its best when every
hill was covered with
snow and the flat floor of the valley, supposed to
have been the bed of a lake in prehistoric times,
was concealed under its white " layers. You can
imagine the smaller beauties of blossoms and
flowers, of green trees and yellow fields," he contended
"
;
but you can't imagine the grander beauties
of snow-clad mountains under a brilliant sun.
The
latter must be seen to understand and appreciate
them." So we selected a brilliant afternoon to
climb up the flank of " Solomon's Throne," far
enough to
get a good view of the valley
and the
ring of mountains surrounding it.
South from Sher Garhi on the left
Jehlam a road runs to Shapiyon,
bank of the
where it turns
to the south-west and crosses the Pir Panjal Pass,
11,400 feet above the sea, and the Ratan Pir.
This is the old Imperial Road constructed in the
early Mogul
times on the left bank of the Pir
Panjal stream, the more ancient road used by
Akbar following the right bank, and it was between
the two passes that Jahangir died in camp on
Sunday October 28, 1627, on his way back from