joyed by the governors, often induces them to rebel; but notwithstanding the strength of the country, they are always easily subdued. The Cashmerians are of no account as soldiers, and the Afghauns and Kuzzilbaushes are enervated by the life they lead, and probably little disposed to act with vigor against the King; while the royal army is composed of poor, adventurous soldiers, who look forward with avidity to the plenty and the pleasures of Cashmeer, and who know the sufferings they must undergo in case of a retreat.

The repulse of Shauh Shuja's troops has been mentioned in another place. Cashmeer has since been reduced by the Vizier Futteh Kháun, who imprudently and unnecessarily called in the assistance of the Siks in that enterprize. The present governor is a brother of Futteh Khaun.

The most remarkable production of Cashmeer is its shawls, which supply the whole world, and which are said to be manufactured at sixteen thousand looms, each of which gives employment to three

* The following is an extract from the report drawn up by Mr. Strachey, who made many enquiries on this subject, and who had some shawl stuffs made under his own inspection, of wool procured at Umritsir. The manufacturers were pioneers belonging to the embassy, and they worked in a common tent; yet they appeared to find no difficulty in their employment. "A shop may be occupied with one shawl, provided it be a re❝markably fine one, above a year, while other shops make six or eight in the course "of that period. Of the best and most worked kinds, not so much as a quarter of "an inch is completed in one day, by three people, which is the usual number employed "at most of the shops. Shawls containing much work are made in separate pieces at "different shops, and it may be observed that it very rarely happens that the pieces, when "completed, correspond in size.

"The shops consist of a frame work, at which the persons employed sit on a bench: "their number is from two to four. On plain shawls, two people alone are employed, "and a long narrow, but heavy shuttle is used; those of which the pattern is varie"gated, are worked with wooden needles, there being a separate needle for the thread "of each colour; for the latter, no shuttle is required. The operation of their manu"facture is of course slow, proportionate to the quantity of work which their patterns may require.

"The Oostaud, or head workman, superintends while his journeymen are employed "near him immediately under his directions. If they have any new pattern in hand,

The mountains round Cashmeer are in many places inhabited by tribes who are in a sort of dependence on the Doóraunees. Their chiefs have Tecools within the valley, which have probably been given to ensure their obedience: they furnish some troops to the Haukim, and pay him revenue when he is strong enough to levy it. Their dependence is, however, very slight.

The following are the only chiefs of this description of whom I have any account:

"or one with which they are not familiar, he describes to them the figures, colours, and "threads which they are to use, while he keeps before him the pattern on which they "happen to be employed, drawn upon paper.

"During the operation of making, the rough side of the shawl is uppermost on the "frame, notwithstanding which, the Oostaud never mistakes the regularity of the most "figured patterns.

"The wages of the Oostaud (the employer furnishing materials) are from six to eight "pice per day; of the common workmen, from one to four pice (a pice in Cashmeer may be about three-halfpence).

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“A merchant, entering largely into the shawl trade, frequently engages a number of shops, which he collects in a spot under his eye; or he supplies the head workmen "with thread which has been previously spun by women and afterwards coloured, and "they carry on the manufacture at their own houses, having previously received instruc❝tions from the merchant respecting the quality of the goods he may require, their "colours, patterns, &c.

"After the goods are completed, the merchant carries them to the custom-office, where "each shawl is stamped, and he pays a certain duty, the amount of which is settled ac"cording to the quality and value of the piece. The officer of the government generally "fixes the value beyond what the goods are really worth. The duty is at the rate of "one-fifth of the price.

"Most shawls are exported unwashed, and fresh from the loom. In India, there is no market for unwashed shawls, and at Umritsir they are better washed and packed "than in Cashmeer. Of those sent to the westward, many are worn unwashed.

"The wool of which the shawls are made is imported from Tibet and Tartary, in which countries alone the goat which produces it is said to thrive. That which is brought from Rodauk is reckoned the best. Its price in Cashmeer is from ten to "twenty rupees for a turruk (which is supposed to be about twelve pounds): the whitest "sort is the dearest.

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"It would perhaps be difficult to determine with accuracy the quantity of shawls manu"factured annually; supposing, however, that five of all kinds are on an average made "at each shop or loom in the course of a year, the number would be eighty thousand, "which is probably not far from the truth."

On the north is a chief, whom the people of Cashmeer call the Raja of Little Tibet (Khoord Tibet), or of Tibet i Zerdauloo and Dauro. He has probably only a part of Little Tibet. Azaud Khaun sent an expedition into that country, but I do not know whether he first reduced it.

I have not heard of any inhabitants in the high mountains between Cashmeer and Ladauk.

The southern mountains contain many principalities, of which the chief seem to be Kishtawaur, Chundunee or Chinaunee, Jummoo, Khussiaul and Dung Akhoroor, Rajour, and Proanch. The chiefs of these states retain the old Hindoo title of Raja, though they and their subjects are mostly Mahommedans. Their countries are thinly peopled, as might be expected from their nature; but for a mountainous tract, they are not ill inhabited. The people resemble the Cashmerians in their language and manners, but have a great mixture of those of the countries to the south.

BOOK V.

THE ROYAL GOVERNMENT OF CAUBUL.

CHAP. I.

OF THE KING.

IN N most Asiatic governments, there are no limits to the power of the crown but those of the endurance of the people; and the King's will is never opposed unless by a general insurrection. Among the Afghauns, however, the power of the Dooraunee aristocracy and the organization of the other tribes afford permanent means for the control of the royal authority, and for the peaceable maintenance of the privileges of the nation. But, as they have no statute law (except that of Mahomet), and no public records of the proceedings of their government, it is impossible that any regular constitution should have grown up among them. There are, however, some established customs and opinions respecting their government, which I shall proceed

to state.

The crown is hereditary in that branch of the house of Suddozye which is descended from Ahmed Shauh. There does not, however, appear to be any rule fixed for its descending to the eldest son. When a King dies, it has been usual for the great Dooraunee Sirdars present at the court, to meet and consider which of his sons is to succeed. They are determined by the will of the father, and by the age

and character of each of the princes; and their voice secures the possession of the capital, and gives a great advantage to the prince in whose favour it declares; but the practice of conferring the different great governments on the King's sons generally leads to a contest, which is decided by the wealth, abilities, and popularity of the rivals.

The whole of the royal family, except those whom the King particularly favours, are imprisoned in the upper citadel of Caubul, where. they are well treated, but closely confined. Those who remain at large are appointed to the government of provinces or the command of armies, where the ostensible authority of a Suddozye is required to secure the obedience of the great, and to sanction capital punishments; they are, however, in general, entirely under the control of a deputy of the King's appointing.

The King's title is Shauhee Doorree Doorraun, but it is only used in treaties and other public instruments. In general, he is merely styled Shauh or Padshauh (the King), and the common people often call him by his name, Mahmood, or Shuja, without any addition at all. The court is called the Derree Khauneh, which, like Durbar in India, and Aulee Kaupee (Sublime Porte) in Turkey, signifies the gate, a form of oriental adulation which implies that a subject ought to intrude no further into the palace even in his thoughts.

The King has the exclusive privilege of coining, and his name is put on all the money in the empire. It is well known what consequence the Asiatics attach to this right, and that they regard the possession of it as the chief test of sovereignty. A similar test is the privilege enjoyed by the King, of being prayed for in the Khootbeh (part of the Mahommedan religious service).

He has the right of war and peace, and can make treaties of his own authority. Notwithstanding the example of Shawl*, it seems

*Part of the country of the Caukers, which was granted by Ahmed Shauh to the prince of Belochestaun.