Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 323: Some account of the situation, the climate, and the productions of Kashmeer, from the histories of Mirza Heidur Doghlat and from the Zufur Nama.

323

The following brief account of Kashmeer is extracted from an interesting and authentic work on that country, written by Mirza Heidur Doghlat, who is himself mentioned in the course of this history:—
Kashmeer lies to the N.E. of the district of Pugly, in the Punjab: it is almost surrounded by mountains; and the valley called Kashmeer is one hundred coss in length, and from ten to twenty in breadth. The soil is in general rich, and produces fine crops both of grain and saffron, the latter of which is particularly good; but the meadows on the banks of rivers being in general too moist for the purposes of cultivation, they are allowed to lie waste, and are covered with fine grass, interspersed with shamrocks, violets, and iris. The climate of Kashmeer, different from that of Hindoostan, is divided into four seasons as in northern countries. In summer the artificial aid of fans is not requisite, as a refreshing breeze constantly blows over the from the moun-