Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 11: FOURTH LETTER · TO THE SAME Written from the Camp of the Army marching from Lahor to Kachemire, the fourth day of the March.

11

MONSIEUR,
I HOPED that, as I had survived the heat of Moka near the Straits of Babelmandef, I should have nothing to fear from the burning rays of the sun in any part of the earth; but that hope has abandoned me since the army left Lahor four days ago. I am indeed no longer surprised that even the Indians themselves expressed much apprehension of the misery which awaited them during the eleven or twelve days' march of the army from Lahor to Bember, which is situated at the entrance of the Kachemire mountains. I declare, without the least exaggeration, that I have been reduced by the intenseness of the heat to the last extremity; scarcely believing when I rose in the morning that I should outlive the day. This extraordinary heat is occasioned by the high mountains of Kachemire; for being to the north of our road, they intercept the cool breezes which would refresh us from that quarter, at the same time that they reflect the scorching sunbeams, and leave the whole country arid and suffocating. But why should I attempt to account philosophically for that which may kill me to-morrow?