The Rajah and his people prepared
for resistance, and Gulab Singh then forged a paper containing an
invitation from the chief men in the army of Kushtwar to the Maharajah,
encouraging him to come forward and invade the country.
This paper Gulab then forwarded to the Rajah himself, with a note,
in which he told him that it was folly to talk of resistance when
the chief men of his country were opposed to him. The Rajah, who had
been in possession of Kushtwar for twenty-seven years, was completely
deceived, and repaired, by invitation, with only a few followers to
Gulab's camp. Here he was kept for three months upon an allowance of
10L. a-day, which was afterwards reduced to 10S., and Gulab Singh in
the meantime took possession of Kushtwar without opposition.
[32] - The value which a Kashmirian sets upon his Kangri may be
known by the following distich: -
"Oh Kangri! Oh Kangri!
You are the gift of Houris and Fairies;
When I take you under my arm
You drive away fear from my heart."
- Vigne.
[33] - "Won't the old bearers get something, your honour?"
[34] - According to M. Voysey, in his Asiatic Researches, "A single
flower in the screen contains a hundred stones, each cut to the
exact shape necessary, and highly polished; and, although everything
is finished like an ornament for a drawing-room chimney-piece, the
general effect produced is rather solemn and impressive than gaudy.
