three omrahs between Lahore and Cabul, yet all will
not do, as they often sally from their mountains, robbing caravans and
plundering towns. The 18th of August, there arrived a great caravan from
Persia, by whom we had news of the French king's death, from an Armenian
who had been in the service of Mr Boys.

On the west side of the castle of Lahore is the ferry for crossing over
the Rauvee on the way to Cabul, which is 271 cosses, and thence to
Tartary and Cashgar. Cabul is a large and fair city, the first seat of
the present king's great-grandfather Babur. At forty cosses beyond is
_Gorebond_, or Gourhund, a great city bordering on Usbeck Tartary; and
150 coss from Cabul is _Taul Caun_, a city in _Buddocsha_, or Badakshan
of Bucharia. From Cabul to Cashgar, with the caravan, it is two or three
months journey, Cashgar being a great kingdom under the Tartars. A chief
city of trade in that country is _Yarcan_, whence comes much silk,
porcelain, musk, and rhubarb, with other commodities; all or most of
which come from China, the gate or entrance into which is some two or
three months farther. When the caravan comes to this entrance, it must
remain under tents, sending by licence some ten or fifteen merchants at
once to transact their business, on whose return as many more may be
sent; but on no account can the whole caravan be permitted to enter at
once.

From Lahore to Cashmere, the road goes first, part of the way to Cabul,
to a town called Gojrat, forty-four coss; whence it turns north and
somewhat easterly seventy coss, when it ascends a high mountain called
_Hast-caunk-gaut_, on the top of which is a fine plain, after which is
twelve coss through a goodly country to Cashmere, which is a strong city
on the river Bebut, otherwise called the Ihylum, or Collumma. The
country of Cashmere is a rich and fertile plain among the mountains,
some 150 coss in length, and 50 broad, abounding in fruits, grain, and
saffron, and having beautiful fair women. This country is cold, and
subjected to great frosts and heavy falls of snow, being near to
Cashgar, yet separated by such prodigious mountains that there is no
passage for caravans. Much silk and other goods are however often
brought this way by men, without the aid of animals, and the goods have
in many places to be drawn up or let down over precipices by means of
ropes. On these mountains dwells a small king called Tibbet,[254] who
lately sent one of his daughters to Shah Selim