Past Awuntipoor--the former
capital--but now only a very small village, where stands on the rivers
bank the ruins of two ancient Hindoo temples, square blocks, built
indeed of enormous stones, but without sufficient architectural
embellishment to require a closer inspection than I obtained from the
boat. Another of those charming lazy days on the water, nothing to think
about, but the time for meals, nothing to do, but to eat them when
prepared. The eastern part of Kashmir is covered with high isolated
mounds called Kuraywahs, composed of Alluvium, presenting perfectly
flat summits and precipitous sides. The top of these was doubtless the
original bed of the lake at the time when the whole valley was
submerged, and the present channels between them (though now dry land)
were cut by the rush of the water, when the Jhelum burst through the
opening at Baramula and drained the valley. This rush then is shown to
have been impetuous (and the high banks of the river also bear evidence
to it) but it seems to me that the mere breaking through of the stream
sixty or seventy miles away is not enough to account for it. No doubt
that occurrence was attended, I may say produced by violent
subterranean phenomena; and I imagine that this portion of the
vale--which is much higher than the western half--then underwent a
sudden upheaval, the result of which if only a few feet would be to
throw its waters with terrific force into the lower portion and afford
an easy explanation of the formation of both the Kuraqwahs and the
Jhelum.
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