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It looks like a scene in a fairy-story, and well it may, for this is the very Vale of Cashmere where the Indian princess came to her bridal in Moore's famous old romance of "Lalla Rookh." What you see now is the return of Her Excellency to the Residency after visiting the Art Museum of Srinagar (Cashmere) as the guest of His Highness the Maharajah. Host and guest are seated under the canopy in that farther barge paddled so swiftly up the Jhelum river by the turbaned boatmen. The blades of their paddles are rather small and heart-shaped.

The occupants of the nearer barge are distinguished members of Her Highness's escort.

A stone staircase like those you see over opposite led down to the water from the Art Museum which the party has just left (behind you), and for this occasion the steps were covered with a beautiful India carpet.

The tall, slender trees are poplars, the others, with the full bouquet of foliage, are chenars or plane trees. The old Mogul emperor Jehangir three hundred years ago (he of whom you read in "Lalla Rookh") set the fashion of extensive planting of such trees hereabouts, and to-day all this region is rich in shade trees, adding both to the beauty of the place and to its comfort as a summer residence. A great many British come up here every summer to escape the heat of the lowlands and enjoy the mountain scenery. Many such visitors live all summer in houseboats somewhat like those which you see anchored over there by the farther bank, but luxuriously finished and furnished.

(See W. R. Lawrence: "The Valley of Kashmir" for facts about this region. Read Moore's romance already mentioned, for its poetic associations.)

From Notes of Travel, No. 11 copyright, 1904, by Underwood & Underwood.

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Oriental hospitality — Lady Curzon in the state barge of the Maharajah, Cashmere, India.
 
Hospitalité orientale — Lady Curzon dans la barque de cé é[[?]] ie du Maharajah, Cachemire, Inde.

Orientalisch Gastfreundlichkeit — Lady Curzon in der [[Staatsbarte]] des Maharadjahes, Katchmir, Indien.

Hospitadidad oriental - Señora Curzon en la barcaza del estado del Maharajah, Casimir, India.

Orientalisk gästf ihet. Lady Curzon i Marajahns galaskepp, Cashmere, Indien.

Восточное Ростепрiимство - Лэди Курзонъ на казенпомъ катерѣ маираджи,Кашемиръ, Индiя.

Transcription Notes:
Check Cyrillic carefully.