Evening star., 1903-07-04
FLOATING UP RIVER
Tiny Villages With Temples
and Tree Shrines.
FORGOT HIS "SALAAM"
TEACHING PoLITENEss ON THE
BANKS OF THE THELUM.
Lazy Life Aboard the Dunga and
Odd Incidents De-
scribed.
FORGOT HIS "SALAAM''
Written for The Evening Star.

For five days we have been floating up
the river Thelum with Islamabad as our
destination. 1t can be done in two, and
almost always is done in three days, but
we were in no hurry, and besides that we
were met by heavy wind storms and were
compelled to tie up two or three times In
the shelter of the bank. AS we pa ssed out
from the ricketty old town of Srinuggur, a
procession of four boats, the sun shone
brilliantly on willows just family green
and wheat fields in the distance; and with
the river banks studded with wild flowers
1t all made delicious picture of spring.
At one place the head boatman, Ahhadu,
polling the dunga along, with the help of
Samdu, his brother touched his forehead
and said pointing to another dunga with
fresh mats and nicely painted door arch:
Me momma boat, mem sahb." His
"momma'' sitting in the stern at that
moment, steering our boat with her heart
shaped paddle, very handsome old per-
son in her red flannel short skirt and chud-
dar. The family is possessed of three boats
in all, large and comfortable houseboat
belonging to old Amire, the father, state
ly and kindly-eyed old person with beard
dyed red and a large book full of ''chits'
Qetters of recommendation this dunga,
which belongs 20 the handsome eldest son,
Ahhadu, who employs his mother and
brothers and keeps two servants and last
of all me momma's boat" On the after
noon of that first day we were floating
calmly along, when suddenly wind. very
nearly akin to hurricane, came fercely
down upon us and we al once stopped and
tied up to a sheltering bank; the rush mats
were unfurled, the roof let down and
the wind increa sed, long poles We're fas-
tened back of the mats to keep them from
blowing out. 1t was terrific, but the wind
lasted only short time, and in two hours
we were on our way again. The first stop
was at Pampur. tiny village, with a Hin
doc temple, mosque, and a huge chnar-
tree, the tree peculiar to kaShmir, under
which was a shrine with stone image of
Ganesh the elephant god and offerings of
flowers in shallow stone SaucerS in front of
him. The Hindoo temple was a cone
shaped, one-roomed structure. with the
usual idols. and these floral offerings and
a roof made entirely of the tops of kerosene
trees which sparkled most gorgeouSly m
the rays of the sun. The mosque had
small minaret in the middle of it, and some
beautifully carved windows. but was dirty
and undecorated and very evidently the
Hlndoo has the upper hand in little Pam
pur. The top of the mosque. however, out
shone everything, for in the mud of it were
growing great masses of red tulips in full
bloom, a most gorgeous sight. After seeing
the two or rather three objects of interest,
We started for the post office to post our
letters and found that important place to
be only tin box fastened on the pillar of
was the school. and where found ten
twelve children seated on the floor rock
ing themselves with their eyes shut as they
chanted out their lessons in high key. .
The Second Day.
The morning of the second day dawned
clear and fresh, cool enough, being April,
to admit of white serge in place of linen
dresses and we, having a few moments
left before breakfast climbed up the bank,
passing one of the servants on the way.
He constituting, evidently. the morning
watch to our surprise looked stoldly at
us and forgot entirely to Salaam, which
would never do; so We said sternly 'Sa-
laam.' whereat he half raised his hand
and gave the word in a feeble tone. 1t
seemed a shame to spoil the delicious morn
ing with scolding, but such was the neces-
sity: and. as the young servant spoke only
kashmir of which we knew not word.
we told the bearer to call Ahhadu. We
then informed him that his servant must
be at once taught to salaam and rise at
our appearance or be sent away instantly,
whereupOn the servant, to our alarm. was
well smacked. When we came down the
bank again we found the whole crew of
seven awaiting us, with Ahhadu at their
head. and at our appearance they instantly
touched their foreheads and salaamed in
concert. whereat we fed hastily into the
dunga, finding it difficult to keep from
laughing. The Kashmiris are said to pos
SeSS very keen sense of humor and when
our nuSo uOdtIndn comes IN IOT a good
trouncing from us he always accepts it
with great appearance of humility, but /
am sure that l can see twinkle in his
fearless eyes. They are very tall, very
broad. and have a self-respecting fearless,
manly look about them, which we have
found in no native outside of Kashmr. 1
do not think myself that they would pilfer
though they are far from being above max
ing a large commission out of everything
we buy. However, as some one at Srinug-
CUR remarked ut is necessary, of course
for they must make their winter living out
OF the summer tourists. Living here cam
! not be a matter of great moment, as the
prices are so low. though higher this year
than ever before. we are told. From list
given us by person who knew we find
that in the month of April fowls should
cast about Z cents each: eggs, 1 cents a
dozen: loaves of bread, 1ls cents each; rice
a little over cent pound; dal, seed
eaten by the natives. little less; Indian
corn. one and one-half pounds for a cent
tobacco. cents pound; mutton, 4 cents
a pound: geese, II cents each, and milk,
which is sold by the (two pounds)
costs about cent pound.
No Use for the Word
There is no beef to be had in Kashmir
state, as the maharaj jah is a Hindoo, and
the COW or beef is a sacred animal; so
when I one day unguardedly asked All
hadu the word for beef in Hndustanee, he
got very red, and retired to laugh a bit
no such word in Hindustanee and that
beef-was never spoken of. 1 dare say it
would be as bad to him to eat beef as to
eat the flesh of man. On the afternoon
of our second day we had rather a serious
time of it. 1 had impressed it upon Abdul
the bearer, that the hours for our meals
o 80 breakfast, 2 O'Clock tiffin and o'clock
dinner-were his especial charge, and that
we must always at those hours have the
dunga beside the dinner boat, so that we
could have things hot, and be prompt
l had also impressed it upon Ahhadu that
In his wild desire to get ahead of every
other boat on the river he should never
get far away from the to us, very i'm
portant dinner boat, but in spite of all
this. that afternoon he and the young serv-
ant towed the light dunga rapidly along
until we were far ahead. unbeknownst to
ourselves, and then as the wind appeared
to be rising, moored the boat under the
lea bank and all hands settled down for a
snooze. Two o'clock arrived and the wind
was blowing a stiff gale. / called Abdul
and inquired as to the whereabouts of the
dinner boat and he, awakened from a
sound sleep on the enclosed deck looked
hazily around and then went forth to view
the land Ahhadu was summoned from his
slumbers in the cook boat, and informed
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