[90] “The Astor people used formerly to do the same thing,” and on page 459 of Drew’s “Jummoo and Kashmir Territories,” the author, who was a high official in the Kashmir service, says: “The Sikhs sent an expedition to Chilás under one Sujah Singh, but it was repulsed.... This was about the year 1843.... The good effects (of the expedition in 1850 or 1851) ... have already been spoken of. Since that time the Chilásis ... pay yearly to the Maharaja a tribute of 100 goats and about two ounces of gold-dust; _otherwise they are free_.” Since then Major Ommaney in 1868 reports that ever since the advent of British neighbourhood they have never committed any offences: “The people are inoffensive.” Mr. Scott calls them “a quiet, peace-loving people,” and all the Panjab Administration Reports give them the same reputation.
[91] The word “Thousand” may only stand for 400, as explained elsewhere.
[92] For divisions of Dard castes see pages 62, 63.
[93] Of the value of ten annas each, then 1s. 3d.
[94] “Yaghistáni” means inhabitant of the “wild” or “independent” country.
[95] For Divisions of Dard Castes, see pages 62, 63.
[97] [The stones are so loosely embedded in sandy soil, that treading on or catching hold of one, often brings down an avalanche of stones. When the path is narrow and a river flows beneath, it is, generally, impossible to escape. Stones are often placed in such a way as to cause avalanches to come on the invader who steps on them.]
[98] Here my informant, himself a Sunni Mussulman and always calling his Shiah co-religionists Kafirs, was raving with indignation against the orthodox Sunnis, Isa and Asmat and the Sunni soldiers of Kashmir, for murdering the Shiahs of Yasin. He ascribed the atrocities of the Sikhs entirely to the orders of the ex-fugitives.
[99] I met Lehna Singh, a relative of the Maharaja, in 1866 in command of the Sai forces, who had only Rs. 20 per mensem, with unlimited liberty, however, to make as much besides out of the people, as he could. Bad as this system is, the drain on the rulers and the ruled is not so great, under Oriental methods, as under a highly-paid European administration, and the mismanagement of Kashmîr was far less expensive and less injurious to the Empire than the present “good” management through British officers.