. Travels in Kashmir, Ladak, Iskardo, the countries adjoining the mountain-course of the Indus, and the Himalaya, north of the Panjab . tily at the furious vociferationsand scrambling that took place, even before they haddescended. The Indus was visible from mv window, and I thenturned to enjoy the view of it for the first time. It ap-proached through a sandy plain, from the eastern endof the valley, and here, nine miles from the entrance,itwashed the end of the rock within musket-shot of me, ina noble stream of more than one hundred and fifty yardsin width. The rock, or killah, as it is calle
. Travels in Kashmir, Ladak, Iskardo, the countries adjoining the mountain-course of the Indus, and the Himalaya, north of the Panjab . tily at the furious vociferationsand scrambling that took place, even before they haddescended. The Indus was visible from mv window, and I thenturned to enjoy the view of it for the first time. It ap-proached through a sandy plain, from the eastern endof the valley, and here, nine miles from the entrance,itwashed the end of the rock within musket-shot of me, ina noble stream of more than one hundred and fifty yardsin width. The rock, or killah, as it is called, is abouttwo miles in length, and the peak over the east endrises about eight hundred feet above the river. Thewhole of this superb natural fortress, situated in themiddle of the valley of Iskardo, which is nineteen 246 THE GYLFO S CASTLE. miles long and seven in width, rises with, in mostplaces, mural sides, from a buttress of sand, loosestones, and broken rocks, excepting- at the westernend, where it slopes, but steeply, on to the plain ;and on the east and north, it is washed by the deepand rapid torrent of the mighty Rock of Iskardo.—Eastern end. The Gylfos castle is built upon a small flat, aboutthree hundred feet above the river. A woodenmosque and state prison form part of the castle itself is of stone, with wooden framework,and is strongly fortified against musketry. The zig-zag by which it is approached, is also divided bygateways and wooden towers. Defences of the samekind are built on different parts of the rock. Thereis a look-out house on a peak a little above the castle,and another on the summit above that. In my hum-ble judgment it could be made as strong a place asGibraltar, which, in general configuration, it would FORTIFICATIONS. 247 much resemble, were the east and west end of thekillah to change places. I once visited the Gylfo* in his stronghold, whereevery thing seemed to be constructed for defencerather than comfort, being a confu
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