144 THE HISTORY OF KASHMIR
He visited Kashmir in 1885. Shupaiyon was “a miserable place, bearing the impression of once having been a thriving town. ‘The houses were in ruins.” Islamabad was “but a shadow of its former self.” The houses “present a ruined and neglected appearance, in wretched contrast with their once gay and happy condition, and speak volumes upon the light and joyous prosperity that has long fled the country on account of the shame- less rapacity of the ruthless Sikhs.” The villages were fallen into decay. The rice-ground was uncultivated for want of labour and irrigation.
Clearly the Kashmiris had not yet come to a haven of rest, but they were nearing it.
The Raja Gulab Singh of Jammu has already been mentioned as accompanying Ranjit Singh’s troops on their victorious march to Kashmir in 1819. On the death of Ranjit Singh there was much violence and mutiny among the Sikh soldiery, and the Governor of Kashmir was murdered by them. Thereupon a body of about 5000 men, nominally under the command of the son of Sher Singh, Ranjit’s successor, but really under the charge of Gulab Singh, was sent to Kashmir to restore authority. This was in the year 1841,
