3-082-686 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Group of officers of the Queen's Own Corps of Guides engaged in the Chitral Expedition, 1895. 'Captain Hodson; Lieut. Lockhart; Captain Adams; Captain Younghusband; Captain Egerton; Captain Drew. Lieut.-Col. F. D. Battye. Surgeon-Captain Macnab. Excursion to Pudja Mountain and Kasmir Smats Cave [by General Sir Michael Biddulph]...I passed Takht-i- Balii, Jumalgheri, Sawalderi, [where] recent explorations had revealed most interesting sculptures. Just then there was rather a furore for excavation - an engineer officer was Superintending operations, and I thought I might do a little private business in the same way...My explorations were rewarded by finding some interesting specimens of sculpture. Among these was a small head of Buddha...we had a long trudge down the steep mountain-side to our bivouac in the Cave of Kasmir Smats...I explored the recesses of this great cavern and found considerable Buddhist remains half-smothered in a fine dust and debris. There was a handsome flight of steps with balustrades, and traces of buildings..., which, had these not been knocked over by the Mussulman invaders, might have been intact now...No doubt our relations with the border tribes after the present operations are over will become less strained'. From "Illustrated London News", 1895.