774 EXPLORATION IN CHINESE TURKESTAN. 



prolonged cross-examination, and ultimately he made a full confession. 

 The detailed explanations he then furnished of the circumstances which 

 had first led to the conception of these forgeries, and of the methods 

 and materials emploj^ed in their manufacture, were interesting enough, 

 and proved, on comparison with the record which had been kept at 

 Kashgar of the purchases, remarkably accurate. Notwithstanding the 

 ingenuity displaj-ed in starting these forgeries, Islam Akhun and his 

 factory " hands" had never succeeded in producing a text exhibiting 

 consecutively the characters of any known script. Also, in other 

 material respects, it is easy now, in the light of the experience gained 

 through my explorations, to distinguish between his fabrications and 

 genuine ancient manuscripts. There is, therefore, little fear that the 

 forgeries of this clever scoundrel will ever cause deception thereafter. 

 On April 28 1 bade farewell to Khotan town, and May 12 saw me 

 once more at Kashgar, under the hospitable roof of my friend Mr. 

 Macartney, the British representative. Since my departure, eight 

 months earlier, Mr. Macartney had lost no opportunit}' to facilitate 

 my labors. The assistance of the Chinese officials, which was essential 

 for the success of my explorations, had been secured mainly through 

 his influence and unfailing care. For all the help thus accorded to me 

 I wish to express here my feelings of sincere gratitude. * * * 



