42. The Rev. L. Bernard among the Abors, and the 
Cross as a Tattoo Mark (1855). 
A Note by the Rev. H. Hosten, §8.J. 
To complete Fr. Krick’s remarks on the tattoo- ere of 
the Abors (Cf. J.A.S.B., 1913, pp. 107-122), I add me 
was l’Abbé A. Launay, the historian of the Society for 
Foreign Missions Meteo! though he had at his disposal other 
materials on Fr. Bernard’s visit to the Abors. Cf. La Mission 
du Thibet, I. aa 766. We learn from them that, after the 
massacre of his two companions, Messrs. Krick and Boury, in 
the country of the Mishmis, Fr. Bernard, now left alone, boldly 
tried to force his way to Tibet through the land of the Abors. 
He reached the village nielaah Fr. Krick had been in 1853, but 
was obliged to return, the savages apprehending danger to 
themselves, should any aanident befall him. Speaking of the 
Abor tattoo-marks in the form of crosses, which his colleague, 
Fr. Krick, may more than once have commented’ on in his 
presence, Fr. ernard refuses to see in them any Christian 
origin or signification. Nay, he appears to have had Fr. Krick 
in view, when he states that only a pious traveller’s imagina- 
tion could have interpreted them in the sense of Christian signs. 
These remarks, not mentioned by Lau obs ap greatly the 
importance attached by Fr. Gaillard (Cf. 
115, n. 4) to Fr. Krick’s observalsons t in a eon 
The extracts are . ollows 
aikwah, Upper Assam, Deo. 2ist, 1854 (Letter to Arch- 
ees Dr. P. J. Carew of Calcutta ta): ‘*....lintend starting in 
a few days on a new attempt to penetrate to our dear Mission. 
me, and engaged me to trust myself to his father. He said, 
‘The Padre [Fr. Krick] promised he would come to us, and, 
instead of doing so, he went to the wicked Mishmees who killed 
him. Come to us; we shall accompany you on your journey.’ 
And showing me a cross he bears on his forehead he said, 
‘1 do not know the meaning of this: I am but a child, but 
our ancients say it is a sign of religion, and that you are our 
