JOURNAL 



OP 



THE ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



No. 47. — November, 1835. 



I. — Notes taken by Captain C. M. Wade, Political Agent at Ludidna, in 

 1829, relative to the Territory and Government of Iskardoh,from infor- 

 mation given by Charagh Ali, an agent who was deputed to him in that 

 year by Ahmad Shah, the Gelpo or ruler of that country. 

 [Read at the Meeting of the 4th November.] 



[la publishing the accompanying memoir, we have purposely not availed ourselves 

 of the permission given us by the author, to omit the copies of his correspondence 

 with the Gelpo of Iskdrdoh, because the dates of these letters establish the fact 

 of Captain Wade's attention having been drawn to the traditionary history of this 

 place in 1S29, previous to the information acquired in Lieut. Burnes' travels that 

 appeared in our second volume. In 1831, Captain Wabe urged M. JaquemonT 

 to push his way into little Tibet, as may be seen by a remark in his letters, and 

 the deputation from the ruler of Iskdrdoh therein described, consisted of the same 

 individuals whom our author interrogated at Ludidna. Mr. VigNe, an English 

 traveller, is now on his way to little Tibet, and will doubtless clear up the important 

 question suggested to the native ruler by Moorcroft, whose own papers probably 

 contain some speculations on the subject. (See also Csoma de Koros's note on the 

 geography of Tibet, J. A. S. vol. i. 121, and Burnes' note, ii. 306.) — Ed.] 



Preliminary Correspondence. 



From Ahmad Sha'h, the Gelpo or ruler of Iskdrdoh (capital of little Tibet), to 



Captain C. M. Wade, Political agent at Ludidna. 

 After Compliments, 



Sometime ago Mr. Moorcroft came towards my country*, and by his 

 friendly disposition and great kindness, sowed the seeds of a lasting friendship 

 in my heart. 



Adverting to the general rule and practice which the English observe of 

 making a friend of every stranger, and that, please God, they will never alienate 

 themselves from one with whom they are already connected ; on hearing the news 

 of your auspicious approach (Captain Wade's first mission to the Panjab in 

 1827, from Earl Amherst, the Governor General of India,) I wrote to you and 

 sent you a message ; but my letter was intercepted on the way by my enemies, and 

 prevented from reaching ite destinationf. 



* Mr. Moorcroft opened a correspondence with Ahmad Sha'h from Ladakh, 

 but did not visit Isk&rdoh. 



f The letter of which a translation is now given was brought by way of Kolu. It 

 was folded in the size and shape of a rupee, and was enclosed in a piece of leather 

 and worn a3 an armlet to elude discovery ; the Sikhs and the people of Ladakh both 



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