1849.] A Brief Note on Indian Ethnology. 243 



driven back through all the media of research upon the grand stay of a 

 copious vocabulary. It is my fixed conviction that every distinct 

 effective idea must have an appropriate word to express it ; that the 

 more important the idea or want (if felt by the parties themselves) the 

 more surely will the correspondent term be forthcoming. Now, in re- 

 gard to the creed of two of these nations (the Bodo and Dhimal), I 

 have toiled for weeks to come at the verity by means of direct questions ; 

 and yet, if at this moment I have any distinct notion of the real belief 

 of these people, certainly I am as much indebted for it to my ample 

 vocabulary as to all my direct interrogations. In the vocabulary, I find 

 no adequate word for God, for soul, for future state, for Heaven, for 

 Hell, for piety, for sin, for prayer, for repentance, for pardon ; and I 

 apply this broad and sure basis of inference, but without exaggeration, 

 to its legitimate purpose ! Nothing can exceed the vagueness of all direct 

 statement on this most important of subjects : the gods (void of god- 

 head : creator, lawgiver, judge) are very angry : why ? not because you 

 have sinned, but because they are neglected : they must be flattered 

 with gifts. This is all ; save what may be surely, if carefully, gathered 

 from a copious vocabulary. I have adverted to the number of people 

 whose speech is to be investigated (28), as well as to the careful and 

 ample style of investigation which I conceive can alone suffice for the 

 realization of the ends in view ; for our aim is not to raise doubts but to 

 solve them.* But time is the most precious of all things ; and as the 

 present investigation has cost me six months, I purpose to seek aid and 

 help from abroad, furnishing to each of my co-operators the present 

 paper as a model, it being indispensable for purposes of ready and 

 effective comparison, that all information should take a like direction, 

 and that direction a sound and good one. In submitting therefore the 

 first of an intended series of papers to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 

 I have the honour to solicit its revision of my labours, in order more 

 particularly to render the form of the vocabulary and grammar as good 

 as may be, containing all that is essential and nothing superfluous. 

 Should the Society favour me with any such suggestions, or should it 

 practically ratify my present work by printing it, I intend forthwith to 

 have 50 blank and 50 full copies of the Essay printed for distribution^ 



* See note at the end of this Preface. 



f Any person desiring a copy can have it by applying to me at Darjeeling or to 

 Mr. Laidlay, at the Asiatic Society, Calcutta. 



