278 
REVIEW. — MOORCROFT’S TRAVELS. 
“ The most enterprising, and, in a great measure, the most suc- 
cessful efforts to penetrate into Central Asia from Hindostan, have 
been made by, or have originated with, Mr. William Moorcroft ; 
and these were undertaken not only without the encouragement of 
the government of India, but without their expressed approbation. 
A cold permission was Mr. Moorcroft’s only incitement beyond the 
stimulus of a speculative mind and an enterprising disposition. 
His first attempt, which was made by way of Chinese Tartary, has 
been long the property of geographers, having been published in 
the twelfth volume of the Asiatic Researches. In this journey he 
was the first European to cross the Himalaya, and make his way 
to the great plain between that and the Kuenlun chain, the situa- 
tion of the sources of the Indus and the Sutlej, and of the two 
remarkable lakes of Kavan and Manasa. Besides the natural 
difficulties of the way, he had to elude the vigilance of the Nepa- 
lese, then masters of the Himalaya, and who were on the eve of 
that war with the British which transferred the snowy moun- 
tains to the latter. Mr. Moorcroft had also to conciliate the Chinese 
authorities beyond the Himalaya; and, in spite of all obstacles, 
and of sickness, induced by exposure and fatigue, he accom- 
plished his purpose, ascertaining not only the valuable geographical 
facts, alluded to (the situation of the sacred lakes of the Hindus, 
and the upper course of two important rivers), but the region also 
of the shawl-wool goat, and opening a way for the importation of 
the wool into Hindustan, and finally into Britain. Mr. Moorcroft’s 
ulterior object, however, was to penetrate to Turkistan, to the 
country of a breed of horses which it was his great ambition to 
domesticate in India. 
***** 
“ Certain it is, that the government of India never recognized 
Mr. Moorcroft in any diplomatic capacity, and his supposed 
assumption of it occasionally incurred their displeasure. 
***** 
Part of the detention at Sadahk was owing to pecuniary diffi- 
culties. Unable to dispose of his merchandise at a fair price, the 
expense of maintaining his party, consisting of forty persons, for 
so long a period, exhausted Mr. Moorcroft’s finances, and he was 
obliged to negotiate bills upon his agents in Calcutta, through the 
Resident at Delhi. — Sir David Ochterlong. That officer, pro- 
bably, did not consider himself authorised to advance money on 
the bills, at least without reference to Calcutta; some, therefore, 
he hesitated, some he refused to pay, and considerable delay en- 
sued, which, whilst it subjected Mr., Moorcroft to much anxiety, 
prevented his departure to Ladahk. This conduct of the chief 
