110 
Letter from, the Himmalaya. 
fashion, stampt biscuits, and dried fruits. The tea, as you may imagine, was not 
very grateful, anrl I had much apprehension for its fate, after T thought it was safely 
lodged. On leaving the Lndak (Splti) territory, I was most agreeably surprised 
by a visit from a Chinese officer, who had travelled day and night to meet me. He 
was a very strange figure, dressed out in a cloak of woollen broad cloth, trimmed 
with fur, n head dress crowned by a trident, a knife in his girdle, and boot* of Bulgar 
or Russian leather; he was a man of medicine, and received many drugs from me the 
uses of w hich he wrote down, and a pair of lancets w'hich he seemed to know how 
to use: there w r as much of character in this personage. He drank a liquor which 
tasted to me like bad beer, and each time he emptied his silver cup he filled up my 
tumbler much against my own wishes. There was a great deal of apparent openness 
manifested in all his actions ; but T cannot view so unusual a departure from their 
accustomed suspicious vigilance, without some doubts of the sincerity of the part 
which this man performed. On taking leave of me he shook both my hands, anti 
assured me of an invitation to Lake Mansarawur next season. He had heard of my 
searching for fossils and curiosities, and presented me with a petrifaction from Lake 
MansaraWur ; it seems a species of Medusa. 
But perhaps the most interesting circumstance of my tour was my meeting noth the 
Hungarian traveller, M. Csomn de KSrBs, at the monastery of Kanam in Knndwar. I 
found him with his learned associate the Lama, surrounded with books, and in the 
best health. He has made great progress with his literary studies, having nearly 
finished his Grammar and Dictionary of the Thibetian language which he has pledged 
himself to Government 1 1 fulfil ; but his objects are vast and comprehensive, and the 
works he is now' engaged in will form but a prelude to further researches. He wishes 
to invite learned men from Teshoo Loompoo and Lahassa, and by their assistance 
study the Mongol language, which he considers the key to Chinese literature, and 
through it get access to Mongolia, where he expects to discover much interesting 
knowledge ; but unfortunately, he wants resources. The Lama receives 25 Rs. a 
month : a servant costs him four, his house-rent one, and his writing materials a pro- 
portion, so that he has not actually 20 Rupees left tor the necessaries and comforts 
of life in that cold region of the mountains. It would he liberality well bestowed to 
render him the little aid lie stands in need of; but lie is so tenacious of his inde- 
pendence, and carries his nicety of feeling to such a degree, that he will accept of 
nothing but from a public source, and from that only, because he finds himself able 
to make a suitable return in his works. The only things he lias ever accepted from 
me are a Latin dictionary and a Greek lexicon, which are useful in the arramrement 
of his materials. I offered him some rice and sugar, which I knew he was in want 
of; but he returned them, and sent me 16 rupees to purchase some articles at this place, 
which I have done and despatched to him. He is very anxious to see the numbers of 
the Oriental Quarterly which refer to his studies. Mr. Wilson sent him up two, and thev 
have excited his curiosity to see the others which are referred to : I think No. 8 or 7 
is one he wishes to see. He is much in want of ancient authors to consult, for 
instance, 1 liny, Ptolemy, Quintus Curtins, Diodorus Siculus, &c. The Asiatic Society 
might perhaps supply his wants, and this small boon could not possihily be bestowed 
upon a brighter object of their patronage: indeed my humble opinion is, that if his 
allowance were made up to 100 rupees a month, either by the Society or by Govern- 
ment, it. would be a well earned tribute, and one which would be ampiv repaid. 
M. Csoma showed me his labours with eagerness and pride. He has read through 44 
volumes of the Thibetian Encyclopaedia, and they have fully rewarded his perseverance. 
He discovered part ot the Mahabharat or poetical work which fat least great 
part ot ltj is supposed to be lost*. He pointed with great animation to a poem 
translated, from the Sanscrit edition, in one of the numbers of the Oriental Quarter- 
ty, holding in his hand, at the same time, the original in Thibetian. Mr. Wilson will 
oe no doubt interested in this, and perhaps you might mention it to him. His learn- 
ed companion, the Lama, has informed him that lithographic printing has flourished 
tor ages in the ancient cities of Teshoo Loompoo and Lahassa ; and that, at the former 
place, the anatomy of the human body is represented in 60 different positions in cuts 
or prints. The Kanjur, or work in Thibetian which treats of sciences and arts, 
has five volumes devoted to medicine. The geographyof Thibet promises to receive 
M-,L C ° n " ld " r . abl< ' mustr(ition f ' rom «*« Printed records deposited in the monasteries, 
wtansarawur being considered the central source of several great rivers is a mere 
“ There is some mistake here, either of the writer or of M De Kurin The 
mSi0 “ WitU lheSanscrit original would 
