238 R. Hoernle —Three further Collections of [No. 4, 
the manuscripts were found wrapped up in it, and buried in about 
three feet of earth. 
* Set, No. 3. Purchased by Munshi Ahmad Din at the same time 
as set No. 2. These leaves were also discovered by Islam Akhun, at 
Jabu Kum, which appears to be situated at 50 or 60 miles N. E. of 
Khotan in the midst of the Takla Makan desert. Islam Akhun 
states that at Jabu Kum some ruins of a mud wall are still visible. 
The manuscript was found wrapped up in a piece of cloth, and 
mixed up with human bones, the whole lying on some* partially 
exposed boards of a wooden coffin. 
Set, No. 4. Found by Islam Akhun in August last at Kara Kul 
Mazar Khojam, said to be situated in the desert at 50 miles East of 
Guma (long. 78° 25' and lat. 37° 37 ). The manuscript was 
simply picked up on the sand. It was originally bound between 
two little wooden boards, which, having been broken on Islam 
Khan’s journey to Kashgar, he did not bring with him. Kara Kul 
Mazar Khajan [sic] is described as an immense graveyard in 
ruins, possibly ten miles long. 
Set, No. 5. Found in October last [1895] by Islam Akhun in 
the desert at Kuk Gumbaz (green dome), which is said to be five 
days march East of Guma. Islam Akhun there saw a circular wall 
of baked bricks three feet high ; and at about 15 paces from it, there 
was another wall, in which a hole plastered over with mud was 
discovered. In removing this mud, the manuscript was found, 
contained in the remnant of what was once an iron box. 
Set, No. 6. These leaves were also found by Islam Akhun at 
Kuk Gumbaz. They were picked up from the ground.” 
Specimens of the first five sets are figured on Plates XY to XXYI. 
The leaves of the sixth set are in a too bad state of preservation, to 
make them, for the present, worth reproduction. The first glance 
over these plates will show that the manuscripts of the 1st set, shown 
on Plates XY and XYI, are of an entirely different class and character 
from those of the other sets, shown on Plates XYII to XXYI. They are 
moreover from two quite different localities, Set I being from Kuchar, 
on the Northern side of the Gobi desert, while Sets II to YI are from 
Kliotan, on its southern side. 
With regard to Set I, a point of greatest interest and importance 
is that it was found at the same time and under the same circumstances 
as the famous Bower MS. 26 There is, however, a slight mistake or 
26 I may here mention that my edition of this .Manuscript,, published by the 
Government of India, is now finished, as far as the -original text is concerned. An 
introduction on its history, age, etc., is in course of preparation. 
