National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

Printing of

Serindia.

xx

INTRODUCTION

Mr. ALLAN'S inventory of coins.

Mr. JOYCE'S notes on anthropological materials.

Help of British Museum authorities.

and in- part carried out. It was he who first directed my attention to the art remains of the ` Thousand Buddhas ', which he had visited in 1879, and the guidance thus afforded I have ample reason to preserve in grateful memory.

If_I have left it to the last to mention two particularly valued collaborators from the British Museum, Mr. J. ALLAN and Mr. T. A. JOYCE, it is merely because the materials upon which they

have furnished me with important contributions stand apart in well-defined classes. To the former

are due the exact notes from which the inventory list of coins in Appendix B has been prepared, as well as the selection of the coin specimens reproduced in Plates CXL and CXLI. It is scarcely

necessary to point out to archaeologists how valuable for the chronological determination of sites the

indications derived from Mr. Allan's notes have been. Equally helpful in a field where the interests of historical study and natural science meet has been the exhaustive treatment which the

anthropometrical materials collected by me on my journey have received in Mr. Joyce's Notes on the Physical Anthropology of Chinese Turkestan and the Pamirs (Appendix C). The accord of the results here arrived at with the conclusions towards which archaeological and linguistic considerations seem to lead us as regards the racial elements in the population of the Tarim Basin is encouraging for the historical student.

Apart from the special help already mentioned of individual members of the British Museum staff, I owe very grateful acknowledgements for the effective furtherance my labours have received

at that great institution. Its Director Sir FREDERICK KENYON, K.C:B., and the Keepers of the Departments directly concerned, Dr. L. D. BARNETT, Sir SIDNEY COLVIN, Sir HERCULES READ, did all in their power to facilitate them by suitable arrangements and useful advice.

The production of this printed record of the results of my explorations has implied great and prolonged efforts. All the more it behoves me to express here my sincere gratitude for the aid

which has allowed me to overcome all difficulties, serious as they were. Most of all my gratitude is

due for the very liberal arrangements sanctioned by H.M. Secretary of State which rendered it possible to plan this publication on a scale befitting the results secured by the labours in the field,

and to adhere to this plan even when the great economic changes intervening since 1914 had rendered its execution far more costly. It was no small boon that whether near or far away in the East I could always rely on the friendly interest and experienced care of Mr. WILLIAM FOSTER, C.I.E., Superintendent of Records, India Office, directly in charge of the publication arrangements.

When the Delegates of the Clarendon Press agreed to undertake the printing of the work, together with the preparation of all the plates (those in colour excepted), I felt assured that what-

ever technical difficulties might arise owing to the often intricate character of the work or the distance separating me from the Press would be successfully met. Experience has fully justified my reliance on the resources of the famous officina, though the changes already referred to have thrown a strain upon them far greater than could be foreseen. To the late Mr. C. CANNAN, Secretary to the Delegates, and Mr. R. W. CHAPMAN, his successor in office, I am indebted for much kind attention. In respect of the colour plates I have to record my special thanks to Messrs. HENRY STONE AND SON, of Banbury, to whose skill and care is due the very successful and true reproduction by three-colour process of selected specimens of ancient art work.

But to no one do I owe greater thanks in respect of the printing of Serindia than to my archaeologist friend Mr. J. DE M. JOHNSON. In 1912 he had kindly charged himself, under an

arrangement approved by the India Office, with a final revision of my manuscript before it went to the printers and with help in the reading of proofs. When in 1918, in consequence of his appointment as Assistant Secretary to the Delegates, he was obliged to entrust this exacting labour for the most part to the hands of Mr. C. E. FREEMAN, he still continued to use every effort to assure