国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

138   CONSIDERATIONS ON THE METHOD EMPLOYED.

countries where Hindostani was not spoken, always allowed of our directly consulting the natives of the various regions, for dialectical forms, as well as for the meaning.

Even the ruder tribes we found to be quick enough in discovering whether the pronunciation of a foreigner was correct or not, but they were entirely unable to define where the difference lay; and we invariably found that when our pronunciation was more than usually defective, they had great difficulty in guessing our meaning. The resulting idea of the meaning of the component parts of a word, of their combination, and the connection of the whole with the object, if not very plain, is a matter quite beyond the mental comprehension of a native; in this respect, however, the peasants. in many parts of Europe are not more clever.

The following are the names of the natives whom, at different periods, we had engaged as interpreters:'

For India: ABDÛLLAH, from Madras; and HXRKÎSHEN, a Brahman, from Alm6ra, in K,maon (Himalaya).

For Tibet: MINI (full name MAN SINGH), from Milum, a village in Johar, on the border of Tibet ; NAIN SINGH (Mani's cousin),' from the same place; and MAKSHÛT from Ladak.

For Turkistan:MOHÂMMAD AirIN, from Yarkand.

For Sikkim in particular I have still to add CHfBU LAMA, a very intelligent Lépcha; Dr. CAMPBELL and Mr. HODGSON, to whom I am personally indebted for much

various and valuable assistance, sent this man to me. In Kathmandu I obtained, through COLONEL RAMSAY'S mediation, some people from Jhâng Bahadur, and these I found very useful in consulting for Tibetan, particularly as I had then just returned from Ladak.

In conclusion, I mention still the much important information we obtained for India in general from COLONEL H. W. SYKES.

After our return, the elaboration of the material collected fell to my particular share.' I have been assisted in Hindostnni by the mnnshi SÂYAD MOHÂMMAD SAID

For details see Vol. I., pp. 88, et seq.

2 We had proposed, and with apparent acquiescence on his part, to take him with us to Europe, and to employ him for Tibetan, but, like all hill men, he was too much attached to his native mountains to bring himself to leave them, and he unexpectedly went away from us at Raulpindi, leaving behind a long letter of apology.

8 Perhaps I may mention, as an apology for having undertaken a task so widely differing from my special occupations at present, that., some time ago, I had made linguistic researches (including also the physiological modi-