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0030 Sand-Buried Ruins of Khotan : vol.1
Sand-Buried Ruins of Khotan : vol.1 / Page 30 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000234
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legendary knowledge I found to prevail among them of Hiuen-
Tsiang, the great Buddhist pilgrim, whom I claimed as my guide
and patron saint, certainly helped me in explaining the objects of
my explorations to my Chinese friends and enlisting their personal
interest. But I cannot doubt that the sympathetic attitude adopted
from the first by the provincial administration towards my work was
directly due to the efforts made on my behalf by Mr. G. Macartney,
C.I.E., the representative of the Indian Government at Kashgar,
whose personal influence among all Chinese dignitaries of the
province is as great as it is well deserved. My narrative shows
the manifold benefits I derived from the unfailing care of this kind
and accomplished friend, who from afar never ceased to follow my
explorations with watchful interest. For the important help he
thus rendered towards their success, and for all his personal
kindness, I am anxious to record here the expression of my sincere
gratitude.
The résumé given above of the aims and results of my archæo-
logical work will, I hope, help to account for the character of my
present narrative and the labour involved in its preparation. The
interests of science obliged me to concentrate my efforts on a series
of well-defined tasks and to avoid whatever might interfere with
their carefully prepared execution. Mine was not a journey leaving
much range for those chance incidents which may at times lead to
exciting personal experiences, but are far more likely to cause loss
in substantial results through waste of time, energy and means. I
can only hope that my book may reach readers ready to find
compensation in the thought that long-continued study of the
ancient East and familiarity with modern India and its northern
borderlands permit me to offer them guidance in regard to much
that is of general human interest both in the present conditions
and the historical past of the regions traversed.
The critical standards to which I am pledged by my work as a
scholar would not allow me to compile a narrative by the mere
reproduction of those diary leaves which were intended to convey
the first records of my personal experiences and impressions to