fitted out, a.t an immense expence, for the purpose of visiting unknown
regions, and navigating distant seas. Men of teaming and of science
embarked on these occasions^ to* whom the desire of acquiring and dif-
fusing knowledge, were sufficient inducements to attempt the most
hazardous and laborious enterprises. In these voyages, lands had been
discovered, and nations explored, of which neither history, nor tradition,
supplied the slightest information; and navigators, by publishing
to the'world their observations, and theiraccounts of these newly-
discovered countries, had communicated much curious and important
knowledge, {fence followed a succession of queries and remarks*
which it would be endless to repeat.
Their own geographical knowledge was very limitscL I eoulri not
form, with: any degree of precision, an idea of the ancient extent of the
kingdom of Tibet, or of the age of their religious institutions: for neither
of us could recognize places, from the names by which they were
known to the other? and dates were equally obscure, since they have
no specific aera, from which they begin ia reckon the lapse of time.
The cycle of twelve years, is in use here, as it is « western, Tantary.
But for my better information on these topics* they promised me am
abridged history of Tibet, from their own annals.
This I afterwards received; but my knowledge of the language was
not sufficient to enable me to avail myself of the- information it contained
* and) my residence amongst them, though I had the aid of a
preceptor, was too short to admit of my making any considerable proficiency
in. the dialect of Tibet.
The present was an opportunity too favourable to-be-neglected, and
before the. conference was .icoacluded, fendeav-oMed toengagethe
fipgpnt’a .^ p ^ tr^ ^ wttklafchol}^ oj^aeq’uirin^; acme atpfcKmatiam upon •
a «subject, whi-ch Iwasextremely anxious to> iaivestigate.
My inquiries respected an «atio», supposed t® have ottm
inhabited the borders-of the Baikal of Tartafy^aad»
from which some persons conjecture, A* leBraing^afls, and sciences; of
fndia, and even of Europe, tto have; been: originally derived.
nation ever«*existedfcth& remembrance of it seems now to be buried in-
deepest obfmon.
Siberia) and Baikal were ta m o espudly
by setting before them Kiafedhta* the point offfiyisi», arid great scene
# traffic, between. the Chines© and Russian -cinf»bo^**a#e*M. «tar
south-eastern extremityof the latter, 1 waspbte to Mentify the mg®®*
to whkh I wished to draw their attention',
top®®» Ghoemboo ted fev eied frosm. Khhtei- *1» residence <a£
TaranautLausai, mrKinsauk, to; China? he; had traversed the boedem!
ofl the Baikal sea, and lived long* amongst the noBtheto Tarta®si< T h e
Baikal lake, he informed me, was; ^i*d^i«^ii!<jpwtdvl«ausd,ijl^|ji(li ptwT
ductaoir of pearb,. remarkable f<w their sieepliwit imperfect i® coiomttod
shape, and therefore held im t») great estimatwl. fes neighbourhood*
he said, was thilriy hitebited, nor to bis knowledges,, was any moh#-
n t existing,- that -bore marks of reiarote antiqtHtyi - Tie?Tartars; of
that vicinity were1 found, as was reatafkably; the, case ib advancirtg.
towards the north, more ignorant, and less eivilitedy than-their soi-iCbeWt.
neighbours. The people beyond thedeseftv he added* ate* a wandering
Mee, That inhabit' tents,- a»d inherit such powerful p^eptrsseSsfeff^