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THE UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. 49 first place, the Mahoinedan invadors of India burned our scraced manuscripts by hundreds and thousands; and, secondly, the first Christian missionaries who visited India possessed themselves of some of these manuscripts simply with a view to deride and belittle them, as it appears even in these days froin the mass of rubbish which they have published in India on the religions of the people of that country. The Hindus and Jains, therefore, have always shown reluctance to part with their manuscripts.
Thibet, and cspccially Ladak, has had the same cxpericncc. A former ruler of Thibct, Langdar, otherwisc callcd Langdharma, had tried to abolish the Buddhist cloctrinc in 900 A.C. lic had commanded all temples and monasteries to be clomolislice, tlic imaages to be clestroyed and the sacred books to be burnt. So intense was the indignation cxcited by these acts of sacrilege that he was murdered in the same year. In the sixteenth century, the historical books concerning Ladak were destroyed by the fanatical Maliomcdans of Skardo who invaded the country, burned the monasteries, temples and religious monuments, and threw the contents of various libraries into the river Indus. Is it astonishing then that the Lama of the Lannieroo monastery should look with suspicions on the minute questioning of M. Notovitch?
From Lamicroo, M. Notovitch (lirected his attention towards Lch with the avowed determination of securing the manuscripts in question or go to Lassa. He therefore journeyed onward over difficult gorges, dangerous mountain passcs, and through pleasant valleys, passing the celebrated fortress of Khalsi, dating from the time of the Malonicdan invasion, this being the only road leading from Kasluir to Thibet.
In crossing the valley Saspula and near the village
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