Indian Antiquary Vol 06

SR No.: 032498
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 458
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 21 MB

Page 372

310
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1877.
the Karkd Chhand, the Rord Chhand, and the and are here edited by him in the most judicious Jhulna Chhand." (pp. xii. xiii.)
and satisfactory way. The translation of this Hindi epic appears to Thomas Manning, the friend of Charles Lamb, be executed in a scholarly style, and is carefully was a somewhat eccentric character. He went edited throughout with footnotes explanatory of first to Canton to study Chinese, and was recomthe mythological allusions. While thanking the mended to Lord Minto as well qualified for a mistranslator for this instalment of so important a sion into Tibet; but " the days of small half-menwork, we trust he will be encouraged to hasten sures had arrived," and he received little or no ajd the completion of it.
from Government. He succeeded, however, with
out official recognition, in reaching Lh&sa, where NARRATIVES of the Mission of GEORGE BOGLE to Tuer,
he stayed for several months, and had interviews and of the JOURNEY of Thomas MANNING to LES.
with the Dalai Lama. He wrote a long and interEdited with Notes, an Introduction, and Lives of Mr. esting account of his expedition, and sent it to Bogle and Mr. Manning, by CLEMENTS R. MARKHAN Dr. Marshman, but unfortunately it seems to have C. B., F.R.S. (Demy 8vo, pp. clxi. and 354.) London: been lost. Disgusted with the official treatment Trübner & Co. 1876.
he received, he returned to Canton in 1812, and in The great Warren Hastings was a statesman far|| 1817 joined Lord Amherst's embassy, ns Chinese ahead of his age, able to appreciate heartily, and interpreter. He died nt Bath in 1840, leaving his willing to encourage to tho extent of his powers, Chinese manuscripts to the Royal Asiatic Society. whatever tended to increase the reputation and The only account of his journey is contained in the influence of his country, or add to human know hasty and desultory jottings made from day to ledge and comfort. When the Teshu Lama, there- day in his note-book, of which Mr. Markham has fore, in 1774, sent to intercede on behalf of the made the best. "Good or bad," he remarks, Bhutanese, whom he had found it necessary to "it stands alone. No other countryman of ours has chastise for their raida upon our north-eastern
ever followed Manning's footsteps. And, to those frontier, he lost no time in sending a return mis- who know how to find it, there is much wheat to sion under George Bogle, a young Scotchman, be gathered from amongst Mr. Manning's chaff."
hose energy and capacity he well knew, and, with The long introduction, extending over 110 pages, his instructions, gave him a quantity of potatoes is not the least important part of the work : as prethat he might plant a few at each favourable halting. liminary to the narratives it gives a comprehenplace in the hope of introducing the cultivation of sive geographical sketch of Tibet, Bhutan, and so useful an article of food into Central Asia. We Nepal, followed by accounts of the religion, shall probably never learn whether it was from tribes, Lomas, and Romish missions, the surveys this experiment or not that the Tibetans did come of the Chinese and their interference, our relations to use the vegetable as they now do. Mr. Boglo to Bhutan and Nepal, the explorations in Tibet resided for a considerable while with the Teshu
made by the 'Pandits' sent out by the Great TriLama, who became warmly attached to him. War- gonometrical Survey, and the maps, carly and ren Hastings was greatly pleased with his success, later, of the Himalayan countries. This is followund, had he been allowed, would have followed it up, ed by well-written short biographical sketches but when Bogle returned in 1775 he found a sad of Bogle and Manning, occupying some 30 more change at Calcutta: the great statesman was de- pages. At the end, an Appendix of 46 pages conprived of all power by the malignant opposition of tains-1, an account of the travels of Johann GruePhilip Francis and the other members of Council, ber, Jesuit, 1656, from Astley's Voyager; 2, a letwhom he made tools of to frustrate the designs of ter from Father I. Desideri, 1716, from Du Halde's the Governor-General, and nothing more was done Lettres Edifiantes; and 3, an account of Tibet by for four years. In 1779 Bogle was again appoint- Fra. F. 0. della Penna di Billi, 1730, from Klap
ed to proceed to Bhutan and Tibet, but the visit roth in the Journal Asiatique (Ilme Sér. t. was postponed owing to the Teshu Lama being XIV. p. 177). absent at Pekin. Bogle died early in 1781. Has. The work is illustrated by good maps, a portrait tings sent Captain Turner on a second mission in of Warren Hastings, and a number of woodcuts. 1783, but afterwards had weightier matters to A full index and the editing of Mr. Markham, attend to; and the narrative of Bogle's mission to which is a model of excellence, render the book Tibet, of which Hastings had sent a copy to Dr. invaluable to all requiring information connected Johnson in 1776, was never published. Fortu- with the commerce, government, ethnology, and nately Bogle's papers were sent home to his fam. religions of the countries to the north of India ily and preserved, and, thanks to the persever. and must make it a favourite with the lover of ance of Mr. Markham, they have been discovered, I books of travel and rare adventure.