Second journey into Tibet—Csoma’s position as to the Asiatic
Society of Bengal—Return to Sabathú.
The favourable view which the Government had taken of Csoma’s
intentions, and the resolution which followed, that he should be
assisted with a monthly allowance of fifty rupees from the public
treasury, dissipated the heavy clouds of uncertainty which hung so long
over his fate. He was ready to start on his second journey into Tibet,
and actually did so in June 1825.
Mr. Stirling, the Government secretary, in his letter of the 29th of
July, made known to Dr. Wilson of the Asiatic Society the intentions of
Government, by informing him that the Hungarian traveller, Csoma de
Körös, had arrived in the previous November at Sabathú, with a letter
of recommendation from Mr. Moorcroft, and that, as the Government and
the local authorities had become satisfied that the object which he had
in view was the study of the language, literature, and history of
Tibet, he had been granted permission to continue his journey, and
should, moreover, receive pecuniary assistance whilst so engaged.
“In return for this,” says Mr. Stirling, “Mr. de Körös has expressed
his wish to place the results of his literary labours and inquiries at
the disposal of the British Government. It appears the Government
desirable that we should take advantage of this opportunity for
procuring a good grammar and vocabulary of the Tibetan language, and
also translations of some of the historical tracts which Mr. de Körös
states himself to have collected, and the best way of turning his
services to account will obviously be through the medium of the Asiatic
Society.
“I have been directed, therefore, to transmit to you the accompanying
copies of the reports (addressed to Captain Kennedy as above), and to
invite the Society to open a communication with him on the subject of
his present researches. He will also be requested ... to be guided by
any advice and suggestions that may be offered by you.”
Csoma de Körös left Sabathú in June on his second visit to Tibet, and
after a prolonged journey, of which he gives us some details in the
letter below, he settled at the Gonpa or Monastery of Pukdal or
Pukhtar, or rather at the adjoining village of Teesa, in the province
of Zanskar. On leaving Sabathú he passed through Simla and Kotgurh into
the valley of the Sutlej, and was afterwards accompanied by a hill
servant named Padma to his destination.
Csoma’s letter to Captain Kennedy is dated the 16th of October. By
glancing over the map we can trace the direction which he followed in
those hilly tracts. Csoma writes that on this second journey into
Zanskar he was anxious to arrive early at Pukdal for the purpose of
ascertaining whether the Lama was inclined to make an arrangement for
finishing “those elementary works of the Tibetan language for which I
have collected materials during my former residence in this country. I
had promised, so soon as I should reach this place, and have the Lama’s
consent to assist me diligently in my undertaking, to acquaint you with
my circumstances. There have elapsed four months since I recommenced my
journey, and yet I was not able till now to write with certainty. I beg
leave for my tardiness, and shall excuse myself in the following lines
for my negligence.
2. “On leaving Sabathú, on the 6th of June, I was not yet decided
which route of the two I should take, whether that by Kulu or by
Besarh; but being furnished by your kindness with recommendatory
passports for either case, and being informed that in the upper
part of the Besarh there are some villages in which the language is
Tibetan, and that there are also some monasteries,—in hope to find
an intelligent person in that part for my purpose,—I resolved at
Kotgarh to take my journey along the Sutlej by Besarh.
3. “Dr. Gerard had the kindness to give me a note to the officers
in the Court of Besarh Raja, to procure me among the Tibetans in
the upper part of their country, three persons as bearers for my
boxes for a certain pay, and who will come with me to Zanskar. The
officers at Sruan gave me a man with a written order to the
Basuntram at Kanum, to fulfil my desire if possible respecting the
bearers. I found him at Naho, but he could procure me no bearers,
and his letter to the Kharpon at Piti with regard to bearers was of
no use. Hence my slowness in proceeding.
4. “The Basuntram at Naho, on my request, gave me for my companion
an old man, a native of Hang, Padma by name, who from the 26th of
June till now was with me, and to whom for the said time I have
paid besides nourishment twelve rupees. Should it be necessary to
communicate to me any important matter either from Government or
from the Asiatic Society, in that case this Padma of Hang is
willing to return again and to remain with me during the winter.
5. “In the Besarh countries I have no difficulty in travelling, my
boxes being carried for small pay from village to village as
rapidly as I desire. But I found that way to come to Zanskar very
circuitous. The most direct road is that by Kulu and Lahoul, Pukdal
being four days’ journey from the upper part of Lahoul.
6. “On my arrival at Kanum in Upper Besarh, being informed that,
besides other Tibetan books, there are also the ‘Kahgyur’ and
‘Stangyur,’ the printed volumes mentioned by me in my last report
to you, para. 14 and elsewhere, I have inspected them. They are
deposited in an apartment belonging to Balee Ram, whose grandfather
is said to have procured them from Tibet, near Teshi Lhunpo. The
religious persons at Kanam and Sungnam are half Hindus; they detest
and hate the Tibetans on account of their eating beef. In general
they are very ignorant, nor can they speak the Tibetan language
properly.
7. “As I could not procure in that country an intelligent person
for the Tibetan language, nor find those grammatical works which I
lay down for the foundation of my grammar and vocabulary, I left
Besarh to proceed to Zanskar by Piti and Lahoul. In both countries
I was for some time hindered by the rainy weather and the want of
bearers. On my whole journey I have met with no hindrance or
incommodity, except that I could not procure bearers as quickly as
I required them.
8. “I reached Teesa in Zanskar, the village of the Lama, on the
12th of August. He was then absent on some mercantile affairs in
the deserts of Tibet. I looked every day for his return. He arrived
on the 26th of September. Now I have made arrangements with him for
finishing the works I have planned. He has engaged to dwell and
labour with me from the 10th of November till the summer solstice
of next year, in an apartment belonging to his own family.
9. “I have calculated my future expenses. The money which I have
now with me will, I think, be sufficient till my return to Sabathú,
which I propose to do in October next year. And as the Lama, who
wishes to accompany me to that place, to whom I have promised to
pay yet more if he will be diligent in assisting me, I beg you to
give me permission to bring him with me. We will descend from Piti
by the nearest way to Sruan in Besarh.
10. “I remember every day the great obligations laid upon me by the
Government at Calcutta, by Major Willock and his brother, by Mr.
Moorcroft, by yourself, by Dr. Gerard, Adjutant Nicolson, and by
other gentlemen whom I have the honour to know, and to whom I
express, on this occasion also, my humble respects and
acknowledgments. Continue, my dear gentlemen, your benevolence to a
stranger, whose chief care is to merit your favour and to extol
your kindness.”
This communication was transmitted by Captain Kennedy to the Supreme
Government, and is to be found among the records of the Foreign Office
in Calcutta.
The next letter from Csoma is in the possession of the Asiatic Society
of Bengal. It was forwarded, as usual, by Captain Kennedy, who wrote in
very kind terms on this occasion to Dr. Wilson, and also to the
Assistant-Political Agent at Umbála, concerning his protégé, pleading
his cause, and requesting substantial support for him.
Csoma’s letter to the Secretary of the Society is dated the 21st of
August 1826. He gives an important, though not a satisfactory account
of his studies. After acknowledging Dr. Wilson’s communication of the
10th of August 1825, and mentioning some details about himself, he
continues thus:—
“I received the pamphlets, which contained some interesting
articles on the subject on which I am employed. But since they came
too late to me, namely, on the 26th of June, and the man who
brought them was very idle and vagrant, I trusted not to send a
letter by him. I beg leave that I delayed so long to write to you.
“I was not successful after my return to this place as I imagined
on leaving Sabathú that I should be, the Lama being very negligent
in assisting me as I desired.
“He passed but a few months with me, and I could find and employ no
other person able for my purpose. I am still uncertain what will be
the issue of my works, or how far I can bring them, according to my
promises. Should I fail, for the present, in fulfilling in all
respects my engagement, you shall have, I assure you, if not the
whole, at least the grammar, and such views on the language and
literature of Tibet, that will be sufficient to induce future
inquirers to engage in this branch of Asiatic literature.
“I am very much obliged to you for the review of my letters, the
remarks made upon them, and the hints given me. Whatever I found on
the Tibetan language in the Quarterly was very incorrect. I will
not now enumerate the defects. I hope I shall be able to fix a
standard for this curious language, founded on indubitable
authorities.
“I beg leave for tardiness and brevity in writing. After my return
I shall be happy if I can serve you with all my acquirements,” &c.,
&c.
Csoma returned from Pukdal to Sabathú in January 1827, loaded with
literary treasures, but greatly dissatisfied with the result of the
journey. The negligence of his instructor, the Lama, was a cause of
keen disappointment to him, and we may well understand that this
unlooked-for misfortune intensified the mortification of his sensitive
and enthusiastic spirit.