M. Notovitch was quite unprecedented, even in 1887,

within thirty miles of the capital of Kashmir.
During my journey up the Sind Valley the only wild animal I saw was a red bear of such retiring disposition that I could not get near enough for a shot.
In Ladakh I was so fortunate as to bag an ibex with thirty-eight-inch horns, called somewhat con- temptuously by the Russian author c wild goats ; but it is not fair to the Ladakhis to assert, as M. Notovitch does, that the pursuit of this animal is the principal occupation of the men of the country. Ibex are no^ so scarce near the Leh- Srinagar road that it is fortunate that this is not the case. M. Notovitch pursued his path undeterred by trifling discouragements, ‘ prepared, as he tells us, ‘for the discovery of a Life of Christ among the Buddhists.’
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In justice to the imaginative author I feel bound to say that I have no evidence that M. Notovitch has not visited Himis Monastery. On the contrary, the Chief Lama, or Chagzot, of Himis does distinctly remember that several European gentlemen visited the monastery m the years 1887 and 1888.
I do not attach much importance to the venerable Lama s declaration, before the Commissioner of Ladakh, to the effect that no Russian gentleman visited the monastery in the years named, because I have reason to believe that the Lama was not aware at the time of the appearance of a person of Russian nationality, and on being shown the photograph of M. Notovitch confesses that he might have mistaken him for an ‘ English sahib.’ It appears certain that this venerable abbot could not distinguish at a glance between a Russian and other European or American traveller.
The declaration of the ‘ English lady at Leh,’ and of the British officers, mentioned by Professor Max Muller, was probably founded on the fact that no such name as Notovitch occurs in the list of European travellers kept at the dak bungalow in Leh, where M. Notovitch says that he resided during his stay in that place. Careful inquiries have elicited the fact that a Russian gentleman named Notovitch was treated by the medical officer of Leh Hospital, Dr. Karl Marks, when suffering not from a broken leg, but from the less romantic but hardly less painful complaint— toothache.
I will now call attention to several leading state- ments in M. Notovitch’s book, all of which will be found to be definitely contradicted in the document signed by the Chief Superior of Himis Monastery and sealed with his official seal. This statement I have
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LAST ESSAYS.
sent to Professor Max Muller for inspection, together with the subjoined declaration of Mr. Joldan, an educated Tibetan gentleman, to whose able assistance I am deeply indebted.
A more patient and painstaking interpreter could not be found, nor one better fitted for the task.
The extracts from M. Notovitch’s book were slowly translated to the Lama, and were thoroughly under- stood by him. The questions and answers were fully discussed at two lengthy interviews before being prepared as a document for signature, and when so prepared were carefully translated again to the Lama by Mr. Joldan, and discussed by him with that gentleman, and with a venerable monk who appeared to act as the Lama’s private secretary.
I may here say that I have the fullest confidence in the veracity and honesty of this old and respected Chief Lama, who appears to be held in the highest esteem, not only among Buddhists, but by all Europeans who have made his acquaintance. As he says, he has nothing whatever to gain by the concealment of facts, or by any departure from the truth.
His indignation at the manner in which he has been travestied by the ingenious author was of far too genuine a character to be feigned, and I was much interested when, in our final interview, he asked me if in Europe there existed no means of punishing a person who told such untruths. I could only reply that literary honesty is taken for granted to such an extent in Europe, that literary forgery of the nature committed by M. Notovitch could not, I believed, be punished by our criminal law.
With reference to M. Notovitch’s declaration that
ALLEGED SOJOURN OF CHRIST IN INDIA. 189
he is going to Himis to verify the statements made in his book, I would take the liberty of earnestly advising him, if he does so, to disguise himself at least as eftoctually as on the occasion of his former visit. M Notovitch will not find himself popular at Himis, and might not gain admittance, even on the pretext of having another broken leg.
The following extracts have been carefully selected trom the Unknown Life of Christ, and are such that on their truth or falsehood may be said to depend the value of M. Notovitch’s story.
After describing at length the details of a dramatic performance, said to have been witnessed in the court- yard of Himis Monastery, M. Notovitch writes
with nT h f TSed he courtyard and tended a staircase lined
Z h ErrelS’ W! passed thr0Ugh two rooms encumbered With idols and came out upon the terrace, where I seated myself
Te,,
(This extract is important as bearing on the question of identification ; see Answers i and 3 of the Lama’s statement: and it may here be remarked that the author’s account of the approach to the Chief Lama’s reception room and balcony is accurate.) Then follows a long resume of a conversation on religious matters, in the course of which the abbot is said to have made the following observations amongst others
‘ We, Pave * diking example of this (Nature-worship) in the "°4"hipped 8n""*13’ “1 »“>■>“. ‘l*e
the^letlfTbTr8’ S°fking the way which should lead them to the feet of the Creator, turned their eyes to the stars’ (p. uc)
Perhaps the people of Israel have demonstrated ina more flagrant manner than any other, man’s lore for the concrete ’ (p
The name of Issa is held in great respect by the Buddhists, but
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LAST ESSAYS.
little is known about him save by the Chief Lamas who have read the scrolls relating to his life ’ (p. 120).
‘The documents brought from India to Nepal, and from Nepal to Tibet, concerning Issa’s existence, are written in the Pali language, and are now in Lassa ; but a copy in our language — that is, the Tibetan — exists in this convent’ (p. 123).
‘ Two days later I sent by a messenger to the Chief Lama a present comprising an alarum, a watch, and a thermometer’ (p. 125).
We will now pass on to the description given by the author of his re-entry into the monastery with a broken leg : —
‘ I was carried with great care to the best of their chambers, and placed on a bed of soft materials, near to which stood a prayer- wheel. All this took place under the immediate surveillance of the Superior, who affectionately pressed the hand I offered him in gratitude for his kindness ’ (p. 127).
‘ While a youth of the convent kept in motion the prayer-wheel near my bed, the venerable Superior entertained me with endless stories, constantly taking my alarum and watch from their cases, and putting to me questions as to their uses, and the way they should be worked. At last, acceding to my earnest entreaties, he ended by bringing me two large bound volumes, with leaves yellowed by time, and from them he read to me, in the Tibetan language, the biography of Issa, which I carefully noted in my carnet de voyage, as my interpreter translated what he said ’ (p. 128).
This last extract is, in a sense, the most important of all, as will be seen when it is compared with Answers 3, 4, and 5 in the statement of the Chief Superior of Himis Monastery. That statement I now append. The original is in the hands of Professor Max Muller, as I have said, as also is the appended declaration of Mr. Joldan, of Leh.
The statement of the Lama, if true— and there is every reason to believe it to be so — disposes once and for ever of M. Notovitch’s claim to have discovered a Life of Issa among the Buddhists of Ladakh. My questions to the Lama were framed briefly, and with
ALLEGED SOJOUEN OF CHRIST IN INDIA. 191
as much simplicity as possible, so that there might be no room for any mistake or doubt respecting the meaning of these questions.
My interpreter, Mr. Joldan, tells me that he was most careful to translate the Lama’s answers verbally and literally, to avoid all possible misapprehension. The statement is as follows : —
Question x. You are the Chief Lama (or Abbot) of Himis Monastery?
Answer i. Yes.
Question 2. For how long have you acted continu- ously in that capacity?
Answer 2. For fifteen years.
Question 3. Have you or any of the Buddhis monks in this monastery ever seen here a European with an injured leg ?
Answer 3. No, not during the last fifteen years. If any sahib suffering from serious injury had stayed in this monastery it would have been my duty to report the matter to the Wazir of Leh. I have never had occasion to do so.
Question 4. Have you or any of your monks ever shown any Life of Issa to any sahib, and allowed him to copy and translate the same ?
Answer 4. There is no such book in the monastery, and during my term of office no sahib has been allowed to copy or translate any of the manuscripts in the monastery.
Question 5. Are you aware of the existence of any