,
Randjid Singh, near Lahore; and turned toward Kachmyr, "The Valley of
Eternal Bliss." Thence I directed my peregrinations as my curiosity
impelled me, until I arrived in Ladak, whence I intended returning to
Russia by way of Karakoroum and Chinese Turkestan.

One day, while visiting a Buddhist convent on my route, I learned from a
chief lama, that there existed in the archives of Lhassa, very ancient
memoirs relating to the life of Jesus Christ and the occidental nations,
and that certain great monasteries possessed old copies and translations
of those chronicles.

As it was little probable that I should make another journey into this
country, I resolved to put off my return to Europe until a later date,
and, cost what it might, either find those copies in the great convents
or go to Lhassa--a journey which is far from being so dangerous and
difficult as is generally supposed, involving only such perils as I was
already accustomed to, and which would not make me hesitate at
attempting it.

During my sojourn at Leh, capital of Ladak, I visited the great convent
Himis, situated near the city, the chief lama of which informed me that
their monastic library contained copies of the manuscripts in question.
In order that I might not awaken the suspicions of the authorities
concerning the object of my visit to the cloister, and to evade
obstacles which might be opposed to me as a Russian, prosecuting further
my journey in Thibet, I gave out upon my return to Leh that I would
depart for India, and so left the capital of Ladak. An unfortunate fall,
causing the breaking of a leg, furnished me with an absolutely
unexpected pretext for returning to the monastery, where I received
surgical attention. I took advantage of my short sojourn among the lamas
to obtain the consent of their chief that they should bring to me, from
their library, the manuscripts relating to Jesus Christ, and, assisted
by my interpreter, who translated for me the Thibetan language,
transferred carefully to my notebook what the lama read to me.

Not doubting at all the authenticity of this chronicle, edited with
great exactitude by the Brahminic, and more especially the Buddhistic
historians of India and Nepaul, I desired, upon my return to Europe, to
publish a translation of it.

To this end, I addressed myself to several universally known
ecclesiastics, asking them to revise my notes and tell me what they
thought of them.

Mgr. Platon, the celebrat