Geographical Review Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1916 edition. Excerpt: ...History, Chicago That charming book, "Through Hidden Shensi," made the late Mr. Francis H. Nichols widely known to the public, but few are acquainted with his high aspirations in attempting to acquire the Tibetan language by leading a solitary life for a considerable time in the lama monastery of Wei-si in the prefecture of Li-kiang, Yiin-nan Province.1 On arriving at Mandalay, Burma, on September 20, 1904, he sent the following note: "My greatest treasure I enclose. It is a book in the Ton-ke, the original language of the Mo-so tribe, who now speak and write Tibetan. Books like this one are exceedingly rare and difficult to obtain. I consider myself fortunate in having secured this manuscript. Part of it I have been able to translate." It is a pleasure to respond to the request of the American Geographical Society for some comment on this rare and valuable Mo-so manuscript which he presented to the Society. The designation Ton-ke, which is used by Mr. Nichols, is composed of ton, or what other travelers style tong-pa, the name for the shamans, or sorcerers, of the Mo-so, and the word ke (Tibetan skad, pronounced ha), which means "language." The hope that the partial translation of the manuscript might be preserved has unfortunately not been fulfilled. Mr. Nichols' mother, Mrs. William C. Nichols, of Evanston, 111., states that this translation has not been found in his papers, or has never reached her. At present the Mo-so inhabit the Chinese prefectures of Li-kiang and Ho-k'ing in the province of Yiin-nan. They represent the remnants of a once powerful and more extended tribe (or even several tribes), which belong to the Tibeto-Burmese stock of the large Indo-Chinese family. Their idiom, as far as we can judge at...