DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3909#0013
In submitting this book to philologists I trust that I shall find them indulgent critics*
The Tirst Volume, " The Races and languages of Dardistan," was composed under considerable
difficulties. The Punjab Government could only afford me leave for the "Special Misssion"
on which I was deputed, between the 6th of August and the 20th of October 1866. During that
period I had to make generally two5 and sometimes three marches a day, [from 15 to 35 miles]
mostly on foot, over mountainous country, a portion of which was the scene of frontier warfare.
I found that the ferocity of the people of Dardistan had been exaggerated, but moving on un* ■
known soil, I had to take every precaution. Three weeks also of the short leave which I had
Were devoted to searching after the remains of my friend Mr, H, Cowie, who together with two
followers, had perished on a tour through Ladak, &c., which I had terminated on the 1st of July of
the same year, I may, however, say that whatever my contribution to philological science may
be worth, I literally never wasted a single waking hour during my last tour.* Surrounded by
enemies, often thirsty, hungry and without shelter,' I endeavoured to acquire from semi-savages
what have hitherto been [with the exception of a few words] entirely unknown languages. The
Dardus have no written character. After acquiring the most necessary words I used to put simple
questions to my new acquaintances and endeavour to elicit the Grammatical forms which I required
in their replies, I need not dwell on the many disappointments which this endeavour entailed,
Often when almost certain of a particular tense, &c, &c, I would discover that my informant had
either mistaken the question, been unable to answer it, or had in reply made use of im idiom-.
Two Shins accompanied me to the Punjab, where they stayed for a few months, and to this
circumstance I owe the correction of the Shina portion of the book. On the whole, I am inclin-
ed to think that by far the greater portion of the book is correct. The arrangement, I am aware
is not systematic throughout, but I would beg my critics to remember that even such as it is, it is a
great improvement on the scattered Memos, likely to be made by a traveller in those regions.
Scarcely back from the tour I found myself in the midst of Work. Pully occupied by official,
editorial and other literary duties, it is not to be Wondered at that the present work exhibits some
signs of a hasty performance, It is my impression from an enquiry into Dardu Verbal and
other forms that these languages are the Dialects from which the Sanscrit was perfected. If I am
wrong 1 trust European Orientalists will correct me before I risk any conjectures of the kind in my
fourth Volume. In conclusion I must refer to Cunningham's admirable Work on Ladak. At the
end of it is found a Vocabulary of Alpine dialects among which one Shin dialect and Arnyia and
Khajuna are represented by about two hundred words the former, and about one hundred words
each of the two latter languages, Inconsequence of Cunningham's informants [whom he had
the good fortune to meet at Srinuggur Where they arrived as ambassadors to the] Maharaja of
Kashmir, probably not understanding many of his questions, most of the words are wrong, and
are besides, it would appear copied from the Persian characters, as they contain mistakes that
would naturally arise from any hasty placing of the " dots5' that accompany several of the
letters of that alphabet.
The spelling adopted in this book is generally the Jonesian, but in Consequence of want
of sufficient or proper type the following signs :—,A or ' have often been made to do service for one
another. I may state that" th" "ph" "kk" are always to be read diacritically, [ ] encloses
either the sentence in which the particular word referred to is contained, or is a doubtful word.
Signs of interrogation either mean that the Word is very doubtful, or that the explanation will be
found further on. _____________________ _ ____________
* Dardistan I visited between August and October 1866 ; Kashmir in May and June 1865, and in July 1866, and Ladak,
&,c, &c, in May and June Oi the latter ■
year.
The Tirst Volume, " The Races and languages of Dardistan," was composed under considerable
difficulties. The Punjab Government could only afford me leave for the "Special Misssion"
on which I was deputed, between the 6th of August and the 20th of October 1866. During that
period I had to make generally two5 and sometimes three marches a day, [from 15 to 35 miles]
mostly on foot, over mountainous country, a portion of which was the scene of frontier warfare.
I found that the ferocity of the people of Dardistan had been exaggerated, but moving on un* ■
known soil, I had to take every precaution. Three weeks also of the short leave which I had
Were devoted to searching after the remains of my friend Mr, H, Cowie, who together with two
followers, had perished on a tour through Ladak, &c., which I had terminated on the 1st of July of
the same year, I may, however, say that whatever my contribution to philological science may
be worth, I literally never wasted a single waking hour during my last tour.* Surrounded by
enemies, often thirsty, hungry and without shelter,' I endeavoured to acquire from semi-savages
what have hitherto been [with the exception of a few words] entirely unknown languages. The
Dardus have no written character. After acquiring the most necessary words I used to put simple
questions to my new acquaintances and endeavour to elicit the Grammatical forms which I required
in their replies, I need not dwell on the many disappointments which this endeavour entailed,
Often when almost certain of a particular tense, &c, &c, I would discover that my informant had
either mistaken the question, been unable to answer it, or had in reply made use of im idiom-.
Two Shins accompanied me to the Punjab, where they stayed for a few months, and to this
circumstance I owe the correction of the Shina portion of the book. On the whole, I am inclin-
ed to think that by far the greater portion of the book is correct. The arrangement, I am aware
is not systematic throughout, but I would beg my critics to remember that even such as it is, it is a
great improvement on the scattered Memos, likely to be made by a traveller in those regions.
Scarcely back from the tour I found myself in the midst of Work. Pully occupied by official,
editorial and other literary duties, it is not to be Wondered at that the present work exhibits some
signs of a hasty performance, It is my impression from an enquiry into Dardu Verbal and
other forms that these languages are the Dialects from which the Sanscrit was perfected. If I am
wrong 1 trust European Orientalists will correct me before I risk any conjectures of the kind in my
fourth Volume. In conclusion I must refer to Cunningham's admirable Work on Ladak. At the
end of it is found a Vocabulary of Alpine dialects among which one Shin dialect and Arnyia and
Khajuna are represented by about two hundred words the former, and about one hundred words
each of the two latter languages, Inconsequence of Cunningham's informants [whom he had
the good fortune to meet at Srinuggur Where they arrived as ambassadors to the] Maharaja of
Kashmir, probably not understanding many of his questions, most of the words are wrong, and
are besides, it would appear copied from the Persian characters, as they contain mistakes that
would naturally arise from any hasty placing of the " dots5' that accompany several of the
letters of that alphabet.
The spelling adopted in this book is generally the Jonesian, but in Consequence of want
of sufficient or proper type the following signs :—,A or ' have often been made to do service for one
another. I may state that" th" "ph" "kk" are always to be read diacritically, [ ] encloses
either the sentence in which the particular word referred to is contained, or is a doubtful word.
Signs of interrogation either mean that the Word is very doubtful, or that the explanation will be
found further on. _____________________ _ ____________
* Dardistan I visited between August and October 1866 ; Kashmir in May and June 1865, and in July 1866, and Ladak,
&,c, &c, in May and June Oi the latter ■
year.