Page:Ladak, physical, statistical, and historical ; with notices of the surrounding countries (IA ladakphysicalsta00cunnrich).pdf/21



1. The earliest authentic notices of Ladák scarcely reach so far back as the beginning of the Christian era. In A.D. 399-400, when the Chinese pilgrims, Fa-Hian, Hoei-King, and others, reached Yu-thian (or Kotan), the former determined to remain behind for some time to witness the procession of images, while Hoei-King proceeded in advance to Kie-chha. After the procession had taken place, Fa-Hian travelled by Tsu-ho and Yu-hoei, and over the Tsung-Ling mountains southward to Kie-chha, where he rejoined Hoeï-King. On those mountains, which were one month's journey in breadth, the snow, it is said, never melted, and the natives of the country were known by the name of "men of the snowy mountains." From Kie-chha the pilgrims proceeded westward to Tho-ly, which they reached in one month. From this account, it appears to me that there can be no doubt of the identity of the ancient Kie-chha with the modern Ladák.

2. To reach Ladák from Kotan there were two roads. open to the pilgrims, the western by Kukeyar and the southern by Ruthog (or Rudok). By either route the