Dr.Hoffmeister's Letter -> A. Hoffmeister September 10, 1845 (shimla) 49 1.At last the beautiful village came into sight itself. At the same instant we forgot the steep, barren cliffs of scree. 49 2. That was Labrang, situated on this side of the deep raving separating us from Kanum. 49 3. Hardly had we passed round a large projecting rock when a high building, a kind of tower, attracted our attention and surprised us unexpectedly 49 4. On the terraces, the apricot trees were full of ripe fruits 49 5. Quite deep in the ground numberless waternills 50 6. Shortly afterwards we reached the beginning of the irrigation canals 50 7.Kanum is one of the biggest villages we have visited in the mountains...it holds almost the rank of capital in Kinawar 50 8. from everywhere in the neighbouring country the inhabitants of the villages come here together 50 9. in this place there is also one of the largest lama monasteries, and two important temples 50 10. the houses are put in ranks, one upon the other, on the slope of the mountain,forming a succession of terraces 51 11. a kind of bad raisin 51 12. the first row of houses was very high. They were built in a strange bulky style, with a framework of cedarbeams 52 13. in the winter the inhabitants settle in the dark rooms which are in the inner part of the houses 52 14. I went up a kind of hen-ladder to reach the terrace on the roof 52 15. I saw several women with the same red-brown gown. They were sisters from the monastery 52 16. the language of this people is called Kinawari. It is totally different from the hindi as from the hindustani language 52 17. on a large threshing floor one was busy treading grain by horse 53 18. A row of tombstone-looking monuments formed the borderline of the village 53 19. One of the last and biggest houses. partibularly caught our eye. It was a four-cornered building that enclosed a small open courtyard. 53 20. on the second floor...we found a room, to all appearances his drawing room. We could see in it two roughly made chairs and a table, of which he was very proud. 54 21. Light got in only through a hole in the ceiling 54 22. the main piece was a big gilt idol representing Mahavedi 54 23. We found there a high, long vestibule 55 24. Then the great Lama came here to meet us...I thought I was in the presence of a Sage of the ancient times 55 25. What would I have given to have found the famous Hungarian scholar Alexander Czosma de Koros alive! 55 26. People often inquired after him, seeking information from us; he is known in the hills under the name of Sikander Sahib 55 Bibliography 56
