It is not possible
to admit that the incursion of the Tu-ku-hun in the 5th century could be
the cause of this change of name. The hypothesis remains that Pi-mo was
really the ancient name forced by the first Tibetan invaders spoken of by
legend, that Ou-mi was either another name of the town, or a fancy name
invented by the Chinese, like Yu-t'ien for Khotan, Su-lo for Kashgar...."
Sir T. D. Forsyth (J. R. G. S., XLVII., 1877, p. 3) writes: "I should
say that Peim or Pima must be identical with Kiria." - H. C.]
NOTE 2. - The Jasper and Chalcedony of our author are probably only
varieties of the semi-precious mineral called by us popularly Jade, by
the Chinese Yue, by the Eastern Turks Kash, by the Persians Yashm,
which last is no doubt the same word with [Greek: iaspis], and therefore
with Jasper. The Greek Jaspis was in reality, according to Mr. King, a
green Chalcedony.
The Jade of Turkestan is largely derived from water-rolled boulders fished
up by divers in the rivers of Khotan, but it is also got from mines in the
valley of the Karakash River. "Some of the Jade," says Timkowski, "is as
white as snow, some dark green, like the most beautiful emerald (?),
others yellow, vermilion, and jet black.
