Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-02-18
shc Highest C0mmfry "a
World

\ distinguished German traveller.
Prof Robert .oa Schlagcntwet, who
has spent years in exploring, Cea,ral
-tsIa, - now in New York, aud Il .x
ing some most interesting lectures on
his expedition In one he introduces
his hearers into Thibet, the most ele.
waited country ia the world lie said
that very erroneous views hal existed
regarding It; Humboldt already ha
endcavored TO correct the idel tia, it
wa, Was formed by series OF piateaus.--
impet is vail y running parallel with
the HImalaya}, and it was one oi the
most interesting valleys upon the earth
lhe lowest point lies 6,0ta feet above
the level OF the sea The western part
is lntersectcd by The Indus. The east.
ern part is divided from the western
by ridge OF 5000 feet. Ia The ea,,
ern part are numerous lakes. sixteen
of which contain salt water. The tuph.
est lake lies 1868 feet and the lowest
li,olD feet above the level of the Sc.
The eastern part of Thibet is still a,
| good as unexplored; here resides tho.
! head OF the Budlhona church. The
western part is better known. 1t re
mains Under the political control ct tho
Chinese, who are very anxious to pre-
Vent Europeans irom entering tho
country In the beginning Of July tho
rains sabsided, the snow melted rau-
idly away, and they set out on their
voyage with large caravan, followed
by large herd OF sheep each OF which
carried bag of grain weighing from
eight TO ten pounds. They passed tho
Cta Dhura, pass IL 500 feet high
From here they traversed the 1hun.
gar pass II .33l feet high. This passage
was extremely difficult Here they
met with a cold well at the height Of
1920 feet. In Thibet is. still higher
one. viz: IL 800 teet, which is the high
est in the world In the European
Alps there is nothing highcrthan IL, 4io
feet. Very interesting is also the grad
ual decrease OF vegetation; only now
and then a rock is seen like All island
amid the glaciers, on which phanero-
gamic plants are found at the height
OF 222,so9 feet. In the Alps these rise
to the height of 1876 feet Here
they were stopped by Chinese guards
| After spending several days with their
guard, during which time they hoped
that by their persuasion the soldiers
would leave them, they finally conclud-
ed 10 escape. In the depth OF nigh.
they did so, travelling through IN un-
known pass 14,9o0 feet above the level
OF the sea. He Witnessed far held
in the city of Garbach which lies l5,-
09O feet above the sea and is the cap
ital. Strange to say, he met every
where numerous ruins of temples,
houses, and monuments, relics of a
former civilization. He described the
i Convent Berma, which lies l3,451 feet
above the sea, III the highest Inhabited
spot. in the world He showed pic
ture OF it q vast building OF stone. 1t
contains many couhs and musical in
struments made OF bones; many monks
bequeathing their legs during their
lltotnne to be used as trUnpets when
they are dea1, The prayer machine
is here brought to perfection, beng
. turned by large wheel driven by
water-power. While the machine turns
of the prayers at the rate Of two u
minute, the monks occupy their tlma
i'll playing cards