The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-24

The Young Philadelphian Who Recently
Travelled through .Thibet.

The Young Phfladelphian Who Recently
Travelled through .Thibet.
New York Sun.
William w. Rockhill. who has just re-
turned from an exploration of Thibet. the
northeastern and eastern parts of which
he traversed for 1,400 miles, entering it
from the side of Turkestan, On the route
from Koko Nor and Kumbum. and coming
out of it On the southeastern border. by
the valley of one of the main ailments of
the Yang-tse-klang.N is a P~hiladelphian,
about thirty-five years old. six feet four
inches high, strong, athletic. and exceed
ingly. good-natured. He is a graduate of
which he was appointed through the
influence of Z. b. Washburne. late
minister to France. After graduat-
ing, young Rockhiil served -four years as a
lieutenant Of the French army in Algiers.
He then. resigned, and. returning to Amer
lea, settled upon a ranch in Colorado. where
he lived for several years He was subse-
quently appointed assistant secretary of
legation at Peking by President Arthur.
ton under Colonel DENLY, during which
period he was for six months charge
d'affaires in Corea. After residing In China
for five years, during which time he per-
fected his knowledge of the Chinese and
ThibetaE languages and made many friends
among the Lammas visiting Picking, he ap-
Piled for leave of absence. but not getting
it, he resigned his appointment. brought his
family to Washington, and then went upon
the perilous explorations from which he
has just returned.
He was gone within a few days Of a year.
and during his entire journey of over seven
thousand miles he wore the costume, spoke
the language. and lived on the food of the
people through whose country he travelled.
Taking with him but few servants, and
fewer im~pedimenta, and moving rapidly
through the more thinly settled regions,
especially of Mongolia, Turkestan, and
Thshnt hn Aunnra1 fAo <o.4s4 "a n. al
Gals to an unusal degree. and was thus
enabled to accomplish what even Preji.
valsky, the great Russian traveller, so sig
nally failed to do.
the country by the direct route from Pc
king to Lhassa, and was expelled by the
same route almost as soon as his presence
became known. Rockhill avoided Lhassa
the country before the Lammas saw
through his disguise or discovered that he
was a foreigner. rs soon as they satisfied
themselves IN regard, to this they under
thanks to his CELEBRITY of movement, he sue
ceeded in eluding them, and in making
his way safely, although through
many perils, across and ont OF the
country into Sechuen. the westernmost
where else in China. he was kindly receiv-
ed. After resting for a fortnight he con-
tinued his journey down the lang-tse-
Kiang to Shanghai, and thence home via
San Francisco. Being an experienced trav-
eler, be made a careful survey of his ronte,
and kept full notes of all he saw and
learned, from which hc will doubtless
make a report to the English or Russian
Geographical Society. or write n book,
either of which must prove valuable. mas
much as the route pursued by him has
never been traversed by al American or
European.
Rockhill is a learned Orientalist. and is
the author of several works on Oriental
subjects. notably n life of Buddha, issued
in England. and printed by a leading pub
shin house in Boston.