The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-04-07
THE SIBERIAN GRAND LAMA,
He Did Not Know the Earth IL
Round
Century Magazine.

Century Magazine.
After dinner had long talk with
the Grand Lama about my native
country. geography, and the shape OF
the earth 1t seemed very strange to
find anywhere on the globe, in the
nineteenth century, an educated man
and high ecclesiastical dignitary who
had never seen or heard of America.
and who did not feel at all sure that
the world Is round. The Grand Lama
was such man.
You have benin many countries =
he said to me through the interpret er.
land have talked with the wise men of
the West; what is your opinion as to
the shape of the earth?'
al think | replied, ssthat il is
shaped like great ball.
Il have heard so BEFORE said the
Grand Lama, looking thoughtfally
away into vacancy The Russian
officers whom / have met have told
me that the country is round. Such a
belief is contrary TO the teachings of
our Thibetan books, but | have OBJ
served that the Russian wise men pre-
dict eclipses accurately; and il they
can tell beforehand when the sun and
the moon are darkened, they probably
know something about the shape OF
the earth. Why do you think that
the earth is round ~
II have many reasons for thinking
So" l answered; sbut perhaps the
best and strongest reason is that I
have been around it"
This statement seemed to give the
Grand Lama sort of mental shock.
How have you been around it 2" he
inquired. what do you mean by
around it?' How do you know you
have been around it?v
II turned my back upon nv home, y
| replied, land travelled many months
in the course taken by the sun. [
crossed wide continents and great
oceans. Every night the sun set be-
fore my face and every morning ii rose
behind my back. The earth always
seemed fiat. but | could not find any,
where an end or an edge. and at last
when had travelled more than 20, 900
yersts. found myself again in my own
country, and returned TO my home
from direction exactly opposite to
that which L had taken in leaving il.
1t the world was flat. do you think
could have done thisY
1T is very strange, said the grand
Lama, after q thoughtful pause
Where is your country How far is
il beyond ST. Petersburg
My country Is further from st.
Petersburg than St Petersburg is from
here | replied It lies almost ex-
actly under our feet, and il we could
20 directly through the earth, that
would be the shortest way 10 reach il. =
Are your countTymen walking
around there, heads downward, under
our feet2o asked the Grand Lama.
with evident interest and surprise, but
without any peresptibie change in his
hahitaaiay impressive face.
Yes, | replied. "and 10 them We
seem 10 be sitting heads downward
here.
The Grand Lama then asked me 10
describe infinitely the route that NE
had followed III coming from America
10 Siberia. ana 70 name the countries
through y hish we lad passed He
knew that Germany adloiRed Russia
on the vest, he hal heard OF British
India and of England. probably
through Ehihet, and he had vague
idea OF the extent ard situation OF the
Pacific ocean. bat oF the Atlantic and
Of the continent thht hes between the
two great oceans he hnew nothing.
After long talk, in the course Of
which we discusses the sphericity OF
the earth from evers possible point Of
view. the Grand Lama seemed 20 te
partly ~ wholly convinced OF the
truth Of that doctrine, aud said. With
a sigh, 1T j. not Id accordance with
the teachings 81 ORR books. hat the
Russians maSt be right