Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-04-08
A NOTABLE JOURNEY.


ornamental than useful. All that the
royal rulers and the nobility shall make
themselves as obscure as possible, and
keep in the background when matters
Of public moment are in question.
Therefore, it is with some surprise,
writes N. S. Adler in Golden Days, we
hear OF a titled parsonage doing some
thing useful, as in the case of Prince
Henry of Orleans, who, in company
with Mr.. Bonvalot, n French explorer,
has crossed central Asia and performed
most notable journey.
The two men left Paris in July, 1880,
and returned in December, 1890, after
an absence of seventeen months. They
Travelled to Russian TurlScStan by the
Transcaspian railroad; thence passing
through Bokhara and Sarnar, they
reached the Chinese frontier ut Kulja,
where they organized caravan for
their march through the western prov
inces of the Chinese empire. The Chi
nese government placed no distractions
in their way, and the real difficulties of
the journey did not begin until they
reached the famous Lake. Lob Nor, dis
and started southwark toward Lhassa,
over Il route never followed by a Eu-
ropean.
Undcterred by the failure of every
previous explorer since the days of Hue
and CADET to reach this forbidden, sa-
cred city of the Buddhists, they set out
over the plateau, at IN elevation of
twelve thousand feet above the sea, far
from any inhabited center, and travelled
southwark for two months and Il half,
until they cnme almost to the threshold
of the Mecca of the Buddhists.
On the way they were dependent for
awhile for food upon the flesh of some
sheep they had taken with them, and
they drank tea made of melted ice,
which was found to be very salt. Still
they pushed on, and the nearer they APP
preached the famous city, the higher
grew their hopes that they would be
the first to break down the barriers
which had kept all Europeans ont. -Four
times Prcjevalsly had tried to accom-
plish this same feat. Once his provis-
ions gave out, compelling him to re-
treat. Another time he was attacked
by q force of Thibetans and driven
away.
On another occasion the authorities Of
Lhassa threatened his party with death
unless they retraccd their steps. Not
long ago, also, Mr.. Carey, the English
explorer, set out for Lhassa, only to be
defeated like his predecessors. The
Bonvalot party, however. pushed stead
lily on, and were not brought to a halt
until they were within days march
on horseback of Lhassa. When finally
they stood on the banks of Tcngri Nor,
they suddenly found lnsurmountable Oh.
stacles before them. The authorities of
Lhassa had learned of their approach,
and sent them n pcremptory command
to turn back or perish.
The explorers could almost have seen
the sacred city, had it not been for the
mountains in the way, and we can inn
aginc their disappointment when they
found themselves defeated after cndi1r-
ing terrible hardships for months in the
effort to penetrate to Lhassa. They did
. all they could to conciliate the rulers,
but in vain. Every overture was stern
ly repulscd. Tho negotiations lasted
for several days. Finally, however, .the
authorities consented to sell to the cx-
pASASto d ~" lAOhbCS ylhb pear
baggage and facilitate their eastern
journey. The Thibetans were probably
very glad to get rid of the Europeans,
and to help them for an ample consider
alton to get out of the country where
there was no welcome for them.
From geographical point Of view
this journey to the neighborhood of
LhaSsa was of considerable Importance.
The party Travelled through n region
south of Lob Nor, which was almost n
white space on our maps, and they
found there an unknown chain of
mountains running parallel with the
Iiimalayds, and nearly as lofty. In
their opinion these mountains in their
highest SUBMITS reach an elevation
of from twenty thousand to twenty five
thousand feet. Prince Henry chris
toned fhn h;frl,nct Until, IS,o,1o1~