The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-03
A NOTABLE JOURNEY.
The Extensive Trip Of Two Dis
tinguished Frenohmen.
They Consume Scvontccn Months In Trnv-
cling Through Countries Which
Are Little Known to
White Men.


people require nowadays is 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 titled parsonage doing some
thing useful, as in the case of Prince
Henry of Orleans, who, in company
with Mr.. Bonvalot, French explorer,
has crossed central Asia and performed
most notable journey.
The two men left Paris in July, 1889,
and returned in December, 1890, after
an absence of seventeen months. They
travelled to Russian Turkestan by the
Transcaspian railroad; thence passing
through Bokharn end Samar, they
reached the Chinese frontier at Kulia,
where they organized caravan for
their march through the western PROV
inces of the Chinese empire. The Chi
ncsc government placed no Instructions
in their way, and the real difficulties of
the journey did not begin until they
reached the famous Lake Lob Nor, dis
covered by the explorer Prejevalsky,
and started southwark toward Lhassa,
over route never followed by a Eu-
rOpean.
Cndctcrred 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 an elevation OF
twelve thousand feet above the sea, far
from any inhabited center, and Travelled
southwark for two months and IL half,
until they came 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 out Four
times Prejevalslly 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 force of Thibetans and driven
away.
On another occasion the authorities of
Lhassa Threatened his party with death
unless they retraced 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 halt
until they were within Il days march
on horseback of Lhassa. When finally
they stood on the banks of Tcngri Nor.
they suddenly found insurn.ountable OBJ
staclcs before them. The authorities of
Lhassa had learned Of their approach.
and sent them pcrcmptory 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 i'm
agine their disappointment when they
found themselves defeated after cndur-
ing terrible hardships for months in the
effort to penetrate to Lhassn They did
all they could to conciliatc the rulers,
but in vain. Every overture was stern
ly repulsed. The negotiations lasted
for several days. Finally, however, the
authorities consented to sell to the cx-
plorcrs few horses and yalls 10 bear
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 n geographical point of view
this journey to the ncighborhood of
Lhassa was of considerable importance.
The party travelled through a region
south of Lob Nor, which was almost Il
white space on our maps, and they
found there an unknown chain Of
mountains running parallel with the
llimalayas, 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
tened the highest peaks with French
names. They were within sight of
these mountains for fifteen days, and
saw them extending across their track
like an immense white barrier.
1t was some time before they found
q pass through the mountains which
enabled them to go to Tcngri Nor.
Their march to the frontier of the Chi
ncsc province of Yunnan was very try
ing. At last, after having been seven
months without any communication
with Europeans, the party reached the
first French station on the frontier of
Tonqnin. Here they found an officer
and few soldiers, who were very much
amazed at the arrival of the shattered
caravan. The supplies of the party
were now nearly exhausted. and in
their attire and appearance they
showed the terrible hardships they had
undergone.
When thov rearha1 ba rTopn,,;r