New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-28

TOnking "a
Bouvalot. With Illustrations from photographs
taken by Prince Henry Of Orleans. Translated by
Co.
NJ. Bouvalot is a famous traveller, who has eX-
plored many countries and written many books.
Ii is not every traveller who can give an inter-
esting account of his experiences hut NJ. Bouvalot
knows how TO express himself, and his books are
always entertaining as we'll instructive. lie
had as his last feat before the journey recor led
in this volume, aroused no little excitement by
making his way tGe " Roof Of the World -
that Pamir Of which there has been much TAX OF
late owing to threatened complications between
Russia and AnglO-lndia. This expedition had
seasoned him to exposure and low temperature,
and as often happens the Thibttan Journey was
the immediate result of a chance remark made IN
conversation with friend. &" told him, writes
NJ. Bouvalot, that a very interesting Journey
would lie from Paris TO Ionqum overland.
cutting out route Of ones own across the whole
of Asia. And when he asked me 10 indicate my
probable intinerary upon the map, | drew hne
through Chinese Turkcstan, the higher tablelands
of Thibet, and the valleys OF the great rivers of
China and of the Indo-C Chinese peninsula few
months later the Due dc Charities, who had heard
OF the suggestion, proposed that his son, Prince
Henry of Orleans should join and share the eX-
pcnses, of the expedition, and this plan was agreed
10 by the explorer, who also took, as third com
lanion, Father Dedcken, Belgian missionary
or course the way was smOothed Tor the party
through all the civilized and scmi-cvilized lands
which had 10 Ike traversed before the threshold of
the Journey proper was reached. The difficulties
would begin when Chinese territory was entered,
ard would continue through Thibet almost to
certainty VI. Bouvalots first encounter with
Chinese craft at Koura. where an attempt was
,lnro q Nhinao
officials visited the camp and desired to the pass
ports Of the explorers. On receiving them they,
after short examination, pronounced them worth
l,Ss declined to return them TO the owners, and
then produced Chinese document which they said
was an order for the immediate arrest Of the whole
party NJ Bouvalot kept very cool, and asked
permission to examine the order of arrest. 1t was
unsuspiciously handed to him, when he in his turn
declined TO give it back, and the Mandarins found
themselves checkmated At first they were stub
born but after reflection they delivered
up the passports, and were then IN
formed that it was useless for them TO at
Tempt TO stop the expedition. which woS
much stronger than any force they could bring
against it, which was fully provided with arms of
. precision and which resolved to 60 forward
across Thibet, en- route for Tonquin. The intcn-
tons of the travellers perfectly peaceful, and
must not be stopped
The Mandarins took counsel together. bit
thenceforth confined their action to protests and
made no attempt to coerce the travellers, who
procecdcd on their way unmolested. SO they
journcyed to Tcharkalik. and here camp was
formed for some days and Prince Henry went
of on an excursion to Lob Nor, account Of
which lie has given in the fourth chapter lie
discovered that the Lob Nor, formerly the site
Of a large lake, had been almost drained in some
unexplained way, and had become sort OF
swamp with many separated shallow pools OF
water On Prince IIenry's return the march was
rcsumed and soon after the expedition struck the
southern route" practically untried road save
for bands of pilgrims going TO Lhassa, the sacred
city of Tibet. lIeie the ascent of the nigh
tablelands or rather of the mountains
began, and with the enormous elevations reached
from $4,000 TO $4,000 feet-thc party began to
suffer from the mountain sickness, which attacks
al newcomers on Ties, heights. NJ Bouvalot
himself was frequently attacked, but fought the
sickness CALAMITY. 1t prOstrates the sufferer
almost as much and as rapidly as sea-
sickness but there IS no cure FOR 1T but the
abe ptation OF the organs OF respiration
70 their changed surroundings. Apart from this
ament which had the effect OF deprivlng the SUI
ferers of all energy and muscular force the expert
ences of the party in this wilderness of mountains
were very trying. They breaking out route
for themselves, going more by compass than any
thing else now losing, recovering the right
direction; and all the time exposed " an arctic
cold.
. The mercury went down tos50 de 1rees below zero.
When it was only 20 or 80 degrees below zero it
really felt quite comfortable 10 the travellers In
such thin atmosphere it was almost Impossible to
procure any cooked food, for the water would not
boil Much of the time there was no natural water.
Icc had to be packed for the horses even, and the
melting of it tedious operation. Yet in this
rigorous climate, surrounded with ice and snow,
some of the natives NJ. Bouva6t relates, would
lie down in the open air with nothing but single
thin garment over them, and go TO sleep an tenn
perature of 20 or 80 degrees below zero. and sleep
thus all night, making no complaints of cold on
waking In such circumstances nine men out Of ten
would have frozen 10 death before morning, but the
human body can learn to adapt itself 10 almost any
conditions Observe that the Robustness Of these
Asiatics must have been much beyond that of the
Esquimaux, for the latter invariably protect them
selves against the cold by wrapping themselves in
thick furs, and as a rule they sleep in" igloos'
which though built of ice, very warm in the
interior with their whale oil lamps and close
packed masses of humanity. But the men Of
Thibet described by NJ. Bouvalot may be said to
have slept almost naked in the bitterest weather,
and not to have felt it as unpleasant. The eX-
plOrers less fortunate, and while well supplied
with f,irs and warm clothing, and an abundance
of provisions of all kinds, the trouble of the cook
ing often made them go hungry, and ii fire.
quentIy impossible TO keep warm during the ter
rife hurricanes that ragged through the elevated
passes and the tunnels of the deep and narrow
ravines.
For many days they saw no sign of human habi-
tation. They not less isolated than if they
had been in the middle of the ocean, The first
1hibctan's face was hailed with something like