Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-06-09
ACROSS THiBET.
Something About the Latest Expedition
into the Land of the Lamas

into the Land OF the Lamas.
Capt. Bower of the 18th Bengal cavalry
and DR.. Thorold reached Shanghai on
April |, having journeyed from Cashmere,
through Thibet to the Chinese province of
Szechuen. an exploit without o. parallel by
Europeans. The greater part of the Jour
ney was made az an elevation of Is. 900
feet above the level of the sea and for a
fortnight the road was 1900 feet above
the level. The party which consisted of
Capt. Bower, Dr.. Thorold and nine East
indians, spent just year On the Journey,
eight months OF which were passed in the
elevated country that is seldom visited by
Europeans. A part of their route was
Iaversed by the Americ IN explorer, Rock
ell, and by Prince Henri of Orleans and M.
Bonvalot, hut no previous explorers had
the same opportunities for observation or
penetrated so far among the high plateaus
that are exceedt d in elevation only by the
Pamirs, so aptly called the roof of the
world.
The party started from the northwest
corner of Cashmere in April, 1891. says
the New York Sun. They were we'll sup
piled with horses and luggage. They
~; d diagonal course straight across
Ihibet and entered China near Tu CHEN
tn, IN the southwest extremity of the
province Of Szechuen. Ten months were
consumed in this journey, which was made
In the f5ce Of many hardships and consid.
cradle danger.
The cold was intense on the nigh plateaus
Is 600 above the sea level over which they
Travelled for five months. Much suffering
from cold was experienced at the outset,
because, to avoid the guards placed by
the Dalai lama On the frontier of Thibet,
they were forced to go far to the north and
cross the uninhabited table lands. For
days and weeks they travelled over these
elevated plains, which are absolutely with
out human life The only traces of any
previous travellers were an occasional pile
Of three stones, plac d like an equilateral
triangle, which marked the camping
grounds Of a party of nomads. Tae only
vegetation was low-lying heather.
There was nothing to make a FIRE except
the dung of wild horses. The plains were
alive with game, hoWever-wi!d horses,
antelope, e ale and yaks-and the lead
ers OF The party had good sport. The
cold told severely upon the indians and the
horses. the party losing aooQ. thirty OF the
latter
10 the middle Of these great plains they
tIctu d marrow eschpe from part Or no.
MAIDS, who thlea ened to put them OUT
of the country. The fellows were NOT
strong enough to make an attack, but they
limited at reinforcements close by, so Capt.
Bower saddled up at dead Of night and
soon put good distance between himself
and the blackr1ailing bandits.
Near The sacred city of Shassa they were
stopped by large party of Thibetans,
who apparently thought they had some in
tention of defling TIE sanctuary of the
great lama. They explained that they had
no desisns Oh Shassa and asked to be al
lowed to proceed, but they we're kept wait.
ing while party went to the capital,
eight days journey and return, and secur-
ed the necessary permission.
The captain and his companion brought
back 200 specimens Of butterflies and
flowers gathered ON the elevated plains,
and many specimens of animal life.
When the story of their expedition is
written it will add materially to the world 8
knowledge Of the interior of Tibet,