The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-08-05
AwoMAN's JouREY IN TIBET.
She Penetrated Further Into the Myster-
GUS Country Than Ever White Man Did.

ly of the experience OF young English
woman. a missionary, in the wilds of
inhospitable Thibet. Now there is at
hand a story of her adventures from the
North China Daily News.
On May 9Th Miss Annie Taylor, the
explorer, passed through Chunkong on
her way home having completed a year
of wandering. Miss Taylor is a med
ium sized woman of Saxon build, with
brilliant brown eyes. the complexion of
traveller, and the air of one who has
suffered much. Her bearing, her bright
eyes and animated expression show her
to be a woman of resource and imagina-
ton. and in seeing the lively manner, not
withstanding her present weak state of
health, one begins TO understand the infiu-
ence she was able to exercise over the saw
age people among whom she has been
travelling alone with her life in her
hand, She is full of enthusiasm for
the civilization and conversion of the
Thibetans, which she hopes to commun-
icate to the people of England, and this,
we have no doubt. she will fully sue
ceed in doing. Miss Taylor is the
daughter of, a gentleman OF means en-
gagged in business in London.
Her trip rivals in adventure, while in
difficulties overcome it excels tho travels
of even Capt. Bower and Mr.. Rockhill.
With the help of one Christian Tibetan
whom she took with her form DARRELL
ing, she penetrated to within three days
of Lhassa, and returned alive to tell the
tale. But for the treachery of Moham-
medan Chinese whom she engaged in
Kansu, there seems little doubt that she
would have arrived in Lhassa itself.
Miss TAYLOR says that she first attempted
to enter Thibet from the Indian side in
1887. Sikkim was not English then,
and orders were given that in one
should serve her. So, though she had
plenty of money, she could buy nothing,
and was often very hungry. Then she
got fever and had no appetite. But
after quinine her appetite returned,
until she did not know which was worse,
fever or hunger. Twice attempts were
made to poison her, and for ten months
she never saw another European.
Then she decided to try to get in from
China, and after spending about year
on the frontier living quietly, not going
out, but constantly receiving Thibetans
in her house, she received various off
ers of conveys to Lhassa. Before cross
ing the frontier, about which she had no
trouble, she unhappily engaged a ,China-
man whose Tibetan name was Mega.
She had two tents, four servants, and
tried to get ten really good horses by
promising to give them at the journeys
end to Mega. One of her first serious
adventures was being attacked by band
of brigands with white fur coats, leav-
ing each spare horse. Two We're killed,
eight wounded, and five of her horses
killed, besides much property lost: But
a Lama called out to the robbers; "They
are women! all women!" SO she was not
A ,,oono Mouno1c and III
it is esteemed dreadful thing to strike
woman, so that all women go about
unarmed, although every man carries
weapons. AS Miss Taylor says, by the
Tibetan religion it is forbidden to take
life, whether 1ea's, sheep or a
mans.
On Sept. 2s the party crossed the yell
low River on yak skins blown out,
with hurdles laid upon them and drawn
by horses. These RATS were wash all the
time, and the water was ice cold They
then found themselves in the Goloks
district, which is people entirely by rob
bers. Their chieftain is women, and
laws are strictly observed in her domains,
and no brides are taken. The Goloks
relate how five Russians came to travel
through the country, and they them
selves went out to attack them 500 strong
but could kill none, though twelve of
themselves were killed. Then came one
traveller alone with tin box. They all
wanted that tin box, and still continue
to reproach one another that they did not
take it, but their belief was that on
opening it an amy OF soldiers would come
out, and they thought the same with
regard to Miss Taylor's two cases OF
chests of drawers, besides many other
fabulous tales about her.
In every way peopIessought to prevent
her from entering the Lhassa district
by telling her of fighting going on, but
she found that travellers should not be
interfered with. It was here, however,
that Mega, after repeated acts of insub-
dination, began to use violence to her,
and at last tried to draw his sword.
1t was the Tibetans who protected her
against her own Chinese servant, and
saying there was no chief there able to
protect her, sent her on under an escort
Miss Taylor's hardships would require
a volume for adequate description. For
three days they lost the road. They had
no tent. That and every comfort had to
be sold, her servant having taken every
thing be could from her before he left
When on Dec. "a they found the rod again
they hid away in the hills for the whole
Of Christmas day. During. all this part of
the journey her sufferings from the larity
of the air were very great; palpitations,
barley food. NIGGA spread report that
Miss Taylor was travelling with a belt of
gold and jewels around her waist She
had to travel by night, finding the cold
almost unbearable. Tea froze as soon as
poured out, and for three nights they
were only too thankful to find refuge in
cave with barely room enough for them
to lie down, half suffocated by smoke,
SO as to obtain little warmth.
On Dec.3 they crossed the Drichu
into the Lhassa district, but had to stop
near Naiuca, within three days journey
of Lhssa, owing to Noga having gone
before, revealing that it was a foreigner
coming. A military chief arrived and
there was sort of trial.
In the end Miss Taylor convinced the
officials of the truth of her story, saving
the lives of her two Tibetan servants,
who we've accused of treacherously leading
her into Tibet The chiefs told her that
| as far as they were concerned she could
90 on to Lhassa, but they would lose their
lives if she did, and they gave her an Off
cial and ninesoldiers to protect her against
st her Chinese servant, besides supply
| ing her most pressing wants Everywhere
| she found the Tibetans express liking for
| the English. They had been especially
| struck by the fact that the prisoners in
| the Sikkim war were kept olive, well fed,
| and actually supplied with money to 60
on with.