Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-03-04
The Forbidden City.

The Wcli-known explorer OF IlDe' ,
Mr.. w. W. Rockhill. has returned home
to this country. The news will sur
prise many scosraphcrs, whose latest
information, received in December. was
that in April last NJ. Rockhill was in
northeastern Tibet, pushing his way
toward Lhasa, the goal OF his ambition.
lie hoped to be able to travel with a
party of Mongols as far as Tengrinor.
lofty lake among the mountains
north of Lhasa. The Mongols refused
to 90 with him to Lhasa, rs the Tibet
ans are still determined to keep all
foreigners ont of the holy city He
heard that the interdict now extends
even to foreign goods. which are rigid
ly excluded from Tibet He seems,
therefore, again TO have met the de-
feat that for many years has overtaken
all explorers bound for Lhasa.
Mr.. Rockhill's first journey, with
Lhasa as its goal, was undertaken
in 1889, when he hoped: by pushing
rapidly along the main road from
China to the capital, to attain the
city. He had only fairly entered
the country when his troubles with TIE
Tibetan Lamas began. At one place
the people were forbidden to buy any
thing from him, to sell him anything,
or to serve as guides. Along the road
he camped away from all villages and
Lamaseries, trusting himself only with
the black tent people, who were ex-
tremely kind. At another place the
Lamas wished TO turn him and his
party out Of the town before he had
fairly entered it. Ifhe had been dress
ed in European costume he would un-
doubtedlv have been turned back much
earlier on his journey, but he wore
Tibetan dress, spoke nothing but Chi
nese and Tibetan, and during the en-
tire journey never used any European
articles of dress or food. He lived rs
the people did on samba and tea. lie
was compelled at last to inrn back, and
made his way down the Iangee river
to the coast.
Since Fathers Hue and CADET visitcl
Lhasa in 1916 no white man has set
foot in this famous centre of Buddhism.
The city was the goal Of Prejevalsky's
ambition, but he was turned back on
three of his expeditions while still far
from the forbidden gates. On one oc-
casion the authorities in Lhasa threat
ened him with violence; again the fail
ure of his supplies compelled him to re-
treat; and on the third expedition he
,,.,, ,,t.on1.oJ he. tho fT;bato,c 1rbo ra
sented his intrusion upon their soil.
Dir. Carey, the explorer, also tried in
vain to reach Lhasa The explorer
Bonvolot in 1890 reached Lake Tengri-
nor, only about two days journey on
horseback from the capital. Here he
was met by the authorities of Lhasa,
who would not permit him to approach
nearer, though they were glad to sell
him horses and yaks to expedite his de-
parture. One Russian expedition since
Prejevalsky's last journey has also
tried in vain! TO reach the mysterious
city.
We should be entirely ignorant of
what has been going on in the sacred
city for many years if the Indian gov
ernment had not from time to sent ma
tive Indians to travel in Tibet. Some
of them have made long sojouns in
Lhasa, where they lived in the guise of
mendicants, petty merchants, or devo-
tees. Bonbolot more nearly approach
ed the city than any explorer since
Hue and CADET.
1t is understood that Mr. Rockhill
has not abandoned his ambition to
reach Lhasa. He hopes before long to
make his third attempt upon the for
bidden city. The prospects do not
seem bright, but Mr.. Rockhill's persist
ency may yet enable him to accom-
plish what he and other explorers have
failed to achieve.