New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-10
~ NaNcH1yRIAN FORESTS.

II ia q noteworthy feature OF the book IN mana
that the authors tone toward the Russian ON
GERS changes gradually as he proceeds IN MS
chosen work At first he rather deprecated the
idea of conflict. Later he was willing TO con-
cede rivalry and later still the certainty OF war
some time or other 1t is difficult to say whether
this change was real Of was only the manherishi
Of q skilful and determined explorer VINO must
keep many Of his thoughts to himself i"e
change in tone was we'll adapted to the course
of his explorations, which began IN the far'nes'
East where there seemed little chahce VI
conflict between Russian and British interests
and ended on the northwestern corner Of india
where the two great empires come very close to-
uether His first tourney had for It's confessed
aim the climbing Of certain peak IN Mah-
churia known as the Ever White Mountain.
Asia is the land of legend and rumor ana that
Is why a mountain not worthy OF mentloh III
the same breath with the great peaks Of the
world is more famous than any except the
sacred peak of Japan. Its top is white but
not with snow. Its accessories. rather than us
height. make it worthy Of its fame. In the
erst Mace the laborious approach to 1t must
be imagined. through leagues upon leagues OF
difficult fores. that in description remind one
~ the New World rather than of what one mas
road abo;,. Asia. Captain Younghusoand
reached Manchuria by way OF the sea, anu
travelled for o long distance up the Yaioo River
A great battle mas now given this river world
wide fame To Captain Younghusband, though
ne knew it TO be the boundary between Man
churia and Corea, 1t was interesting chieny De-
cause of itg own beauty, and that OF the valley
through which IT flowed. He had come upon IL
not In its lower reaches, but after long jour
ney through Manchuria. and he found II NOBLE
river, fully three hundred yards broad, and ten
or fifteen feet deep. The banks down 10 the
waters edge were covered with forest except
where farmers had made a clearing or Where
a marshy meadow spread ort covered with
flowers Of various kinds. There were masses OF
stately lilies. Of the flowers six inches
across. and "waving sheets Of purple irises and
oolumbines."
Before arriving at tn, Yaloo River the travel
Ter passed through country where the forest
was broken at frequent intervals by new FARMS
CAPTAIN Younghusband compared the region TO
Canada, for it is really colony OF China, In
habited by genuine Chinese. who have gone into
the wilderness to make home for themselves
1ust as the Europeans made their way in Amer
Tea. Even the settled portions Of Manchuria mad
been deprived of It's original population to large
extent by the calls OF the Manchu Emperors'
who drafted the fighting men and their families
for garrison duty in the towns Of China over
nonn,a ton and famine drove the Chinese farmers
and workmen into the Monchurian forests 10
make for themselves a new home. The observa-
ton OF Captain Younghusband seems to furnish
a kew to the puzzle offered by the spread Of an
,,nwar,ike race like the Chinese over the whole
~ the temperate zone OF Eastern Asia. The
author felt his admiration for John Chinaman
rice az he watched these farmers. They were.
perhaps. less annoying to foreigners than the
masses In China generally are They had not
time to be uncivil. With hardly the change OF
q word the description Of their daily life would
At that Of American pioneers. not on the prairies
but in the forest-clad regions OF an OLDER time.
They rose at dawn and began the day like the
old-fashioned American, but unlike the European
farmer with hearty meal. There was to be no
work for them on a cup OF tea at sunrise, with
the chance Of coming back TO the farmhouse FOR
q meal at o'clock In the forenoon. On the con-
trary they kept at II till noon. clearing the land
Of the stumps Of trees. hacking, hewing and dig
sihe. those of them who were not busy OF such
work being employed with preparations for
planting. At midday they had another hearty
meal and then were In the fields again until
darkness fell. when they came trooping back &c
the farmhouse for the evening meal, which In
quantity was not inferior TO Its predecessors
They were f,r the most part, says the author
.'strong, hard men. with enormous appettes.'
Those who declaim so much against the fried
meats hot bread and crisp pastry Of the Ameri
can countryside might. perhaps be pleased with
the Manchurian bill Of fare-"miet porrfdge
vegetable stews and soups" eaten "out Of bowl:
in huge quantities" Not even Virgls hard
listed old farmer, with his bali Of vegetables
dressed In OIL could declaim against the vegeta
BILE stews Of Manchura.
H.