The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-19
LANDOR WAS IN Tibet
RETURNS TO BOMBAY AFTER SUF-
FERING FROM SAVAGE TORTURE.
Only Three White Men Have Ever
Witnessed the Wonders of the
Buddhist Stronghold.
New York Herald.

From Broadway to TnlDet, from Herald
Square to the Sacred Temple of Buddha;
from the Tenderloin to the roof of the
world;'-its a long stretch isn't it? How
many of you remember having read brief
cable dispatch the other day announcing
that Henry Savage Lander, the well-known
explorer, had just returned to India after
terrible experience in Thibet? How many of
you read of his torture by hot irons. of the
horrors of the stretching log, of how he was
chained for eight days? How many of you
understood the fun import of the lines, even
did your eye chance to note them in a hur-
ried glance through your morning paper?
''Thibet?' you say, why, that's little
country tucked away somewhere in the map
of Asia. Come to think of it, it's a part of
the Chinese empire"
And there your knowledge of the country
probably ends, and your interest in 1t as
well, unless you are a student of travel, or
have a leaning toward ethnology. In the
latter event you have undoubtedly heard of
the mysterious city of Lhasa, and of how
for centuries explorers have endeavored to
get within it's sacred walls. Henry Savage
Lander was one of those intrepid spirits
who, in their explorations are as eager in
their search for the unattainable as are
children who cry for the moon. When he
crossed those gigantic mountain walls,
dDlly termed the 'WOrIQS backbone, ana
entered the plateau of the LamaS he fully
knew what he might expect He had be-
fore him the experiences of others, extend
ing back to the year 1300 when Marco Polo
was the first European to enter Thibet.
He realized the twofold difficulties of
Thibetan exploration. He knew that the Pc
cullar geographical position from the nortn,
west and south presented great dangers. He
also knew of the policy Of exclusion fol-
lowed by the Chinese, q policy solely aimed
at and enforced against representatives OF
the white race.
But he wanted to see for himself. He knew
that every other accessible portion of the
globe was the legitimate field of the explorer
and he wanted to go where he wasn't want
ed and where he knew he would not be toll
Grated. Other explorers had set their races
toward the city of Lhasa and been forced to
turn back. Only three white men, so far
as is known, have ever entered it's sacred
portals. No eyes other than theirs and
those OF the Mongoliarl have ever witnessed
the splendors of the Temple of Buddha, IN
which lives the great Dalai Lama, the most
opulent person in the world
Landor'S followers also knew the dangers
that beSet them. His retinue dWindled down
little by little, until but two coolies remained
to share his privations without appreciating
his triumphs. The details of his experiences,
received only since his return to Bombay;
are meager to degree. But it is natural
to infer that he had accomplished his pur-
pose, that he had entered the city of Lhasa,
and that he had barely escaped with his life.
We are told that he was arrested as spy,
or for treachery That is the usual excuse of
these strange people in guarding the mys-
teries of their ancient city. In previous in
stances, however, the explorers have been
met before they reached the city by the en-
bassies of the Grand Lama and prevailed
upon to turn back. This was the experience
of w. Woodville Rickhill on both of his eX-
petitions. Heinrich Hensoldt claims to have
resided in the Thibetan capital for a period
of nine weeks, and was in daily communlca-
ton with Buddhist scholars and high dignl-
taries of the court of Dalai Lama.
Previous to this two Russian explorers,
named Menkhohdjinon and Oulanon, made
a journey of two years and nine months
through Thbet, in the course OF which
they are said to have not only penetrated
to the city of Lhasa, but actually had an
interview with the great Dalai Lama. The
few other explorers who have dared the
perils of this wild land in the coluds, the
robber Dokpas, the Chinese guards and the
Thibetian soldiery have only succeeded IN
struggling through dreary wastes of desert
and storms of alternate snow, rain and hail,
and finally returned laden with experience
1t is reasonable to suppose that Lander
gained an entrance to the city of LhaSa,
for the dispatches set forth that the Grand
Lama was implicated IN his torture. we
are told that he was first sentenced to
death. and, after having been burned with
red-hOt irons, was actually carried to the
place of execution. Almost at the last mo-
ment the execution was stopped by the
Grand Lama who committed the sentence
to torture by the stretching log, a barbar-
GUS machine in the form or rack. How
he escaped after eight days of untold agony
has not been made puolic, put ne nnally
made his way back to Bombay, showing
twenty-five wounds as the result of his tor
ture
country tucked away somewhere in the
map of Asia, little country exceeding 7OO,-
600 square miles. If a map of Thibet were
cut out and placed over that or the Unlted
States, drawn on the same scale, 1t would
cover all the space between New York and
Denver on the one hand, and most OF that
between Chicago and New Orleans on the
,l,cIN4 fnro Cnid a
peacefully inclined, although suspicious or
strangers. 1t is not until the destination of
the traveller is known to be the city or
Lhasa that they rise up in vigorous pro-
test.
Thibet is the greatest and most elevated
tableland in the world. Its height above
the sea averages Ia, 000 feet, and it is doubt
full if there is point in the entire area at
an elevation of less than 10000 feet. The
climate, despite the fact that Its latitude
is about that of New Orleans, is extremely
cold and the high altitude renders breathing
difficult except to those who are accustomed
to it.
AS to the inhabitants of this almost I'M
known country, they are of the lowest type
of humanity Secure in their isolation cut
off from the rest of the world by the enor-
nous mountain wall of the Himalayas, they
have lived for ages and have developed
characteristics to be found in no other
of the globe. They are short and squat of
figure and the utter absence OF bridge TO
the nose gives them most grotesque and
apelike appearance. What nature has de-
MED them in noses she has more than
atoned for in her generous distribution of
ears.
The personal habits of the people are
filthy in the extreme. and their morals are
greatly in need of reformation. The scare
ity of women hls led to polyandry which
has fouriShed for centuries. One of their
social laws is that hospitality includes the
placing at the disposal of his guest by the
host of wife, daughter or other female men,
Der Of the household.
And to think that in the midst of this
depravity should exist the cherished goal
of the explorer. the beautiful city OF
Lhasa about which hovers such a halo of
splendid mystery. And to think that here
in the temple consecrated To Buddha. sur
mounted by a dome of pure gold, should
exist the most autocratic, most opulent and
most feared ruler on the face Of the globe
The Grand Lama, although his country is
subject to Chinese rule, is a power unto
himself.
Here dwells Dalai Lama, the chief priest
of Thibet and Mongolia. This religious pre-
tender is worshipped as the earthly incar-
him before a gigantic idol of the god Of
Jamba a monstrous image of clay and gilt
with ieweled head, which sits enthroned
in the great white palace of the Potala.
Isamaism is a hybrid Buddhism Just as
Mohammedarism is a hybrid Christianity
this strange land has been and is undoubt-
edv due to the fear Of the Thibetan HER
arcEy of priests that this religion, which
has completely enslaved the Thibetans
might be speedily overthrow by the Chris
tan devils" they are afraid the wealth
present the priests own ThibeL as absolutely
as though they held the fee simple to every
foot Of its ground. The Chinese empire
holds a nominal temporal sway. but dares