Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-10
LETTER FROM LAND0R
WRITES OVER HIS SIGNATURE ON
THE THRESHOLD or TuIBET OF
LHsSSA, "GROUED OF GOD"
The Cable Has Just Told of the Hor-
riblc Tortures He Endured ut the
Thtbct.
written for the nisnatchN

she famous and brilliant painter and ex-
plcrer. who as has been told in cable
dispatches TO this newspaper. suffered
the most dlabollcal fortunes at the hands
OF the natives OF Thibet. In presenting
20 our readers to-day a signed story
from Mr.. Lander. written on the TIRES
held Of the forbidden territory. we pub
Ish most interesting article. Mr.
Lander visited the United States several
years ago. and is almost as famous in
this country as abroad. His story fol-
lows:
am now within one march Of the
Thibetian frontier. and hope I'm a day or
two to be across heard that the Thu
tetans have sent 800 soldiers TO guard
the pass / am going to cross. and
suppose that II they find me out. which
IS not unlikely owing to their having so
many spies on this side. there will be
trouble. I mean to get through, whether
my followers stick to me or not. My
servants seem alarmed. so much so that
/ have half mind to leave them all
behind and go I'm absolutely alone.
I calculate that II ! manage TO get
though the pass safely. L ought TO reach
J,hassa within thirty days. at the most,
of my having entered Thibet. j have
come here rapidly on foot at the rate of
tventv-nve miles a day. which is not
lad considering that have been for the
last twenty days at between 1000 feet
and II 90 feet altitude The pass / shall
cross will be about 1900 feet.
am going through alone at night, ana
,,v servants will follow early in the
morning. when | will join them and keep
I'm hiding all day. During the following
night we will try TO march thirty-hve
miles across the deserted country, ana
then over another high pass, when
shall consider myself safe until l reach
I.hsssa. the country between oeing ut
terry uninhabited.
I am Keeping a good lookout. knowing
nat Lieutenant Gaussen had his skull
snasne5 bv the Thibetans last summer
os ne attempted to enter the country from
this same pass. and a native explorer was
ba1lv beaten and robbed of all his lug
gage by band OF brigands. who furthef
wanted 10 murder him. He managed 10
escape. however. without clothes, money
or anything else. l am going, OF course
IN my disguise. but / fancy mat inc
Thibetans are suspicious of 1t.
/ am thoroughly enjoying my Journey
and have had some strange experiences
already here in Blot Cor Thlbet OF lhls
side OF the Himalayas). -,
II all goes well ! will push through
very quickly. / have plenty of commence
I'm myself and my scheme though nopouS
/ met en- route seemed to have any
They all threw cold water on my project
and refused 10 help me in any way, ever
IN get reliable servants. Some Of the ma
lives. however. have been very klhd u
me. and they have done all they coulo U
ohlige me. l have taken large nuihoe
NJ successful negatives, but am unaDle u
print them. o.. mon,
o.,,.,,r,es rho chief city of Thibet. is pro
bably one of the few remaining Spots IL
he world where no European has beer
HE TO penetrate since the hasty VlsI
aid 10 IL by Manning In the year 1911.
II HASA" means the ground OF Goa,
and "a such the wise Lsmas think 1t pro
per 10 keep II free from the eVll eHects y
western civilizs ton. According 10 IN
account given by the indian Fuhul.
Main Singh. It appears that TINS sacIeo
city rests in a plain surrounded py ID, (,
hills and mountains. the passes by "hlCi
the town Is approached being guarded D!
T,,e vail which at one time surrounde
the city. is now in state OF diaplu"
zion FOR the Chinese destroyed II whe
they occupied the town. me lhhaDl'a
lions. though described as often spaclou
- many storled. hardly conve
10 European ears the laea oI 1 '-..
comfortable and clean. Their WINDOW
scarcely deserve the name, and are BET
- Qualified as "air-holes.' while IN
,gtiteyvs shed walls of clay and uh
bal,ed bricks are occasionally made NOR
picturesaue and solid by interpolating i
he clay horns OF oxen and other animals
TIE Gl,h Of some Of the streets appear
IN be beyond description, ana Is Onl
pouaUed. ~ not surpassed by the extra
ordinary exhalations-a strong character
lstic OF all Thibetan conglomera'lohs o
dwellings.
Notwithstanding all this, Lhassa Is
sacred city: the Rome Of Thioet, as
were. and pilgrims from all parts OF ASH
come 10 worship at the shrine OF Buuuha 4
and IN bestow more or less laylshly thei
money savings i'm offerings TO the variou
temples and monasteries Of the place
Here i'm the wider streets of this grea
centre OF Buddhism. crowd students an
fanatics. who. by and by, will make thei
way hack TO their distant homes lade
with relics. hoy rosaries, praying
wheels. and fossil-bOnes called by IN
natives llghtning-bones, for they are sup
posed 10 possess the wonderful quaint
OF healing wounds and curing Variou
auments). III we are to believe all W
hear in many OF the great temples an
and monasteries OF Lhassa the ART o
magic and witchcraft Is practiced WI.
great advantage and success flre
breathing apparent beheading, ana othe
fantastic marvels of the kind attrac
the religious crowd OF simple plierm'
and no doubt. impress them WIN tl
superiority and unworldly power OF tn
I9mas. while the wild bowls and erie
and the diabolical dancing OF tines
Buddhist priests would be enough |
terrify the majority OF mortais'
The New Years festivities. accordin
10 Main Singh's account, are or an eN
traOrdinary character. They are nc
unlike a saturnalia, and the disorder
crowd Is supplied with sports and pas
times Of such a dangerous and cruel ma
ture as TO often result In the loss G
much human. life. The Lamas seem |
encourage these performances, and, II
deed. the Grand Lama is generally "a
chief spectator and high patron OF thes
shows
SOME GLORIOUS FAILURES.
Since Manning's time many unsuccess
ful attempts have been made 10 penetrai
within the sacred precincts Of this guar
spot Of the earth and TO investigate N
numberless mysteries II contains. Man
plucky travellers. English, American
French. and Russian. have braved IN
appalling hardships and actual suffering
OF traversing the cold. inhospitable. an
often almost impossible country. In IN