Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-10

killed ran for their lives, leaving tne
Europeans alone NJ. Dutreil de Rims
was left unconscious on the ground. being
afterwards thrown by the natives into
the river. while 81. Grcnard, his COM
panion, was made a prisoner. The lat
ter was subsequently expelled from the
district in penniless condition. without
provisions. baggage or other clothing
apart from what he actually wore.
A TERRIBLE JOURNEY.
The famous American traveller. w. W.
Rockill. was less fortunate. Starting from
Pekn. he travelled through Mongolia AMI
entered Thibet, passing south OF the
Koko-nor Lake. His animals Of trans
port were great anxiety TO MIN. end all
his horses. mules. and donkcys sue
cumbed to cold and starvation.
Not one" he says. reached the jour
ney's end Not n tree, not shrub. any
where. Here and there black tent ana
q little flock OF sheep budding together
TO escape the fierce, incessant west
wind" His description Of crossing the
pass leading to the basin OF Tsahan-ossn
is worthy OF note. ut took me TWO
days" he recounts. ito cross the pass.
The snow was deep on either side 10
some 1900 feet below the summit, soft
snow hiding the jagged rocks over which
he stumbled. horses and men often us
appearing between them"
At Shang Rockill met with much oppo-
sition, From that point his troubles De-
gan. His horse was drowned In crossing
the Yokure river, he himself nearly
sharing the same fate. while MS TWO
Chinese servants. Disguised at the terrible
hardships they had gone through, decided
"a n1 ms
| ing ill-natured reports regarding the for
| eigners among the natives. The Thi-
| betans accused him OF being capable OF
producing out Of his little instantaneous
camera a whole army Of soldiers. while
his prismatic compass. they commended
| enabled the American explorer TO detec'
hidden treasures i'm the earth.
From Barong the caravan had to pass
| through horrible morass, In winch they
| waded knee-deeD for a whole fortnight
through mud and water. Sometimes they
met with dangerous drifting sands. Ira
yelling was slow and rough, the pro-
visions giving out across the deserted
parts of The country. and when the party
reached the Hamro-Tso Lake interference
| again began on the part of the ThiDetans
Soldiers by the hundred. armed TO the
teeth. barred the way Of the travellers
and their chief would listen to no reason
or argument.
FORCED TO RETREAT.
you must go back whence you came, y
said they: 1.-THE laws of Lhassa cannot ot
disobeyed." Mr.. RockilPs Mongol and
Chinese servants and followers became
terror-stricken at the sight of this mar
tial display of long matchlocks, big
swords, and bows and arrows, and re-
fused to escort their master any fur
Their. Nothing, accordingly, was left FOL
Mr.. Rcckill but to yield, and. breaking W
his camp in the Namru Valley, he begar
his long march eastwards, leaving IN
realized the dream of entering the sacred
city of the I.amas. Traversing the Cham
do territory and the Cham-dun. or Draya
| his expedition at last reached Batang
| in Chinese territory. on September loth
| from where II continued in comparative
ease towards the coast
For two months" Mr.. Rockill related
| to the Royal Geographical Society, I'VE
had lived soaked by the rains. and blind
! ed by the snow and hail. with little o.
| nothing 70 eat, and tea as our only beVe
| rage"
Yet another well-known and abl'
| traveller has been at the head OF tw'
weIl-organized expeditions into Thibet
| This was Mr. Littledale. who was ac
| coInpanied by his courageous wife IN hi
| perils and discomforts. Their caravor
| consisted of $50 animals. carrying pro
visions of all sorts, and the expedition
was. moreover well provided with money
! a very important factor in Thibetan travel
| line. as among the holy Lama briber!
seems to go a long way. The party en-
countered very much the same dif1cu!
| ties as previous travellers In Thibet, ant
/ l. g.,f, inv al
to the loss of donkeys and horse.
| As the Europeans advanced farthe
opposition was met with, and unluckily
| in going over the Goring-La Pass, III
donkeys carrying the provisions remain
| ed so far behind that the difficulty 0
| proceeding among the dangerous ere
vases of the glacier were increased l
| such an extent that all Idea or rus
| TO Lhassa had to be abandoned when IN
| exnlorers had reached within two days
forced marches of the place. over l,W
men were camped around them, and a
the bridges had been destroyed 10 pre-
vent their progress. Moreover, Mrs. LII
tledale, who had 50 pluckily withstoo
all the privations and sufrerings or IN
expedition. became so alarmingiy Ill a
10 arouse grave doubts as to her re
coyery.
A JOURNEY OF 200 MILES.
The I.amas remained firm in the deter
mination of back you 30 the way 20
came" and nothing would make thei
change their minds. On August 9Th, III
caravan started on its way back to Kasf
mir. at a distance of some l,ZVO miles
Mrs. Littledale having to be carried !
an imrroyised mule little.
At last, in November. the party, w or
ont with fatigue and prlvations, arrive
nj Leh "clad in rags and tatters,' nearl
ALI their animals having succumDed o
the way. Other foreign travellers nav
from time TO time. attempted TO ent'
Lhassa Prince Henry dOTleahs wa
one OF them. but one and all nave ms
with hopeless unsuccess.
Thassa the sacred city of Thibet, sti
remains unvisited
HENRY SAVAGE LANDOR.