The herald., 1897-11-03

The whole world is talking of the fearful
experiences of Henry Savage Landor the
famous and brilliant painter and explorer
who, as has been told in cable dispatches
to this newspaper. suffered the most ula-
bolica tortures at the hands OF the ma
tives Of Thibet. In presenting to our read
ers today q signed story from Mr.. Landor,
written on the Threshold of the forbidden
territory, we publish most interesting ar
ticle. Mr.. Landor 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
Thibetan frontier, and hope in day
or two to be across. l heard that the
Thibetans have sent 300 soldiers to guard
the pass 1 am going to cross. and l sup
pose that if they find me out. which is
not unlikely, owing to their having SO
many spies on this side, there will be
trouGle. I mean to go 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 in absolutely alone.
1 calculate that if l manage to get
through the pass safely ought to reach
Lhassa within thirty days at the most
of my having entered Thibet. 1 have
come here rapidly on foot at the rate
of twenty-five miles day, which is not
bad, considering that l have been for
the last twenty days at between 1000
feet and 1000 feet altitude. The pass
shall cross will be about $4,000 feet.
am going through alone at night and
my servants will follow early in the
morning, when will join them and keep
in 11idivu n hS Wi pey
night we will try to march thirty-five
miles across the deserted country, and
then over another high pass, when
shall consider myself safe until / reach
Lhassa, the country between being ut
terly uninhabited.
1 am keeping good lookout, knowing
that Lieut.. Gaussen had his skull
smashed by the Thibetans last summer
as he attempted to enter the country
from this same pass, and native ex-
plorer was badly beaten and robbed of
all his luggage by a band of brigands
who further wanted to murder him. II =
managed to escape, however, without
clothes, money or anything else. I am
going, of course, in my disguise, but
fancy that the Thibetans are suspicious
Of it.
I am thoroughly enjoying my journey,
and l have had some strange expert
ences already here in Blot Cor Thibet OF
this side of the Himalayas).
If all goes we'll 1 will push through very
quickly. l have plenty of confidence in
myself and my scheme, though nobody
! met en- route seemed to have any.
They all threw cold water on my project
and refused to help me in any way, even
to get reliable servants. Some of the
natives, however, have been very kind
to me, and they have done all they could
to oblige me. l have taken a large num-
Der of successful negatives, but am un-
able to print them.
The sacred city of I.hassa, for many
centuries the chief city of Thbet. is
probably one of the few remaining spots
In the world where no European has been
able to penetrate since the hasty visit
paid to it by Manning in the year 1911.
"LhasSa" means the Ground of God"
and as such the wise Lamas think it
proper to keep it free from the evil ef-
fects of western civilization. According
to the account given by the Indian Pun
dit, Main Singh, it appears that this
sacred city rests in a plain surrounded
by barren hills and mountains, the
passes by which the town is approached
being guarded by many forts.
The wall which at one time sur