The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-23
OF RED-FACED MEN.
TuIDEE. r PEOPLE, IT'S CUSTOMS.
AND ITS GOpERNMENE
what II Knows OF ths Cnuntry In Which
Lanaor. the Tn Siish Explorer. Wa. Tor.
tured-Thr Thibetnra' LrEepd or Their OrirI,

From the ChtcdJo later Ocean.
The graphic recital Of the fortunes recently In.
fiicted upon A. Savage Lander. tho British
explorer who sought to roach Lhasn. the capital
Of Thibct, BY tho barbarous Inhabitants OF that
wild country has served to draw attention to
the remarkable doarth Of knowledge possessed
by Western peoples In regard to that portion OF
Asia. Thibct, which is perhaps less known 10
moicrn civilization than any other inhabited
region OF equal size In the world, consists Of a
series OF lofty table lands, ranging from 10. 900
to 1900 feet above the sea level, bounded on
nl sides by great mountain ranges.
On tho south lilo the Himalayas, to the cast
tho Yun-LinG mountains of China, on the north.
toward Turkestsn and Mongolia. the Kucn.Lun
ranges, while on the west are the Pamir table
lands, recently tho sec no OF Russian activity.
Tho extreme length Of tho country from east 10
west is moro than 1000 miles. and its breadth
from north to south varies from 100 miles In the
west to 700 miles in the cast, the total area
exceeding 100000 square miles.
The country Is subdividcd Into Great and
Little Thibet, tho lattor occupying the western
portion. Tho entire region may be divided into
three zones, increasing in elevation from south
to north.
or these tho southern zone contains most OF
tho towns and the agricultural population; the
middle zone. q region peopled by pastoral
omRus, Wuie tIe uortu . slNcn oNcT W u lew
wild nomadic tribes and to wild animals.
An old namc for Thibet in the native books
signifies !" country of tho red-faced men, the
ancient national custom of painting the face
red. The bulk Of the population and most of the
large. towns nro in tho southern part OF the
country in o region called Bodyal. the people OF
which arc called Bodpas. Most OF this section
is under the sway Of China, the province being
governed by lamns and ~Eyalpos. ecclesiastical
and lay Bodpas. although other portions are
subject to Nepal and Kashmir and to indepcn.
dent chiefs. Tho principal seat of Chinese power
Is Lhasa, the most populous city OF Thibet.
Being difficult Of access on oil sides, possess.
ing in some parts a climate almost arctic in tn
severity, and inhabited by people who have
long sought to prevent by every means in their
power the entry of Europeans into their terri.
tory. Thibet has up to this time been literally
an almost unknown region to civilized nations.
But few European travellers have entered its
borders, and most OF these have been compelled
to turn back before penetrating far into the In.
torior. and during tho present century especial
care has been taken 10 keep out or expel all
such intruders.
The first Europeans known to have entered
Thibet were Catholic priests, Friar Odoric of
Pordenone, having. it lie said. reached Lhasa as
early as 1923. Three centuries later the Jesuit
Antonio Andrada, travelling from India, mads
his way eastward across the country to China.
In 1861 Fathers Grueber and D'Orville travelled
from Pekin to Lhasa and thence, to India, and
tho region between Delhi and LhaSa.
The first Englishman to enter the country. was
Warren HIST este to one of the most nt'I powerful
lamas in IVA. In 1871. nearly q century later.
Thomas Manning made his way from, India TO
Lhasa. but was soon forced to leave the sacred
city, which no other Englishman is known to
have reached. In ls44;46 Hue and CADET.
but were soon deported, and in 1866 Able Des:
godins penetrated some distance into the, coun.
inhabitants. Col. PrjovaIsky. a Russian. sub.
sequently made a determined effort to explore
northern Thibet. but was prevented from con.
The carly history of Thibet is purely legend.
airy, but 1t seems probable that u State was
by a member of tho Tubat family, the Governor
OF a Chimes, province. who As Obliged to fee
thus founded is equivalent to heavy stones.".,
1t is related Of a subsequent king. who is said
ing determined to establish perfect equality
among his subjects. he enacted that there should
be no DISTINCTION between rich and poor. and
compelled the wealthy to share their riches with
the povcrty-stricken. but finally gave up in DIES.
PAIR, when, after having tried the e=xperiment
such a state OF equality;
The various petty tribes were subjngated by
and about 1920 he Chinese overran the country
and established the present form OF government,
Chinese a as t;rn yw Is maintained IIsdi tb by two tWro Imperial rial
military affairs of the country. leaving the civil
and religious government. entirely TO the ma
tives. The number of Chinese troops kept in
Thibet is small, amounting in all to about four
thousand. half of whom are stationed at Lhasa.
supreme authority in civil matters Is in tho
hands of the grand lama. or high priest, who
lives in n famous temple palace OF Poto La. He
ofiicsr appointed by the Chinese Government.
who Is nominally his Prime Minister. The four
principal provinces are each ruled by Cover
The Thibetans cherish a legend In regard to
their origin which is strongly corroboratory Of
they are descended from nm ape sent TO their
country. which they call the snowy kingdom, by
maIe demon This odd couple had six Children.
whom they. abandoned as soon as weaned ina
fortst Of fruit trees: On the return Of ,hs
father q few years later he was surprised to find
that their numbers had increased to 500, but as
they were starving he appealed to ChenriSig,
throw down to tho famished apes a quantity OF
Ave kinds Of era T.; In consequence of eating
bodies grew short r and shorter and finally dis
appeared; and tn began to speak ana nGcome
men, clothing themselves with leaves. The be.
different branches OF the race.
The people OF, the country have the character;
into a large number OF tribes. many OF which
are nomadic., The inhabitants OF the western
feet 2 inches in height. while those OF the other
portions of the country possess n I liner physique;
hb 10 general CharaCterlstlcS they are hhlu
to be strong, slender OF limb. with black eyes
slightly obliqne. a ruddy. brownish, complexion.
large mouth. brown hair, and no. beard. They
are reputed to be. as a rule. mild in empcrn and
true TO their word, but wildly superstitious.
The people OF the eastern part OF the country
have an unenviable reputation for %trenChcry
and cowardice. The Lskn or Lolo tribes. in tho
southeastorn part Of 1hibet, arc remarkable for
their European white features.
The sayages of tho north have a dark com.
plexion. dress In skins. and 1.-Two in caves and
Mens under tho shelter OF overhaEging rocks.
They are remarkable Tor their fieGtncss OF foot
and, being almost ignorant Of the use OF arms
lie In wait for game near springs of water.
Their burial customs are especially pccrliari
the hair being plucked from the top OF the head
In order TO, facilitate RECONSIDERATION. Bodies
posing to birds and beasts of prev.
A feature Of Thibetan lito which has. Ter.
haps. attracted moro attention than any olber
Is that OF polyandry. which has beer praCticed
from earliest times; The plurality OF husbands
seems to cause little trouble, and trav"l!cE7 T-
port that women are treated with especial con,
sideratton. and enjoy a paramount p"f'ilon
which. in certain tribes OF the eastern i"rtpt
the country. amounts to positive sovereignty.
There arc two religions In Thibct, existing
peaceably side by side. These are L.Anlnl-m. .
faEw 81 hl ElNN