The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-07
LANDOR'S PERIL0US TOUR
HIS OWN ACCOUNT OF HIS TERRIBLE
EXPERIENCE IN THIBET.
Graphic STORY of Suffering and Tor
ture as Told I'm His New BOOk-Mnp
Traced in His Own Blood.

and so replete with adventure as to have at
pnce attracted attention. Some year or
more ago news of Mr.. Landor's most peril
GUS travels in Thibet, his torture by the
Thibetans and his escape from death, made
him object of universal sympathy Hav-
ing the stanch Lander blood in his veins,
the author of I'm the Forbidden Land" his
long-expected volume which appeared in
London three weeks ago. shows that he is
endowed by heredity with courage of a sur
prising quality, together with an amazing
amount of vitality. Otherwise he would
never have lived to tell his wonderful story.
Long ago it had been known that the
Thibetans were disinclined to have strang-
ers enter their country. Lhassa is still for
hidden ground What difficulties the trav-
eler meets from geographical conditions are
serious enough, and entrance to Thibet is
quite a different thing from passing through
it. From the volume much may be learned
of the Thibetans, who seem to be treacher-
Gus and cruel, and at the same time cow
ardly The rule of the Chinese is only a
passive one, and it is questionable whether
the Chinese authorities do not wink at the
attacks made by the natives on European
explorers.
Mr.. Lander arrived in India in 1897,
reached Garbyang in Nay, and his objective
point was Lhassa His start was made with
a company of thirty men. He did his best
to have an escort of those brave, sturdy
and faithful Gourkas, but official red tape
prevented it, AS a prudent man he tried
to keep his preparations for crossing into
Thibet a secret, but somehow the news of
his advance was bruited, and at once he
found the way barred. The Lamas de-
stroyed bridges over the mountain chasms
He had to take dangerous and roundabout
ways. and the sufferings of the party from
heavy snowfalls, with impossibility of pro-
curing food. at once began. Finally the
sacred Lake Mansarowar, which lies in a
hollow of the Himaayas some 1900 feet
above the level of the sea, was reached.
Then tracking easterly, the party struck
the Gunkyo lake, and some former geo
graphical errors Mr.. Lander corrected.
Breasting all kinds of Typographical OBJ
structions the party finally entered the
Brahmaputra valley, and this section of the
country was explored for $50 miles. Mr..
Iandor was in good spirits and was san
guine-maybe oversanguine-that the worst
part of his journey had been accomplished.
The party had been reduced by desertlon,
some of the men he had to leave Dehlnd,
until there were only three in all, Mr.
Landor and two native Indians, sing ana
Chandler Sing, the latter singularly brave
A TREACHEROUS LAMA.
Food now became exceedingly scarce, and
finally a halt was made near Thibetan set
Element so that ponies and provisions
might be procured, for without them the
approach to Lhassa would have been inn
possible. Mr. Lander thus describes his
visit to the settlement:
1--WE next had a visit from Lama, who
appeared both civil and intelligent, and VINO
presented us with some butter and cheese
He had travelled in India, he told us, as far
as Calcutta and was on his way from Gar
tok to Lhassa. where he hoped to arrive i'll
four or five days. having an excellent pony
Other Lamas and men who came to see us
stated that they had come from LhasSa IN
that time and | do not think they can have
been far wrong as the whole distance from
the Lippu pass ON the frontier Uear Garb-
yang) to Lhassa can on horseback be Gov
cred in sixteen days. The natives, as
usual, showed great reticence In letting out
the name of the encampment, some Gaining
it TOKEN others TaddJu. North OF US was
a low pass in the hill range, and having
already seen as much as l wanted OF the
Thibetans, it was my intention, II l sue
ceeded in purchasing provisions and ponies,
to cross over this pass and proceed forward
to the Sacred City, following course on
the northern side of the mountain range.
Besides, the highway toward lIhassa was
getting so thicky populated that | thought
it advisable to travel through less inhabited
regions. l intended proceeding, dressed as
d II,
Lhassa Then / could leave my two men
concealed in some secluded spot, and, as
Stunning a disguise, would penetrate alone
during the night into the city rms would
have been easy enough, as LhaSsa has no
gates, and only a ruined wall around IT,
succeeded in purchasing some clothing and
boots from the ThibetanS, and the plgtall
that / needed to make me pass Tor Inln-
etan | intended to make out or the SILKY
hair of my yaks To avoid oetraylng my
self by my inability to speak Thibetan fu-
emily l thought of pretending to be dear
and dumb. A good meal brought hope and
high spirits. and when retired 10 steep
saw myself already within the sacred
But the civil and Intelligent Lama
proved to be treacherouS enemy. MT:
Lander and Chanden Sing had selected
some ponies with the idea of purchasing
them when all of a sudden a rush was
made for him and his men by the Thibet-
ans 1t was, indeed, a rude awakening.
OVERCOME BY FORCE.
"As l stood with my hands behind my
back well recollect the expression of de-
light on Chanden Sings face when 1 APP
proved of his choice, and, as is generally
the case on such occasions, the crowd be-
hind in a chorus expressed their gratuitous
opinion on the superiority of the steed Sc
lected. 1 had just stopped to look at the
pony's forelegs when 1 was suddenly seized
from behind by several persons. who
grabbed me by the neck, wrists and legs
and threw me down on my face. l strug-
gled and fought until | shook off some OF
my aSsailantS and regained my feet, but
others rushed up and l was surrounded by
some thirty men, who attcked me from ev-
cry side and clinging to me with all their
might succeeded in grabbing my arms, legs
aud head. Weak as / was. they Knocked
me down three more times, and three more
times / regained my feet. fought to the
bitter end with my fists, feet, head and
teeth each time that | got one hand or leg
free from their clutches, hitting right and
left al any part where l could disable my
opponents. Their timidity, even when in
SUCH Overwhelming numbers was indeed be-
it. and not to my strength for had hardly
any, that l was able to hold my own
against them for some twenty minutes. My
clothes were torn to bits in the fight. Long
and / became so entangled in them that
my movements We're impeded. One rope
which they flung and successfully twisted
around my neck completed their victory.
They pulled hard at ii from the two ends,
and while l painted and gasped with the ex-
ertion of fighting they tugged and tugged
to strangle me, till | felt as If my eyes
would shoot out of their sockets. / was
was in their power Dragged down to the
ground, they stamped and kicked and
trampled upon me with their heavy nailed
boots until / was stunned Then they tied
my wrists tightly behind my back they
bound my elbows, my chest, my neck and
my ankles. | was a prisoner"
Chanden Sing made a sturdy resistance.
THE brave Chanden Sing had been Strug-
Cling with all his might against fifteen or
twenty foes. and had disabled several of
them. He had been pounced upon at the
same moment as / was and had fought
CALAMITY until. like myself, he had been
ropes During my struggle ] heard him call
out repeatedly: Banduk, banduk Man