The times., 1898-12-04

this chance he would doubtless have been
spared the worst part of his tortures.
This incident explainS the absolute de-
votfon which the two companions OF his
woes. Chandler Sing and Man Sing. show
ed throughout the whole experience. They
suffered nearly as much as he did, but
seem to have refused all Inducements to
say anything which could make their mas
ters case worse than 1t was. After the
fifteen days. journey back to the borders
of civilization, Mr.. Landor was taken In
charge by his friend, DR.. Wilson. and
gradually nursed back to comparative
health and strength. Near the end of the
book photographs of the author in April
ard October of the year 1897 are shown.
There is an apparent difference of twenty
five years between the two pictures. The
first IL the picture of man ordinarily
good looking with firm mouth and chin,
prominent nose and rather keen eyes-just
sl:ch face as one might pass any day In
the street. the second Is drawn. lined.
haggard and looks as IL 1t might be the
portrait OF the first persons grandfather.
The change was wrought in less than SIX
nenth.s-practicaily in thirty-six hours:
IN fact. the thirty-six hours In which Mr
Lagdor was fastened to the rack, after his
other narrowing experiences.
What was the object OF the Ttbetans
| in subjecting their captive to these cru
cities is not quite certain. There was
time when the readers of such pook
as this would never think of asking tnat
question. 1t was taken for granted tnat
all savages were more or less possessed
of the devil. and instisated by him to tor
| U.ent any representatives of Christian
| nation who fell into their hands.
The hapIess settlers who fell into the
hands of the Iroquois and Sioux in the
early days of our nation might have been
excused for holding this opinion. Among
| Indian tribes the practice of torturinS
| prisoners seems to be the outgrowth OF
| the same impulse which leads boys to
| torment frogs and flies. The Indian pris-
oner expected 1t. and was proud of the
| endurance which this custom enabled MIN
| to snow. In Europe the torture was us
ualfy practiced with the excuse that the
victim could thereby be made to do some
| thing or other which he was wanted TO do
usually he was wanted to give informa-
| tion useful TO his captors. Neither Of
! these motives will account for the way in
which the Tibetans treated Mr. Landor.
| The probability Is that some ancient ira
ditfon. having its root in preservation.
makes the soil of Tibet holy ground.
| Some ancient ruler, desirous of protecting
I his country from foreign invasion. and
seeing that the entrance of even peace
full foreigner might lead to the extinction
or servitude OF the Inhabitants. probably
+! made this rule against their admission.
and saw that it was kert- Civilized ma
tions allow foreigners peacefully inclined
to live within their borders.
They resist invasion only when the
strangers come in considerable numbers
| and with evident hostile intent. 1nese
Asiatics on the contrary. having grasped
the idea that Tibet Is for the Tibetans,
| fp n
prevent the entrance of even single for
c.gner This iiea seems to be moro or
less prevalent in the Orient..,It Will be
found in Gisina. in Korea. in Japan, and
in Russia, which is half Oriental. 1t did
at one TIME prevail in England, but that
was go years ago Under the sway of this
idea, therefore. the Tibe,ans seem to have
hesitated between torturing their prisoner
and letting him 60 or killing him after
the torture and allowing the news of his
death to leak out to scare other English
men away. 1t is not probable that they
pursued this course merely from super
s;itious regard for the holiness Of their
country: at least one does not gain that
impression from Mr.. Landor's account OF
them and their doings. The religion pre-
vailing In the country SENS to be n de-
based form OF Buddhism, modified to a
very considerable extent by the national
character and the poverty of the land
The barren soil and inclement weather
are unfav0rable 10 that ease OF living
which develops civilization, and the Tibe-
tans. probably of no very high character
In the beginning. seem to have degen-
Grated into a peculiarly vicious type. hall
Mongolian, half mongrel. The scarcity oi
women in the nation makes polyandry 4
necessity, and the excessive use of tea
further contributes to degeneracy. There
are traces here and there of an ancient
national character which may have had
its fine points, but the race is certainly
at the present time one OF the mos
marked examples of degeneracy on earth
New York: Harper & Bros)