New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-06

octave Do XII, 46S Dodd. Mead 70
FIFTY YEARS "REMINISCENCES OF dNP sbsta a
By Colonel Pollok. Madras STAFF CoIrs Illus
trated octave PIP xii 3il. Edward Arnold
a T To IXbIA BY F H. s Merewether. Reuters
Special Famine Commissioner O'' a pr ~
$40 Philadelphia: J. b. Lippncou COMPANY
The central part OF the Asiatic Continent. from
the Pamirs on the west 10 the Huang-Ho on the
aas, and from the Tian-Shan Mountains on the
north TO the Hmalnyas. is st one OF the least
known portions Of the earth. In fact, on maps
tinted to exhibit the degree OF our geosraphical
knowledge. the Poles alone show greater unlimited
area Africa has almost ceased to be terra III
cognita II will be noted also on such maps tha'
the white area as soon the sharp elbow IN the
course OF the Bramaputra in Northern Assam -
passed suddenly drops southwark and ex'ehos
through Yun-Nan Eastern Burma. and what is leI'
O! Slam down TO the sea The CONTRAST II s""iP
be,ween this central strip Of almost unknown coun-
try. which practically follows the course OF the
Nekong and the British territories TO the west as
well as the coast region Of French lndo-Chha' oo,
Of which have been pretty well explored H'"e
further west. the Bramaputra one mas one
of the best surveyed countries In the world
Into this unknown region travellers with survey
Ing instruments and notebooks nave Deeh pusn'"e
In increasing numbers during the last ie" uec
AIDES until the vast white space on the maps mas
become cobwebbed. all the way from Mongoha
through Tibet and China TO Cambodia with INES
OF exploration. Nearly every nation including '"e
United States In the person OF MI RocKhhl' mas
been represented in this task; but 10 France IN 'ne
southeastern section least. has fallen. perhaps
the largest share. Not the least distinguished o"
ber roll OF Asiatic explorers is the name OF Prince
Henri dOrleans He has successfully attacked the
Central Asian problem both from the norm anu
from tho south. In 1ss9-'90 in company with M
Ronvalot he made a notable trip from kuld)a. on
the Russian frontier. TO Hanoi, in Tonkln cross
inc Eastern Tlrkestan and Tibet nearly 10 Chasa'
thence striking east to Tal-Sen near the yang
tze-Kiang and thence travelling southwark 10 the
Red River and Hanoi. Again. in ls9o with NM
Roux and Brffaud companions, he started from
Hanoi left the Red River near Meng-tze and went
west 10 the Mekong: followed the course OF That
river with some deviations) TO the Junction OF
Tibet Upper Burma and China, and then passed
through Assam and down the Bramaputra TO CAL
cutta. II will be seen. referring TO the map
that for upward OF a thousand miles these two
routes parallel one another at no very great dls-
lance and that they together cover admirably
very large extent of little known territory.
An interesting account OF the latter expedition Is
given in From Tonkin 10 India The Princes
original intention had been to complete his knowI-
edge OF French Indo-C China. and especially OF the
mountainous districts Of AMMAN. But there niue
seemed TO be left for the explorer to do. Furiner
north across the Chinese border ana up the Me
kong the prospect better so northWard the
marty went and with good success though me
prince ,s Obliged 10 admit that for some hundreds
OF miles the sense Of original discovery was I'M
haired by finding everywhere the tran OF me Eng
ushman until al Ta-fu. in the heart OF 1un-hdh'
he was welcomed by an English lady AS oi'eh
before the missionary was in advance OF the sci
entinc explorer incidentally. there was also the
thought Of gathering information that should ne
OF profit 10 the peaceful commercial expansion "i
the French colonies" aim which seems TO nave
been kept pretty well in mind GcographlcaI ana
ec,entinc observation formed. Of course, the main
object As far as the Chinese border and Mehs-
fze the country was well known ana the Jou'h'!
uneventful Meng-tze i'self. town OF ABOUT
eleven thousand Inhabitants is frequently visited
by Europeans. and contains n consular ana mis-
s,onary staff Even philosophy has shed her beams
,,uon &, ~ one may Judge from words said 10 nave
been uttered by its Chinese Mussulman inhabitants
20 the French Catholics. You have a God. they
say 10 our priests; so have We: we both nave
hook let US be friends II would be worth Whhe
,o- sonoe Christians 10 travel as far as Meng-tze
~ ST, AZ tho feet of such wisdom From Ta-yang-
ka a little further on. where they lett the heH
River to Mong-le. near the Black River the cou'l-
fry was less known. being little more than pahN
on the maps down to the more south'ry fo'I'
previously explored by NJ. Pavie; and here accord
;nRlv their exploration properly began. Al Mong-
le Pave's route was touched, but they bore away
again more 70 the north passed through SSuinao'
md reached the MekOng IN LATITUDE --'5o JUST " i'''
ohove the highest point that the PaVie mission h"o
,,a,rod From that point the Mekong formed tn
.o,eral line Of advance although the absence ol
roads along the banks seemed TO nave rthd''tu
detailed study Of this notable river imposs'Dle'
pe,weon Tian-pi and Tali-fu. however the eHp'dl-
tion touched II six times and thus established
-uhou, danger OF serious error rs general course
According TO NJ Roux. up to parallel Of Tai-fu l.
INNS between preciptous hills and Is marked oE
freouent rapids which render navigation hnpoSSl-
hle Its breadth is from 100 TO $50 metres ana is
6epth occasionally much as 80 metres ~
r.,,u where for the second time IN their journey
the route Of GARNER Gsc3) was touched some 'me
was spent in determining the FORM OF me l"'E,
lake OF Er-hai Then they turned west CioSs'"
,he Nekong and continued over 10 the SaI"eh
a,,,a 4, 20 no more considerable stream than
the Mekong and TO be identical with the Lutte
k,ang the course Of which II Known ahoVe 'he
boundary Of Tibet thus disprovins the theory Oh
Cereral Walker who regarded the last-7amed river
as the source OF the east branch OF the lra"aul
lpoux, ON returning 10 the Mekong they were
able TO follow its banks and map its course all the
wav 10 Tze-ku. which marks approximately the
northern limit Of the expedition. I'VE mad accom-
prshed" saws Prince Henri. "the exploration OF
the Chinese Mekong; had verified the routes OF
Cooper Gill and the missionaries Of Tibet. as well
as those OF GARNER and the Pavie mission. AFTER
the grand works OF Rockhill and Of Dutreuh De
Rims there only remains an expedition INTO the
Depue 20 complete the knowledge Of the whole
course OF the great Indo-Chinese artery the French
river The temptation 10 return through South
ern Tibet that mysterious, unmapped country
into which every Asiatc explorer burns 10 pene-
trate was strong but the difficulties and dangers
great ard the more southern IOa" "iiO"e"
Burma and Assam chosen. In this course all
the sources OF both branches Of the Irawadi were
crossed and the doubtful points win regard 10
this river definitely cleared up. After overcoming
corsderable difficulties Including brief but sharp
race with starvation. they returned to CIVILIZATION
having the added and unusual pleasure OF drop
ming in upon the English by route they did not
know"
The description which Prince Henri gives OF this
notable and successful expedition abounds In In
terestlng details: II IS pleasantly. though rather
scrappily written; and. II may be added. II Is as
n whole well translated OF stirring incident there
is little for the Journey from beginning 10 end
seems 20 have exceedingly peaceful and easy
and surh untoward accidents occurred serve