The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-03-18
MYSTERIOUS LAND.
Forbidden Us, as Seen by Jane.
son Reid.
BARBARlTIEs And CUSTOMS
Revealed by the Traveller Hitherto
all Advances on Tibet Have Re-
suited Disastrous!y to the Daring
E1plorcr-Powcr OF the Lamas.
Unique Funeral and Bridal Ccrc-
monies Celebrated by the Tribes.

or late years the attention Of the civ
ilizcd world has been drawn to that
vast region Of Contra! Asia which lies
between the Kuen Lun Mountains on
the north and the Himalays on the
south, where Russia and England are
pushing forward from opposite dlrec-
lions In the grand movement Of politl-
cal forces that is to determine pre-emi-
nencc In the Far East Between the
Asiatlc dominlons Of both OF these ma
tons lies the mysterious land OF Thibet,
u strange and barbarous region. which
during untold ages has successfully re-
sisted the most pcrsevering and lndomi-
table attempts at allen aggression. 1t
is not difficult to-account for the extra
ordinary interest which Thibet has at
all times possessed for explorers and
ethnologists. Occupying. as 1t does,
an Immense area OF the Oldest OF the
| continents. and inhabited by curious
and aboriginal races and tribes. 1t Is
natural that 1t should be of exceptional
interest to the outside world. The great
obstacles to a successful exploration
( OF the country lie in Its unamenable top
ographical contour and the barbarous-
ness and hostility OF the natives inhab-
iting 1t. Surrounded by high noun
tain ranges. beyond which lie immense
| desert areas and stony plateaus, at
tempts to enter this strange land are
confronted by obstacles almost impos-
sl5le to abridge. This ruggedness Of
physical feature Is supplemented by the
unnatural hostility of the sacerdotal
class of "lamas," or sacred priests. who
as Thlbet's real masters view with jeal-
GUS apprehension the intrusion OF for
| eigners.
Hitherto all advances on this closed
| land have been made either from the
Russian dominions, on the north. or
| from India, on the south, the recording
Of which Is but series of tie most
lamentable and disastrous failures. In
entering upon my las: journey of eX
ploration In Thibet I was firmly con-
WINGED that nothing save radical de-
parture from the methods hitherto at
tempted would enable me to succeed
where hundreds of explorers had re-
peatedly failed. My advance. there
fore. into this land of mystery, was
made by penetrating through the wilds
W W NsbNAi w Aht Spui ST VI Liz
Dj-chu and Kinsha kianS tributaries
Of the Yangtse kiang. proceeding
viewed with askance by geographists
as Offering but small chance of sue
cess. Yet in this manner l was able
to successfully pass through the coun-
try lying on the Chinese-Thibetan bor-
der and to thoroughly explore the
northeastern corner of Thibet thus
completing the work left unfinished by
the Russian explorer, PreJevalsky, and
for the first time to give to the world
information concerning the strange
people inhabiting this hitherto unknown
region.
With the sanction Of the imperial gov
eminent at Pekin for the undertaking.
I had left Shanghai early in the year,
and after an arduous passage up the
main course of the Yangtse Kiang and
Its tributaries. by the middle OF the
year had reached Batang. whence be-
yond the task Of exploration began in
| earnest
There Is n singular fascination about
this country. The land might be ad-
mired for its majestic. diversified
prospects. even though larger part
Of 1t is sterile and desert plateau. but
1t owes a great deal OF the power which
1t exercises over the Imagination to the
fact that In 1t dwells a peculiarly fas-
chatting people to the student OF aborig-
inal man. The Slfans. or Tanguts, who
inhabit the region north of Batang. are
entirely different from the other tribes
and races to be found in Thibet. and
It would be an utter impossibility to i'm
agine n people more unealiGhtencd and
| barbarous. but grade removed from
the lower order of animals.
No spark Of civilization has yet made
Itself felt. and one might as well essay
| to change the direction OF the winds
| Wild course as TO SOW the seeds OF
Christianity with hopes Of their fructi-
| tlcation. Life in these bleak attitudes
is rough indeed. Nature is without, at
traction OF any kind. except n sort of
rough. majestic grandeur that may sat
isfy the traveller In search of land
scapcs, monotonousiy bleak and repett-
ing: never 4 tree is seen, and scarcely n
Hover, excepting for month or two In
| the year. Vast mountain peaks are
covered with soil that by thrift and
| industry might be made wonderfully
productive. but which is left in its wild
state for the growth Of coarse grasses.
| furnishing pasturage for the small
| herds OF wild asses. antelopes and black
| haired yaks. this latter animal being
| to the native what the reindeer Is to the
Laplander. providing him with food.
clothing and even fuel, dry yak dung.
owing to the scarcity OF tree growth.
being generally utilized for this pur-
| pose.
OF amusements. there are but few, the
| male portion of the population spend-
| ms what time is not engaged In manual
labor In gambling, for which they show
n remarkable prediction. and into
which they enter with all the passions
OF devotccs. ri3ling their entire posses
sions. and even their own persons, on
no worth!er pastime than guessing the
number of stones which another may
hold In his hand. There Is no outdoor
occupation for the women, who are
rarely seen outside their gloomy cave
homes. a wretched race of cmaciatcd
and haggard beings. who bear every ev-
idenca OF the hardness of their lot
| Occasionally, the lords OF creation"
will condcsccEd to take them on n visit
to some ncighboring village or permit
them to pass short time by themselves
on top OF earth. and with these truly
munlilcent delights they are required to
be satisfied.
As regards the personal charnctcris-
tics OF the population OF Eastern Thibet
1t may be said that their moral code Is
excessively corrupt and lax. In gen
cral they are restless and seditious, the
vainest and most paiustaking OF liars,
thieves and murdcrers. with no COM
junction whatever for taking life for
the most trivial rensons. even II the VIC
tim be his own kin. The total deprav-
ity OF their nature Is shown in the mis-
cradle condition of women among
them. Her social condition Is pitiable
In the extreme. The story OF her life
from birth until death fortunately re-