The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-30
HUMAN SACRIFICES MADE.
Remote village where Men and
Women arc Onered 60 Heather Gods.


Women arc Onered 60 Heather Gods.
willlsm Jameson Reid In his interest
ing work, "Unexpiored Asa" tells Of q
strange people he visited and thrilling
experience he encountered which Is
soarcsly parallelsd In modern books of
travel. Al Gharlkau latitude SO degrees
on the Djichu river, where nearly 80 main
caravan roads converge, intersecting the
country, and afIording practical means
Of communication from China to Ihibet
and TO the other regions Of central Asia,
he halted tor fortnisht's journey to the
northwestward through the Ping noun
tsins TO the Chite city Of Tzuohau, in the
heretofore unknown and untfodden north
east corner OF Thibet. According to Chin
csc historians many centuries ago the
Chitss, then highly civilized and en-
hghtsnsd race. but the most fanatioal
and bigoted of Buddhists, from thsir
turbulent and prosely tizing spirit becom-
ing obnoxious to the government were
driven from their homes near Shanghai
and, after years Of wandering, up the
valley Of the Yantse Kiane and the
Kinsha, they finally located In this wild
mountain region Of northeastern Thibet.
Here they have held aloof from their
more civilized Chinese neiahbors, and are
for the most part ssmi-sivilized. many OF
them being sayages Of the worst order,
and even anniballsm Is said to be preva-
lent among numbers Of thin. They ac-
knowledge no allegiance to the emperor,
defy the mandarins, and hold no COM
munication with tho outside world.
Over mountains and rivers and sandy
wastes our intrepid travellers with q
selected body Of their brave followers and
native Gharlkauess made their way for
five days. until, halting on the edge OF
the forest, they saw 10 q shallow plain
below them the object Of their quest, the
Chite city of Tzuohau. The author con-
tinuss MS follows: "It had been our inten-
tion to stsal into the city under cover Of
the night, but from our position OF want
age we could sac that some religious DEM
onstrat.on was In progress, and We did
not dare to move. One Of the Gharikaue-
sea. accompanied by one OF the kiangsis,
voluntse to GROSS the open space and
enter the city Ia search OF food.
owl h fearful hearts We saw them de-
part. and, half dead with GOLD and ex-
posure. waited In silence for two long
hours, whsh we bIeathed sigh Of invol-
untsry relief as they reappeared with
several loaves Of bread and two large
piscei of yak meat, which they had been
able to secure from deserted hut. The
reports which they brought from the
town were far from reassuring. The
natives were engaged In weeks relig-
ious orgy; should we dare to enter the
city our presence would DO Immediately
detsoted, aud, with their fisros and vim
dictive natures fed on the tires Of reli.-
ious frenzy our instant fate would be
assured. For another half hour our
guides crawled out on to the plain, and
return eli with the information that they
hal dis covered considerable cavs In this
hillside to the left Of the 1870 - :.
would screen us from observation, and
at the same time permit us to watch the
movements Of those inside the walls.
Cautiously we orswled along on our
bellies for what seemed to be ages Of time
until one Of our guides pointed to mar
row opening ahead, just sufficient to sd.
init man Ia a stopping position. With
q sigh Of relief We entered, and with
thankful hearts, Toasted on the raw yak
meat. Fearful and wAtchful We remained
all night. like wild beasts pursued by
some unknown terror.
"Next morning the religious festival
which We had witnessed ths night before
was still In progress. and we were about
to venture forth to secure Q better view,
when we were hurried back by the un.
nsrving spectacle of q long procession
approaching In our direction, beating
drums and tom toms and led by dozen
filthy locking priests. They halted for
few minutes. and then, having re-
form cd, commenced the ascent OF the
billy slope, where we were concealed.
Onward still they came, the priests chant
ing In dolorous voices. while the horde
following took up the wild refrain until
the din was simply indesoribable. II we
had entertained hopes that they were
bound elsewhere, we were doomed t. dis
appointment. for they were now scarcely
60 yards away and approaching the cave
entrance. We had just time to ietirs
from our position and chamber up steep
ascent at one side Of the cave to . place OF
conoealment, when the leaders Of the pro-
cessi IN entered the narrow orifloe, and
halted while torches were being lit to
guide their passage through the gathering
gloom.
"For half an hour the ear-torturing
strife of disoord wsxed louder at every
moment, until hundred devils In human
form fitted beneath the sspulohral glare
Of Pickering torches, like weird and
supernatural picture Of another world.
A frenzied enthusiast would leap into the
air, frothins at the mouth, carried away
by the sanguinary and fanaticai spirit Of
the moment; lsosrating himself with q
knife, grasping the CORY strip Of flesh,