New-York tribune., 1901-06-15

China where the poppy grows luxurantly; and
yet the Chinese are alive to the evil of the habit:
A conspicuous feature never absent from the
main streets of the cities traversed was the
number of banners stretched across the roadway
in the business quarter, red with white balls in
each Chinese character the whole legend being
''Kai yen ling tan" meaning Subtle pills for
stopping smoke" These pills are quack medi-
cine both native and foreign, the latter con-
tanning opium and engendering by their use
worse habit than the original one of smoking
the drug Wherever l stop and enter into
conversation | am invariably asked two Ques-
tions: % Are you selling bOoks?" suggested by
the remembrance of the Bible colporteurs. who
seem 10 have been ubiquitous; CD Have you
any cure for opium"
Mount Omi is the site of a number of Buddhist
temples of especial sanctity. and its natural
beauties are surprising. 1t is much resorted to
by pilgrims of whose chief purposes is to
witness the glory of Buddha"-a natural
phenomenon in certain meteorological Condi-
tions. displaying a circular halo on the cloud
surface at sunset containing for each observer
the greatly magnfed image of his own head,
supposed TO be the apparition of Buddha him
self The travellers crossed into Thibet, over the
Tung River. to Tia Chen Lu. rarely visited by
Europeans. The people and their ways gave
immediate token of the fact that China was left
behind:
Strange wild figures draped in loose mantles of
felt and rough woolIen cloth with high felt
boots gaudily decorated. some foot. others
on horseback. long haired. handsome. brilliant,
brunette faces. formed the bulk of the passers
by. The puzzled. apathetic stare of the
stolid Chinaman had given place to the pleased.
friendly look Of the lively Niantse and his snil-
ing wife. What a relief to be in country
where the women are natural and pleasant to
look upon. and not whore, in China and In
dia. the poor FEATURES are brought up 10 believe
it is a sin 10 cast a glance at a stranger
There is a dignity about the poorer Thbetans
in striking contrast the i'll bred, pushing
manners Of the lower classes Of Chinese. I'm
like the latter. the Thibetans regard the Occi-
dentas their equals, an Mr.. Little finds it
hard to understand how fine athletic race
should he held in subtection by such a rabhle
as the Chinese. II is apparently a moral or
intellectual supremacy that accompshes IL.
With all this superiority Of the people. Thibetan
Buddhism is terribly repulsive in comparison
with the mild and benienant form Of the
hgion in China. and the Thibetan shrnes are Of
an nh0sritality i'm striking contrast with the
Chinese. The traveller is impressed with the
deep hold that Buddhism has upon the Chinese
in Szechuan-a purely humanizing creed free
from the monstrosities of the IIindoo form. With
all his respect for many of the Christian mis-
sionaries. Mr.. Little cannot help expressing his
doubts as to the advisability or usefulness OF
missionary work in China He says:
In as far as any religion seriously believed in
supplying a motive for conduct, the upset
ting or even questioning the truth of that re-
ligion leads a unsettlement of principle which
can have anything but a beneficial result-in
this world at least-unless the hearer can he es-
tablished in the new faith with its different
ethics.
The way to travel in China is to dress in the
native costume in populous regions No weapons
Of defence are required: passport is never
asked for. The essential thing is TO speak the
language. Misunderstanding generally arise
through the arrogance or greed Of ones native
servants; the traveller will find the Chinese a
reasonable people TO deal with. but IL he is un
able to understand them. he will get into diff
cultes in the most innocent and unforeseen way.
Unfortunately. 10 the great majority of would
be visitors to China off the beaten track. this
essential is formidable and unattainable as
any qualification that could be mentioned