The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-25

| 10 the existence of at least one awe
| inspiring fall before Tibetan territory
is left.
Its attempted ascent from the plains
| of Assam has been absolutely Drohib-
! tied hitherto by the Indian government
on the entirely reasonable ground that
| there is almost a certainty that the ex-
I plorer would be killed by the savage
! Mishmis, who are intolerably Jealous
! of the presence of a stranger in their
| country. This would necessitate pun
/ tive expedition costly in treasure and
/ in life-an evil by no means common
surate with the gain of having salts
| fed what is, after all, pure curiosity.
The Tibetan officials also, while pre-
venting so far as they are able any
white man from Tibet, for some un-
known reason forbid Tibetans even
to attempt to descend the river beyond
their own frontier.
The Tsangpo has been explored. how
ever, with the exception of this $50
miles, Notwithstanding the opposition
Of the Tibetans and the difficulties
presented by the highest mountain re-
gon In the world, though not by white
men.
At any time within the last thirty
five years the trans Himalayan trav-
eler might have met a caravan of I'll
betan and Indian traders with their
pack laden sheep climbing or descend
ing some steep mountain pass, or
crossing the Tsangpo on RATS. Walk
ing hulnbly with the servants or slaves,
for to walk is a mark of servitude
with those people, there would be an
Indian with tea bowl and prayer bar
rel suspended at his girdle. counting
his rosary as he walked, differing in
nothing apparently from his compan-
ions, except in his more intelligent
face. and the greater interest with
which he noted everything about him.
But open his prayer barrel. which he
piously twirls when he comes to Some
particularly dangerous spot. and there
will be found in it, instead of the
scroll with the Buddhist prayer, "Om
mani padmi hon." notes of the jour
ney after the boundary was crossed,
observations with sextant and compass
and a simple route survey showing
the length of each days march, the
relative position of the prominent
peaks, the course of the streams and
their approximate breadth and depth
Examine closely his rosary, and one
would discover to his surprise that in
stead of the orthodox 10S heads, there
were only 100, and that he dropped one
at every 100 steps, which were uni
formly 21A feet long. If he were
watched carefully, he would be seen
to steal from camp at night, when all
else were sleeping. if biting wind. freez-
ing cold and driving snow permit, with
his box and tea bowl. Taking from
beneath the false bottom of his box
few instruments, and pouring some
quicksilver into his tea bowl for an ar
tificial horizon, he makes an observa-
ton of some star, notes the condition
of barometer and Thermometer, COM
pares his chronometer with his watch
and then goes back to camp to write
up his journal. and at length to sleep
Years after the traveller might see
this same man at the Great Trigono-
metrical Survey in Calcutta reading to
an English officer his journal explain
ing his observations and route survey
and narrating his adventures-in one
instance these included seven years
slavery in Tibet. He asks who he u.s.
and is amazed to learn that he is only
schoolmaster in a little Himalayan
village in the district OF Kumaon.
What is his reward for these year
long tolls. sufferings and dangers. this
daily rislSing his life in mn attempt to
add to the worlds knowledge? A little
piece of land, possibly small pension,
and, while he is able to serve-obliv-
ion. But soon the scientific Journals
will be fun OF accounts of the wonder
full journey of the native Indian ex-
DiOTef, IDe great extent ana marvel
| Gus accuracy OF his survey, his pluck
and endurance. his fertility Of resource.
and. above ALL his single hearted de-
votion to the cause of science. II his
services are publicly recognized by
some great society, with the names of
world renowned explorers. we read
merely, THE Pundit employed by
Captain T. G.. Montgomerie-a gold
watch-for his route survey in Great
Tibet"
1t was in 1861 that the successful OPP
position of the Tibetans to the explora-
ton of the ans-Himalayan region by
Europeans, as well as the fact that In
dian traders We're permitted to travel
freely throughout Tibet, suggested 70
an officer connected with the Great
Trigonometrical Survey of India the
eXpedient of employing native survey
ors.
The village school master, Main
Singh, who had been in the service of
the brothers Schlagintweit during their
explorations in Kashmir, was the first
man to receive the necessary training
for the work. At the headquarters of
the survey he was taught the use of
the Sextant compass, etc, to recognize
all the larger stars, to walk with PAGES
of uniform length and to make a sim
pie route survey. When these things
had been sufficiently acquired he was
sent to explore the Tsangpo from its
source to India. il possible. 1t was 1865
before he succeeded in establishing
himself in Tibet as a trader desiring
to buy horses and at the same time as
pious Buddhist to do homage to the
Lhasa Lama. His instrumental equip
ment consisted of a large sextant two
box sextants, prismatic and pocket
compass. thermometers for observing
temperature of air and of boiling water,
pocket chronometer and common
watch, with apparatus. the latter re-
duced as much as possible"
After numerous adventures he finally
reached Lhasa, where he had an inter-
view with the Grand Lama, whom he
described as a fair and handsome hoy
of about 10 years of age, seated on a
throne six feet high, attended by two
of the highest priests, each holding a
bundle of peacock feathers. In this
journey he was able to follow the
course of the river only to the neigh
borhood of Lhasa, some SEQ miles. Nor
did he succeed in tracing it further in
a second journey, made seven years
later-a journey memorable, however,
from the fact that he made a route
survey of 1919 miles, 1900 of which
were through country never previously
explored, and took 497 observations
During all this time he was Xfown to
the scientific world only as the"Pundit," -
but the sufferings of this last Journey
having so affected his health as to
compel him to give UP his connection