The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-02-03

Captain Kozlpff, who had been a
menper of an earlier exploring expe-
ditO1 TO ThibeD, accompanied by Mr.
Lad, gum, Il lingUist, Officer Kaznakoff
and sixteen soldiers, entered the desert
Of Cobb, on the eastern slope of the
Altai mountains. in July, 1895 The
party traversed the desert in three col
Tmns. IT was found that the desert
was not a plain, but was intersected
by chain Of hills running from Lorth-
west 10 southeast. The party reas-
sembled at Sink and proceeded to
Iaidam. passing uorthward of the
koko-Nor. Part Of the baggage was
I left under guard of four men in Zai-
dam.
The explorers quickly penetrated the
Thibetan highlands, reaching a height
of 1900 feet in a few days. The eli
mate was severe, but both vegetable
and animal life were found in plenty
Large herds of yass and koulans wild
asses and numerous bears were met
Three skins, equal in size to skins Of
polar bears, were brought back.
Find Big Bears.
The population of the valleys are
( IangUtes. They live as nOmads, fol-
lowing their herds of cattle. They are
and pixies Another tribe. the Galyks
keep herds and raise wheat and barley
on the slopes. Their houses are two
or three stories in height, and are built
OF clay and stones. At a distance
they look like small towers. The Galyks
feared reprisals for the murder of the
/ Frenchman, Duheil de Rims, in 1896,
which they explained was due to his
entering a temple.
Captain Kozlcff reported that a
strong anti-British feeling prevailed
among the Thibetans. They gave the
expedition no trouble until, having
| crossed the HOangho and the Yangtse,
/ the explorers approached the Me Kong
river, when the natives declared the
| visitors must return. Two hundred
men fired from ambush as the Russians
were crossing the Dsa Gnu, but the
( latter, by the use of their rifles, drove
them off after two hours fighting.
| Twenty natives were killed and sew
enteen others wounded Soon after
Ward an embassy came from ChOndo TO
beg Captain kOzlOff not to go to that
the Second religious capital Of the
country. The request was needed, Cap
tain Nozloff remaining where he was
UItif q p0r.iO~ Of his cor pa8y bad cN~
/ plored eastward 10 the Yangtse.
Presents For Staying Away.
Three months were spent making col
! lections of rare and hitherto unknown
animals. The return journey was be-
/ gun in the middle of March The ChOn-
du authorities sent guides and gifts for
the car out of gratitude to Captain
Kozloff for remaining away from that
! place. On their way the reTs were
4 attacked by Tangutes. but Russian
! rifles were victorious. The second at
tack was made from an ambush. Cap
tain Kozloff. however, had expected it
and sent part of MS men to fall upon
( the enemy'S rear.
/ Through the influence of a Lama Of
a neighboring convent the Tangutes
were persuaded not TO further modest
the Russians. The return to Zaidam
was thereafter without danger. Kiachta
/ (Siberia) was reached by way of Urga
| CMonEOlia) in November. 1901.
| The party marched $4,000 versts. To-
/ geographical surveys were made, as
trOmical observations were taken in
forty places, and meteorological Obser-
vatioEs were conducted at Zaidam for
/ fourteen months. The transport of the
| collections gathered by the expedition
required the use of fifty camels.