The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-20

a.
THE TRAVELLER etc.. then living at Kioto,
Japan, heard of the return of Kawaeucbi
from Tibet and wrote to the editor OF The
Century of the excitement which the
achievements of the Buddhist priest were
arousing in Japan. response express-
ed a wish that The Century might obtain
an article from the priest and commits.
stoned Miss Scidmore to treat with him.
Here are extracts from her reply:
THE priest Eai Kawaguchi, who lived
for fifteen months in Lhasa, is the lion
of the day in Japan The Mainichi Shin
bum of Osaka and the Jill shimpo of Toxic
are paying him 100000 yen 1.-TWO thous-
and five hundred dollars) for the detailed
narrative of his adventures as a serial
in their columns, and it will then be used
in book form.
HE Is copyrighted and covenanted TO
secure him from piracy, infringement
and personal obtrusion in Japan-his
whereabouts a profound secret, etc. ETC.
After week of it, i. e. trying to get
clue to him, the Mainichf people gave
me a letter and I found this last man
from Lhasa" in a beautiful villa on a
Kioto hillside. He is an ideal Buddhist
priest of the most refined spiritual type
and has all the modesty and simplicity
of true genius. He was debating to his
secretary when we arrived-and the whole
hillside might have known his bidins-
place.
HE speaks and writes English with few
idioms only. He will be very pleased to
write a popular article, of three thousand
or five thousand English words, for The
Century Magazine. He will write it in
English, and wishes me to straighten it
out afterwards, so that it will read
smoothly and clearly to the Western peo-
pies. He sat in his white robe against
a garden background of tiny naples and
azaleas at the Sui-Ko-Kan villa of Yer
dure and Rose-Color), and wrote poems
on sacred DO leaves which he had gath
cred at Budoh Gaya
II sat meditating under the beau
tiful leaves of the sacred 30 Tree.
even to the rising of the morning
star
"Kawaguchi spent fifteen months in
the city of Lhasa, passing as a Chinese
doctor. He was lodged in the house Of
the Tibetan secretary of state for the
treasury, whom he treated. He was con-
suited by the Grand Lama several times.
He spent a year at Dariiling first, study
ing Tibetan language and religious cere-
monies at the house of Sarat ChandIs
Das.
/ 'Kawaguchi is enjoying all the glory
! of hansen in the popular estimation.
His picture is in all the print-shops and
he is to be given an official ovation by
r., the mayor and great citizens of Osaka
on the 21st, which l shall attend. He
will then wear his Tibetan costume"
! The letter contained also carefully
worked out cable code, which would en-
able New York to advise Kloto Of just
the terms the magazine was willing to
make with the priest. Following the ac-
ceptance by the priests secretary of the
conditions offered, Miss Scidmore found
! it no easy task to make Kawaguchi uc
derstand the publishers meaning of tex
elusive" and the necessity of prompt
ness where mails start seldom and must
travel far. But the precious manuscript
was finally in Miss Scidmores heads,
revised, corrected, and copied, and started
under the great seal of the State De
partment in the coils diplomatique.
/ The paper is full and vivid account of
'Lhasa the forbidden city," of the dar-
ing priests experiences there in disguise,
and of the strenuous young Dalai Lama
who is endeavoring to reform the civil
service of Tibet and retrieve the govern
nlent offices from the hands of the spoils
men.