The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-16


beings to tread these mountains where
there existed no path, where there was
not footprint visible except those made
by the hoof of yak antelope or kulan It
was no mans land; rivers, lakes and
mountains were all nameless; their shores,
banks and snowfeds had never been seen
by any travellers eyes but mine; they were
mine own kingdom of a day."
Inc man who wrote that was in fullest
sympathy with the enterprise which took
nm on a three years journey into re-
gions full of unknown dangers. And it
is written in a style that invites to the
reading of mis- book, assuring readers Of a
plain statement of tremendously interest
Ing facts about a portion of the earth's
surface heretofore little known.
. Russia's Afterthought.
Dr. Hedln entered the territory to be
explored from the northwest, approaching
the point from which his caravan started
by the Russian railroad over which he
travelled In a private car provided by the
government. His ticket said in unn1istak-
able language that he was to be granted
free passage for himself and his belong
1ngs over all the Imperial Russian rail-
ways, both in Europe and Asia" In view
of this, he thought he would take a little
side trip to Kushk and the region toward
Herat, in which European powers are very
much Interested. He reached the junction
and approached the agent with regard to
the transfer of his car. But was met
with a refusal, which was supported by
the following telegram from the Russian
minister of war:
In case DR.. Sven Hedin should contemplate
going to Kushk, please inform him that that
line is closed to all travellers.
At Kashgar, DR.. Hedin assembled his
| caravan for the start the long journey
which was to take him northeastward thru
East Turkestan, thence almost directly
southwark thru mountains and deserta
toward the sacred city of Lllasa, in Tibet
and thence westward and northward to
kashgar again a journey, in all, of sew
eral thousand miles.
~. A FrigId Desert.
Americans are accustomed to associate
the word desert with burning sands and q
fierce glare Of the sun. From DR.. Hedin's
book they will learn that deserts tho OF
sand and in Asia may be swept for days
by binding and persistent snow storms
and be frozen by temperature something
like % degrees, Fair, below zero. This
desert snow storm and this Minnesota
/ winter temperature were encountered ii
the Takla -makan desert. Dr.. Iedir
writes
4 Decidedly cold that for dressing room, fo
always made it practice to take off my
clothes and sleep in night attire. The worst par
about it was washing and dressing with a TEN
perature of SO Fahrenheit the fire side O
yon,. and temperature of --22 Fahrenheit OF
the other side Of You. 1t continued snowin.
q" = 81 heavily all night. and in the morning
when awoke [ was completely covered up
60 that Islam had to fetch a spade and kamisl
broom to get out
The Ruins of Lop-Nor.
By far the most interesting discover.
made by DR.. Hedin was in the ruins O
ancient Lop-Nor. Here he found manu-
scripts which throw wealth of ligh
upon the ancient region of Lou-lan. nov
an arid desert but in the third centur,
A. D., a land that blossomed as the rose