The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-12
LET'S LIGHT ON THIBET.
A COMPLETE EXPLORATION OF
THAT MYSTERIOUS COUNTRY.

derful Temple Of Buddha--Faith in
Prayers.
| In view OF the recent ufGuccessful
| attempt of Sven Helm and Colonel
Kozloff to penetrate into the heart of
Thibet, interest In which has been
added to by the recent departure
| from New York of Oscar r. Crosby,
an American, on the same mission. 1t
has just become known that Russian
subject, O.. Y. Zoubikcv, was recently
residing quietly at Lhassa or visiting
the sacred monasteries of that mysteri-
| Gus country. M. Zoubikov Is a Bourlat
and n graduate of the oriental faculty
OF the University of st. Petersburg.
AS a born Buddhist and familiar from
childhood with Thibetan. the holy Ian
guage Of his people. he found no diff
Guilty In passing for lama. He
| brought back an immense number of
| photographs and other illustrations of
the life Of the country, and when his
book is published as II soon will be,
the mystery of Tnibet will be a thing
| OF the past M. Zoubikov made an ex-
tended report on his journey at meet
ing of the geographical society n few
days ago. He was Immediately award
ed the Przhevalsky prize, which is con-
ferred in honor of the first Russian
Thibet explorer.
| The frontiers OF Thibet. which were
closed to European travellers after the
French explorers Hue and CADET were
i n n o ~ 4. a
been Theoretically sealed against GER
tain portion of Russian subjects. name
ly the Buddhistic Bouriats Of the
Balkal region. The Bouriats are
talented people. and the same vai,e
attaches to NJ. Zoubikov's observations
as would be the case were he Euro
pean. His stay lasted over n year.
In the summer OF 1900 M. Zoubikov
entered Thibet as a member Of cara
van. An agricultural community was
found only within 60 or 20 miles of
Lhassa. The climate was found TO be
harsh and dry. Snow falls occasiona-
ally from December to March; rain
from May to August: April, September,
October and November are dry. The
Il
to be AZ, 67 and so degrees Fahrenheit
fo- morning. noon and night, respec-
| lively. The data for December is 1874
and 27 degrees and for July co, II and
c. degrees.
The population, which has at times
been estimated at 3S,OOO,0oO. is prob
ably about one-tenth this number. It
Is decreasing through disease, particu-
| larly smallpox. and on account of the
large number of celibate priests. AL
most all the land in central Thibet
belongs to the Dalai Lama. The
| Thibetan houses are of brick and
stone, but have chimneys only In the
kitchen. The other rooms have holes
| TO let the smoke escape and are cheer
lessly cold. Dried dung Is the principal
fuel.
| The common run of folks wear
white, the wealthy red, officials yell
low, and soldiers blue clothing of
homespun. Jewels are worn in great
abundance by the women. Barley
meal, soup. the raw flesh of the yak
and of sheep, butter, sour milk, and
| vegetables are main items of the diet.
Men smoke tobacco and the priests
take snuff.
| The people of central Thibet are
passionately attached to their reliG-
ious observances, which are purely
formal. Prayers are regarded as Of
magic potency. Morals are primitive,
and marriage ties are loose. Both
polygamy and polyandry are common.
Agriculture and cattle raising are the
principal emplcyments. Labor is
cheap, men being paid two cents or
three cents day, while women usual
ly serve for their keep.
Lhassa was built in the seventh cen
tury. 1t has n picturesque location on
the southern slope Of mountain with
luxurious gardens on the west and
south. The Uitchu river passes to the
south of the city. bikes and canals
have been constructed as protection
against overfows. A fine, broad street
professions and penitential exercises.
Penitents go the length of this street,
falling to the ground every FIVE or six
feet, so that in day they PROSTATE
themselves about 5000 times. The city
has 10000 regular inhabitants. 1t Is,
however, an important trade center.
The native traders are all women.
The Temple of Buddha. in the center
Of the city, is about 140 feet square.
1t is three stories high and has three
gilded Chinese roofs. 1t shelters the
gigantic bronze statue Of Buddha. A
sacrifcial fire fed with melted butter
burns before the statue. The residence
OF the Dalai Lama is about mile
away from Lhassa. 1t was built in the
seventh century. Near by is the old
Castle Hodson-Bodala, which is 1.4OO
feet long and nine stories high. Here
are located the treasury, the mint, the
schools of theology and medicine,
quarters for 1900 officials and 500
monks and a prison.
| NJ. Zoubikov also minutely described
various monasteries and temples, in
Guiding three near Lhassa, where 15,-