The sun., 1903-12-13

!. hs Knees up .to- them. !. In l=that way ne
travelled the whole Of the long wearisome
distance task which took him six years
| to accomplish. When he arrived within
| days march Of the city gate, the Daiai
Lama refused to allow him TO enter. A
second time, and yet a third time, the man
performed the painful penitential Journey
from Urga on his knees, until they became
as hard and horny as the calositiee on tne
knees and breast OF camel. Still the
Dalai Lama's heart did not soften. Ana
now,' DR.. Hedin's Lama concluded, see
ing that have sinned in guiding you mere,
what will happen to me? Even IL escape
with my life, my career will be ruined anu
shall never see Las a again"
DR.. Hedin and his followers, although
they were arrested, were not killed or
tortured. Herein they were singulariy
fortunate. It Is we'll known that Europeans
have disappeared in Tibet. The last TO
vanish were Dutreuil de Rhins and Rim
hard, although they had not got 30 close TO
Lassa as had the author OF these volumes.
A European in disguise, like DR.. Hedin,
was naturally exposed to even greater
danger, for II in the future any reckoning
should be demanded with regard to him,
quite truthfully: I'VE did not know he was
European; he called himself a Buriat."
As late as the 9th Of August, 1901 our ex-
plorer was in ignorance OF his fate. Ulti-
mately the Tibetan authorities decided to
send him back to the frontier under an
escort. He accounts for his escape In the
following way: "The Tibetans are in con-
slant communication with China; indeed.
they are nominally subject to that Power,
and China maintains representative at
Lassa and a yamen, or Official residence
in the vicinity Of Potala, the Temple Palace
of the Dalai Lama There can be no doubt
that the Lassa authorities had heard OF the
events which had recently occurred In emma
and knew what stern vengeance had been
exaoted for the murder OF Baron Won ket-
teller at Pelsin, and 90 considered 1t prudent
not to injure European.
So Dr. Hedin was sent back unharmed'
But the Lama who had guided him was
sternly interogated and severely repri-
manded. He was informed that "his name
was recorded in the black books OF the
temples and he would never be permitted
TO set foot in the Holy City again. II he
attempted to enter it hidden amongst
pilgrim caravan, he must take the conse-
uuences. He had been faithlees to his
priestly dignity and was traitor
Toward the end Of March, 1902, DR.. Hedin
reached Leh. whence 1t had been his inten-
ton to proceed northward over the pass OF
Karakorum. Ultimately, however, he de-
cided to go home by way Of India. trying
ho ho hptwnol the
Tibetan plateau, with its altitude OF 10000
to II 900 feet. and its rigorous winter to the
, hot summer OF the sea level. On his route
to India he traversed the Valley Of Himis.
and visited the famous Buddhist monastery
there. The edifce. he says, resen1bled a
cluster Of houses arranged like an amphi-
theatre, or rather a group OF swallows
nests, plastered against the face OF the
precipioe. After scrambling up winding
paths, and threading various gangways
and courtyards protected by breastworks'
he at length reached a little door in the
wall, and met with friendly reception from
the prior Il never says DR., Hedin, "in
all my life saw such labyrinth OF rooms
and cells, courtyards and passages, and
steep narrow stone stairways as there
was 10 this temple complex. Ttere was no
intelligible plan; each little wing seems to
have keen built just where there happened
to be tk most room to spare at the moment.
/ We we've taken to a gateway up steep
activity paved with fiat stones and shut
in between high walls. We turned sharply
round a corner and we're swallowed up in
dark passage which led to a series OF small
courtyards. We climbed up staircase
and obtained glimpse Of the interior OF a
temple. the gilded idols being only just per-
ceptible in the dim religious light. We
stepped out upon a terrace, and were
amazed at the glorious view which burst
upon our sight; but when we glanced be-
hind us we were once more astonished
that the temple town had not been long ago
crushed fiat by fall of the cliff which
overhung it 80 threateningly at the back.
Then we were led up another staircase,
along other passages, through other cup
boardlike apartments, until we got perfectly
bewildered 1t was like wandering through
a maze or an enchanted cave.
The first large apartment into which the
visitor was taken had a ceiling supported
by picturesque wooden columns. and con-
tanned the idol Dollma, with big. glowering
ewes. In front of the image, which was
said to be 400 years old, were ranged row
upon row of little glass bowls containing
water, rice. corn, -four, lard and butter. This
was the most revered idol in the monastery
The temples, OF which there we're seven
at Himis, we're called Dengkdng, and the
rooms where the monks read their noms
(sacred books) were called Tsokkdng. We
read that "the monks keep little lamp
burning perpetually in a huge goblet
shaped glass bowl filled with yellow fat.
The walls were hung with religious paint
ings in the shape of standards, often several,
one above another; while from the roof
were suspended a number Of draperies.
Long triple-pointed pennons wreathed the
columns, and baldachins shaped like gigan-
tic parasols were fixed above the images
Of the gods. Drums, bells. cymbas and
long wooden trumpets formed part Of the
equipment Of the temple. 1t was like walk
ing through museum, one that would
gladly have carried away with me. The
book shelves groaned under the volumes
Of Buddhist Scripture. All the otner
temples were furnished in similar way
with images of the gods and chortens
monumental pyramids) Of silver. set with
rubies. turquoises and gold. Through trap