The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-21
RUSSIAN BUDDHIST'S
STORY OF THIBET
He Penetrated to Terra Incognito and Learned
It's Manners and Customs

belongs to the Dalai Lama. Only high
officials in Lhassa have hereditary
homes. 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 cheerlessly cold.
The common run of folks wear white,
the wealthy red, officials yellow 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, but
ter, sour milk. and vegetables are
main items of the diet. Wheat spirits
sell for a cent a bottle. Men smoke
tobacco and the priests take snuff.
The people of Central Thibet are pas
sionately attached to their religious
observances, which are purely formal.
Prayers are regarded as of magic po-
tency, and figure in all ordinary and
extraordinary affairs of life. Medicine
is in small popular favor. Morals are
primitive and marriage ties are loose.
Both polygamy and polyandry are COM
mon.
Agriculture and cattle-raising are
the principal employments. Wheat
barley, peas and beans, cattle, sheep,
yaks, horses, asses and mules are the
main products. Yaks and asses are
used as pack animals. Labor is cheap
men being paid or cents a day.
while women usually serve for their
keep. Even a lama receives only 10
cents for a whole days prayers. Sheep
skins, cattle, yak tails, statues, books
and yellow lama caps are exported.
The yak tails serve as horse tails in
the outfit of Turkish pashas. English
and Indian cotton and woolenS and
copper and enamel utensils are intro
duced from India, tea, silks and cot
tons, horses and asses from China.
Lhassa was built in the seventh CEN
fury. 1t has 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 a protection
against overfiows. A fine broad street
around the city serves for religious
professions and penitential exercises.
Penitents go the length of this street,
falling to the ground every five or six
feet. so that in a day they PROSTATE
themselves about 5000 times. The city
is small having at most only 1O,OOO
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
giIded Chinese roofs. 1t shelters the
gigantic bronze statue of Buddna
which has a hammered gold jewelled
headdress. A sacrificial fire. fed with
melted butter, burns before the statue.
Other statues and relics are kept In
other chambers of the same temple,
among which is the statue OF the God
dess of Women, TO which are offered
spirits and wheat. The wheat Is at
once eaten by mice. In the same tenn
pie are also rooms for the Dalai Lama
and his council
The residence Of the Dalai Lama is
about a mile away from Lhassa, on
Mount Bodela OBuddha La. IL was
built IN the seventh century. Nearby
IS the old castle. HOdsOn-DOdala, which
Is 400 feet long and nine stories high.
Here are located the treasury, the
mint. the schools Of theology and med
iclne. quarters for 100 officials ana
300 monks. and a prison. ~ many 9s
900 priests participate in religious
pr0oesei0ns 10 this mountain.
81 Z0ubikoy ALSO minuteiy described
various m0nasieries and temples, TO-
Guiding three near Lhaass, where 49,
900 n0nks are mainly engaged ln
iesrned pureuits a. one ~ these,
Eraban. nearly t,0gg bgys. ygune nien