Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-17
At BUDDHA'S SHRINE.
Tommy Atkins Camps In Shad-
ow Of Larna's Palace.
LAssA's MYSTERIES REVEALED,
Door of Magic City, Closed For Many
an Trade Treaty-A Prophecy Full
Aned-The Golden Temples as Seen
Through British Eyes.

The fight of the dalai lama and the
signing in his palace at Lassa OF an
Anglo-Iibetan treaty mark the elimi-
nation Of the last vestige Of Russian
influence and the firm establishment Of
British control in Tibet. They mark also
the end of the remarkable exclusive
ness which has been preserved for SO
many centuries by the mysterious in
aaDitants Of the roof of the world
The vel has been lifted from the
magic city Of Lassa, the seat Of the
gods" and today Tommy Atkins. $50
strong, camps beside the palace of the
dalai lama, while General Macdonald
tramps through the streets of the
lama capital
Above the heads of the British sol
diers rear the massive gold covered
roofs of POtaIa, the famous Red pal
ace" as it is called, and of the Jovo
khang, or temple OF the Lord Bud
dha." Of the Kunduling or residence of
the regent or king OF Tibet and the
massive buildings Of the upper and
lower schools Of mysticism.
Seven miles in circumference IS Las
sa, in the form of great oval, but the
densely populated part of the town is
comparatively small. and its golden
roofs and minarets cluster thickly to
gether.
The reports from the British forces
all agree that the first view of the
town in approaching il from the west
is remarkable. On the left is n conical
hill. Oh which is situated the dalai
Iama's residence. with its lofty build
ingS and its roof of gold. between
which and the town winds q broad
avenue Of ancient trees.
To the right IS Changpa hill. sur
mounted by the medical college, an
immense structure over u quarter of Il
mile long and several stories high
Between these two regal hills. crowned
by their wonderful structures, the Wis
flor 10 Lassa catches sight Of the For
hidden City. 1t appears a closely
packed mass OF we'll built. white
houses. surmounted by roofs of blue.
glazed tiles. with here and there the
glittcring minarets and spires thrust |
ing upward toward the cold, clear sky |
overhead and over all the dominating |
presence Of temples and palaces.
The most striking feature of the |
city is undoubtedly Potala. the palace
OF the dalai lama, Buddha's vice
regent on earth The palace Is an az
grcGation Of several temples the mid.
die one. which dominates the rest, be
ing the Red palace, containing the
great audience hall. where the dalai
lama. clad in yellow and seated on
a throne supported by carved lions
was wont to receive pilgrims.
The Red palace Is crowned by dome |
covered entirely with plates OF gold, |
and from this roof at the great festi- |
walls the dalai lama contemplated his |
worshipcrs as they advanced along the |
plain and FRUSTRATED themselves ut the
foot of the sacred mountain.
Three-quarters of mile 10 the |
southwest is NOrbu Ling. the summer |
palace of the dalai lama. situated in
the midst of a beautiful garden. in |
which the British force is now en-
camped.
The Jovo KhanS. or Temple of the |
Lord Buddha, is an immense building |
with three Chinese roofs covered with |
gold. the upper stories of the cdifice |
being supported by great wooden pill |
lars ten feet in diameter. Here is an |
eXquisitely modelled image of Buddha |
said by the priests to have been made |
during the life of the great teacher |
Around this are placed many golden !
lamps. which are kept burning con |
stantly. supplied with melted butter
North OF this temple stands the |
house of the astrolOger royal and his
hundred retainers. with an enormous
golden cupola which is visible for
many miles.
There is enough gold in Lassa to pay
the national debt of Great Britain and
the United States If the rumor CON
stantIy repeated be true. and some
thing OF the truth of this statement
rs inferred from the massive plates OF
gold which cover the roofs OF the
buildings.
On the southern side q the city
flows the EyiChu rivey. while a canal
diverted from the river flows 10 the
north, inclosinG the city entirely by
water Across the canal is the huge
stone bridge over which crossed the
British forces.
As yet 10 accurate idea of the pOpu
lation of Lassn has been obtained. Ii
IS the home of the very heart of Bud
Chism, and every tenth person is
priest OF Buddha.
Those who are not priests are more
or less Intimately connected with the
administration OF the religious govern
ment OF Tibet either as the servants of
the priests or laborers In the temples
or as subordinate lay officials OF the
priesthood government.
Human life is held 50 cheaply that
the slightest offeuse. the most trivial
fufractiOn OF the rules OF the order of
Buddha, is punished by death and usu-
ally death by torture. The people OF
ILussa are temperate, drinking nothing
but tea. but the priests. il Is said. are
immoral, given 10 drunkenness on bar
ley wine and leading lives within their