The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-29
Great Brian ChaSlnga Bogey
ON the Drea,y Roof Of World

CONCLUDED FROM PAGE 1. PART p
lies and friends. but if unfriendly influences
creep up and lodge under our walls We are
compelled to intervene, because danger
would thereby grow up and menace our
security. l have no desire to push on any
where, but l would suffer any imputatiOn
rather than be unfaithful sentinel and
allow the future peace of the country to be
compromised by encroachment from out
side which would have only one meaning"
That gave the whoIe thing away, Not for
disregarding treaty obligations imposed
upon ii by another power, but for hobnob-
bling with Russia, Thibet has been invaded.
At all costs the Grand Lama is to be
taught that he cannot say "howdy" to the
Car and keep British emissaries cooling
their heels I'm the SHOWS at the gateways OF
his territory. Especially when the Russian
bear has big fight on his hands and can
not use his teeth and claws in other direc-
tions. 1t has already cost the lives OF
several hundred wretched Thibetans What
the end of it will be no one can foresee.
Only by the continued exercise OF the per
suasive powers Of guns and bayonets can
the Thibetans be got TO yield obedience TO
any treaty which diSregardS their tradi-
tional policy of the exclusion of the white
race. If British resident were stationed
at Lhassa to look out for British interests
and counteract Russian intrigueS he would
very be murdered unless d strong
British force were kept there To protect
him. So excellent an authority as Sir
Henry Cotton, formerly chief secretary to
the government of Bengal, declares that a
Russian invasion of India through Thibet
is physical impossibility. Even Hedin,
who came near losing his life in an attempt
TO reach LhaSsa, has told OF the iInpenetra-
BILE barriers that interpose between it and
the Russian boundary, which is thrice the
distance of the Indian frontier from it.
point the Thibetan expedition is big blum
der. In view of the slaughter of the natives
il has entailed il might be termed some
thing far worse. British newspapers that
pnuv xyiOnrnnG1N nj
ton would not hesitate to so stigmatize it if
Russia had played the game in a SIM
liar fashion.
INTENTIONALLY ECONOMICAL
Accounts received from the expedition
confirm the previous reports of adventurous
explorers that the Thibetans are a most
undesirable people with whom to cultivate
close relations. A Japanese traveller. who
recently succeeded in reaching Lhassa and
published his Impressions declares that the
serious faults of the Thibetans are only
four in number-O they are very lewd, (0
they are incredibly dirty, CD they lie with
out limit. (D their taste in art runs chiefly
to brass devils with protruding tongues
AS to their virtues, the Jap says he made
diligent search for them, but failed to
find anything which could be so described"
The ThibetanS are matrimOnially a very
economical people because their country
does not contain subsistence for an in
crease of population. Hence the rule of one
wife to several husbands. Their climate
does not encourage ablutions. Accumula-
tons of dirt they regard as a blessed and
natural means OF protection from the cold
BY long training and the influence of he
redity they have rendered their olfactory
organs Indifferent to odors that a Euro
pean would find absolutely uncomfortable.
which they assiduously cultivate. In their
hodge-podge Of a religion, which has very
little genuine Buddhism left in 1t. devils
play a more important part than deities
This accounts for their Partially for them.
Sticking out the tongue with them, in
stead Of being an insulting gesture, is a
form of salutation which takes the place
of the handshake.
In proportion to the population lamas-
saries, as their monasterieS are termed,
are about as numerous as saloons in the
centerS of Anglo-Saxon civilization. They
are the most priest-ridden people on earth.
One monk TO a family is about the aver
age. Most of their praying is done mechan-
ically by means of praying wheels. 1t is in
curSing they exert most energy and have
the strongest abiding faith They regard
il as a means of national defense. Again
and again they allowed the British eXped-
ton 10 thread its ant-like way through
passes where a few resolute men might
have held whole army at bay, while from
a safe distance they hurled maledictions
upon IL. And when they would have been
wiser to have stuck to their imprecationS
they fought and were slaughtered.
They got postponement of the. advance
of the mission from Tuna while the lamas
held a combination service at Guru, and
for the space of three days solemnly and
devoutly cursed, denounced. execrated an
athematized, and consigned TO everlasting
perdition the British invaders. 1t reminds
one of the story told in the Ingoldsby
Legends when the cardinal fell upon the
Jackdaw of Rheims. and
| Cursed him in eating he cursed him I'm drinking.
| He cursed him in coughing. in sneezng, IN
winging;
| He cursed him in sitting. in standing in lying,
| He cursed him in walking, in riding in flying
| He cursed him in living, he cursed him in dying.
Never heard such terrible curse,
And after this vast expenditure OF pious
| maledictions, very true it must have been
| that among the poor. superstitious Thibet-
/ ans
| What gave rise
| To the little surprise,
Nobody seemed one penny the worse.
/ For at Guru the British force tn ned up