Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-09
TWO YElRslIM TIBET
Lieut.. Filchner Tells of His
Daring, Expeditions.
WAS FAVORED BY LUCK
ATTACKED NIGHT AND DAY FOB
THREE MONTHS.
Took Scientific Observations During
the Rear Of Battle-Explored the
Course of the Hoang

Lieut.. wilhelm Filchner of the imperial
German army, an explorer who has become
famous in his own country and elsewhere
by reason Of his daring and difficult jour-
neys and explorations in the forbidden zone
of far-away Tibet, is in Washington. He
will remain here only day or two, how
ever, as on March II Lieut.. Filchner will
deliver a lecture at Harvard University on
his explorations and discoveries. Mrs.
Filchner accompanies her husband, and
they will sail about April / for their home
in Germany.
The expedition headed by the young Ger
man explorer did most of it's work along
the banks Of the Hoang-Ho, in Tibet, and
the story told by Lieutenant Filchner of
his experiences, his hair-breadth and mirac-
ulous escapes from death and pressing
danger, is of unusual interest. just as the
results he accomplished are of unusual inn
pOrtance.
attack following days of extraordinary
tranquility; at another surprised and almost
conquered by vastly superior force, and
twice betrayed by tried and trusted Chi
nese guides and interpreters, the lieutenant
nevertheless succeeded in accomplishing the
valuable explorations and discoveries he
had undertaken when he set out for the
forbidden land. For three months he was
under constant night and day attacks by
tribes of hostile natives. In the daytime he
was compelled to march his small force
with scouts in advance and thanking parties
to right and left, as If he were the van
guard of an invading force. and at night
a Gordon of sentinels surrounded his camp
place. Many times in making his obserya-
tons to determine the longitude and lati-
tude of salient geographical points in the
forbidden country, he took his reckonings
through his surveying and astronomical in
struments while the roar of battle went on
III, fbn h,111a fpnr, fI1a
of hostile natives whistled around his head.
Lieut.. Filchner told the story of his expe
dition today to Star reporter. The lieuten-
ant looks likes a typical German soldier.
He is straight and tall and fresh colored
with f1axen hair and blue eyes. His cheeks
bear the scars of wounds received in corps
duelS.
Lieut.. Filchner's Story.
"In December 1903" he said, II set out
from Shanghai accompanied by my wife,
going thence to Hankow and thence to
Ching-an-fu Then we crossed the Tsin-
Ling mountains, being the first white people
to cross at that point. We went on mules,
and the luggage we carried had to be trans
ported on the backs of coolies.
I'VE then made way, with several
brief stops to Hs-Ning, on the frontier of
Tibet, where l left my wife for six months,
and where she was engaged in making
geological, botanical, meteorological and
ethnographical collections. 1t was here also
that l organized my expedition, taking with
me fifty horses, thirty yaks, the best avail
able beasts of burden; twelve Chinese cool
les, three Interpreters, five Chinese soldiers
and provisions for six months.
Il had my passport into Tibet. which was
issued at Picking but the Chinese attempted
to hinder my progress as much as possible.
as they were afraid I would be injured or
killed and that they would be held
sponsible. .H,
In Danger of Bandits.
10,
part of Tibet occupied by a tribe that
preys on all strangers. pilgrims, and on
other Tibetans as we'll They organize
themselves into regular marauding bands
and scour the surrounding country TOR
victims. But we crossed the eastern from
tier without mishap, and for a While foi-
lowed the route taken by Grenard.
Next we crossed the Sian-si-pei noun
tains, travelling thence, to Tosso,Nor,
through an absolutely unpopula Zee
which is very strong and swift. although
l was anxious to cross it at that point,
took my party upstream for good as
lance and finally. with great difficulty,
SWAN the horses and yaks across near
Lake Oring-Nor.
I'VE then Travelled slowly southwark from
there until we arrived at the great Baleu
Kara mountains, to the south of the kola-
nam-tso. We followed then a bay of the
Hoang-Ho, and near the mouth or TINS
river we came unexpectedly upon the Lrst
Tibetan tents we had encountered. ihere
were about 1900 OF them. L pltched our
tents in this village, and found that most
of the warriors had gone out on a marauo-
ing expedition. This was fortunate as
| otherwise. there might have been trouble
| for nv party. So many unexpected thlnSs
| happened up to this time that L was con-
| strained to travel on at full speed SO as
| to reach my destinat ton before winter IN
Szechuan.
Attacked by the Tibetans.
"Going along the Hoang-Ho, we finally
reached Topa, from which place leu an
expedition to the southwark, and II was On
our return to this town that we were al.
tackled for the first time. IL occurred al
night and the Tibetans craWied up 10 OUT
| tents on all-fours holding in their hands
| long sharp knives with which to cut the
| tent ropes that the canvas Wouid Iai on
| US. This being done, they would stao US 10
| death before we could dlsentanSle our
! selves.
But they were discovered by my SEN
| tries the lieutenant added quickly, al
| though not before they had stolen our best
| horses For the remainder of that night
they continued shooting at our camp. ana
| SO on through the ensuing days ana nights.
Indeed from that time we were always
| anxious for fear of attack. We followed
| the HoangHo for month. passing through
large villages of the Ngoloks, and in one of
| these we were taken prisoners
Prisoners and Betrayed.
1--WE were disguised as Mohammedan
monks however and deceived the chief
ruler of the town, who finally gave us two
Tibetan guides. This was not accomplished
without some trouble, however, because
some of the natives of the place said they
had Travelled. and knew Europeans when
they saw them. and insisted that we were
Europeans, bent on no good errand. Our
assurances finally persuaded the chief that
we We're what we. claimed to be.
I'VE then went on ouriway. until was
betrayed by my trusted Chinese interpreter,
who thought he knew, more about the
proper route for US to take than l did.
Shortly before we reached the sharp bend
of the Hoang-Ho,g we left this river, and,
passing through bah narrow valley, came
| unexpectedly upoas a big Tibetan town.
| with It's stone houses. or, kuaba. We were
attacked at the same time by well-organ-
| lied infantry and cavalry As their forces
were much larger than ours l decided to
leave behind our tired animals and all the
| supplies We could spare. and with the best
horses and my scientific collections and
notes l tried to lead my party out of the
Tibetan fortress. After nearly two weeks,
full of every kind of hardship and priva-
ton. we managed to reach Sungpan. in
Szechuan. The last few days we were so
short of provisions that we had to live on