The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-11-30

II ftE most seciuueu polohedeo III INC
lCD world, the Dalai-Lama of Thibet,
arrived in Pelin recently, with
a suite of several thousand Tribetans,
after four years journey.
The Dalai-Lama, who is head of the
Northern Buddhist chureh-distinct from
the Buddhism of Ceylon-fed from his
official residence at Lhasa when that city
was captured by the English expedition
under Colonel Younghusband nearly hve
years ago, and has been wandering ever
since through North China, quarterlng
his immense retinue upon the towns and
villages, an unwelcome but awe-inspiring
visitor
In anticipation of his arrival in Pekin
great preparations were made for his &C
commodation at the Yellow Temple, which
is situated mile or SO to the north OF
the city wall. On the day of his arrival
September 28, the vicinity of the Pekin-
Hankow railway station presented a scene
of great animation. A special pavilion
had been built where the Chinese officials
were to receive him and obtain his bless
ing. A regiment of Chinese infantry and
band were on parade, while crowds of chi
nese interspersed with foreigners of all
nationalities, swarmed the streets, the
city wall, and even the nearby house-tops.
The all-pervading snapshotters We're
perched here and there at the best van
tage-points, alert and eager to secure a
lasting impression of the unique per-
sonage, whose coming was an event or
unprecedented Importance in Pekln. NO
expectant throng awaiting Mardi Gras
procession, no passing of the funeral cor
tege of royalty, could have been of
greater interest.
The Dalai-Lama was not scheduled to
arrive until 1870 p. M, but by 10 O'Clock
in the morning q large body of his suite
made their appearance, bewildered and
open-mouthed it being the first experience
with a railway. and the few hours pre-
ceding having been filled with sights novel
TO them. They scattered about in groups,
some looking In the freight cars for their
horses and some for their baggage. They
formed a most picturesque coupe doeh,
being dressed in red saffron, and purple
loose-htting garments, with wonderful
hats and turquoise earrings two and a
half inches long. Many were leading
ponies caparisoned In coiors still more
brilliant than their own garb.
The complete pandemonium accompany
ing the unloading of their belongings,
their gutteral shouts and imprecatipns,
their sinister facial expressions, the net
erogeneous movements of their arms and
legs filled the onlookers with delight
They would take freight car by assault,
Just as they would have attacked for
tress OF the Middle Ages. and after much
scrambling and ransacking would emerge
VIGOROUSLY with dirty bundles tied up
In goatslxins These each carried to some
companion, who kept vigilant watch over
it. Storming another van, they would
again make a triumphant return, bearing
boxes lined with camelslzn and roped
with camePs hair. After grouping their
possessions together, there was a wild
and confused loading on to camels, and
then they went off with more or less i'm
peded progress. over 500 camels were pro-
yided by the imperial government for the
Transportation of the Lama's effects.
Occasionally one of these animals would
rend the air with a weird and piercing
shrek or would kick vieiously at some
offending Thibentan. And this unexpect-
ed musical number on the programme,
as well as the gymnastic feat, contribut-
ed greatly to the entertainment of the
open-air audience.
A little farther away the musicians
were rehearsing for the afternoon process
sion. Mounted on their Tribetan ponies,
the drummer beating away on the double
drum, and the pipers piping out discords,
they were a peculiar band to look upon.
AS they were dressed exactly the same
as all the other Thibetans around, 1t was
a strange surprise to find out later that
these musicians were women.
Self-preservation and self-dignity were
shown in striking contrast, the frightened
Thibetans beating hasty retreat when
followed by the persistent and ubiquitous
camera fiends. One old Lama priest con-
scented to pose for me only after I had
assured him by repeated and emphatic
gestures (the Tribetans do. not speak Chi
| uese) that l would not shoot him. One
young fellow was SO paralyzed with fear
when pointed my camera at him that
l caught him in the act of stiffening, so
| to speak.
The excitement had fairly subsidized by
| 1 o'clock, and with the arrival of the
| Chinese dignitaries the Chinese regiment
and band lined up in excellent order The
| train was on time. After the embroidered
| yellow silk chair of the Dalai-Lama had