The sun., 1908-06-21

their own history they know nothin9--of
their conquest Of the ambient world, Of
their stfuggie against China, and Of their
final defeat for want OF organisation.
Neither do they know tho time when
Genghis Khan lived. The custodian Of
the tomb when questioned by Comte
de Lesdain replied that at least 5000 years
had passed since his death. and when the
traveller tried 10 convince him OF his mis-
take he simply turned his back and care
fully shut tho doors OF the first tent. whica
serves as an ante-ohamber. after having
nut out the tallow lamp which he had
lighted when they came In.
There was, In fact, little to see. and still
less to admire. at Edchen Koro The tents
contained nothing remarkable except the
coffin. AZ everywhere else In all temples,
whether large or small which our traveller
visited in Mongolia, some colored flags.
dirty and dusty pieces Of silk, few knick-
knacks, looking glass over the coffin,
some prayers written on pieces Of cloth and
a canopy of silk easily filed the chief
tent, which 10 only four and half yards
long and three yards broad. This tent,
by the way, was the only felt one Of an
oval shape that Comte de Lesdain saw. As
to the first tent, 1t was absolutely empty.
It seems that the territory Of Edchen Koro
is under the rule Of the King Of Wangtse,
one Of the petty princes Of the Ordos, and
the key OF the coffin itself is deposited In
his palace. Az to the Mongols trusted to
keep the tombs, they form little tribe
called -Targat' Tin the Mongol Language
that which pays no taxee"). The fact
that they keep watch over tho great Khan's
remains exempts them from the slight
annual payments exacted from their fellow
countrymen. The traveller confesses that
he expected to find a sumptuous or at least
q respectable monument and that the dis
oovery Of the really lamentable state Of
things was disappointment to him. But
FOR the two gilded balls above them, these
two tents. meant to commemorate the
worlds greatest conqueror, would entirely
fail to catch the eye OF wayfarer.
We are told that the road which the author
Of this book followed through ALASKAN.
the Mongolian region that lies directly
west Of the Ordos. had never been trav-
ersed by any European. What made 1t
interesting was the number of old, buried
cities which used to flourish on banks long
deserted by the Yellow River The ruins.
half sunk in the ground. some entirely
covered with sand and others perfectly
intact. bear impressive witness to the former
existence OF a considerable civilization
which our traveller seems TO have been the
first European TO look upon, after lapse
of time impossible to calculate accurately.
during which they have been lost to the
knowledge of men. At San-tao-ho Comte
de Lesdain found considerable settlement
OF Christian converts, who made successful
defence of the place against the Boxers in
1900 because their m ssionaries refused
to leave their flock in the moment Of danger.
Our travel er's personal experience. how
ever did not give him favorable opinion
of Chinese Christians. He recommends
travellers in Mongolia always to take with
them heather Chinese for the native Chris
tians, accustomed to being constantly
helped and pampered by their missionaries.
exact the same amiable and oonhdsntial
treatment from their employers The chief
Of a caravan. however. must keep his men
at a distance and make himself respected.
This, it secms, is impossible in dealing with
Chinese Christians. who become instantly
familiar and discuss their orders as soon an
they cease TO grovel.
The furthest westerly point reached
by Comte de Lesdain was An-si Chou, in
latitude al north. whence he proceeded
southward through the territory Of thS
Zaidam Mongols, passed the source Of the
Hoang-ho and proceeded thence to the
upper waters Of the Yangtse-kiang, whence
he crossed Tibet to Shigatse. a point west
Of Lhasa. on the Tsangpo or Brahmaputra
River. from which point the journey to
India was comparatively easy. About the
remaining portion Of Tibet the author has
but little to say. being we'll aware that since
the Tibetan expedition under Col. Young
husband the country south of the Brahnaa-
putra has become we'll known. The general
aspect Of southern Tibetsis quite different
from that Of the more northeTiy part. Tho
true Tibet, the Tibet Of the adventurous
explorer, lies to the north and 10 a. oom-
pletely icebound and desolate a. southern
Tibet is smiling and attractive.
At Gyantse the resident political agent,
Capt. O'Connor, who had remained there
after the return Of the Younghusband
expedition. entertained the traveller until
the latter could procure permission from
the Calcutta Government TO proceed south
by way Of Sikkim. During the remainder
OF his journey Comte de Lesdain had the
satisfaction of feeling that he had been
the first European to croes Tibet from
north to south and to enter India by that
route. There is no doubt that he has cor
rected number Of geographical mistakes.
He found, for example. that part Of the
Cobb Desert is by no means absolutely
barren. villages existing wherever there
is a small stream or well. He also ascer-
tanned that certain lakes marked on ono Of
the maps Of Asia published by the London
Royal Geographical Society do not exist.
Whether other travellers will undertake TO
follow in his track 10 doubtful. in view Of
the almost insurmountable difficulties which
he encountered.
Cardinal Newman.
1t may be a little early to include New.
man among the aWorld'a Epoch Makaya