The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-12-30

! erlng higher than the Himalayas To
the geographer no fact was consid-
cred more firmly established than
| that the Himalayas formed the high
est range of mountains on the earth.
that they were the backbone of the
continent of Asia and that Tibet. the
vast plateau of Central Asia contain
ing not far from million square
miles, Or one-third of the area of the
United States, was bounded on the
south by the Himalayan range, on the
north by the Kuen-Lun mountains, and
that between these two great natural
barriers there was an almost level
plain, at greater altitude than the
summit of Mount Blanc, with a eli
mate OF arctic severity, and popu-
lation SO sparse that the region could
hardly be said to be peopled at all.
Yet now comes DR.. Sven Hedin. the
Swedish explorer, after a two years.
march through the wilds of Tibet. and
presents one of the most astounding
geographical discoveries since that of
the great lakes of Central Africa. For,
varying rom 100 TO 300 klometers,
there lies stupendous range greater
even than that which has hitherto
been known as the backbone of the
earth" SO that the spine of our plan
ct must be shifted from the northern
frontier of India to line, 100 to 900
miles further north in the heart of a
country heretofore almost inacces-
sible, and even now, scarcely better
known than the region round the
north pole. The newly discovered
range, SO far as Dr. Hedins observa-
tons extended does not contain so-
lated peaks higher than Mount Ever
est Of Kanchanjanga though this is
matter yet to be determined, for
though he crossed the range at three
points. his knowledge of the remain
der was limited to information fur
nished him by the natives, but the
general average height of the new
found range is 1000 to 5000 feet high
er than that of the Himalayan peaks,
and the passes average about 5000
feet above those of the southern
chain. For over 1000 miles this gl-
gantic rival of the most famous noun
tain chain in the world stretches from
east TO west and in the valley between
the two mountain ranges are vast
lakes, frozen eight months in the year,
but whose floods during the remain
ing four give rise TO the principal riv-
ers of southern Asia, the Brahmapu-
ira, the sacred Indus and the holy
Himalayas in their western course the
last traversing almost the entire val
ley rising within a few miles of the
sources of the Indus and Gauges and
running directly east for more than
900 miles until it makes sharp
turn TO the south. tears its way
through the Himalayas and descends
by a series OF falls 10 the tropical
plains of the south
So far as the Europeans were con
cerned, access TO Tibet was practical
ly impossible until with the last few
years. For over SO years no European
penetrated the country. the last adj
venturer until quite recently. being
an English officer, who, about the be-
ginning of the nineteenth century.
made a journey through the country,
disguised as an Indian trader Many
efforts have been made in The last
10 years by enterprising travellers, in
Guiding DR.. Hedin himself, but all
were driven back either by the diff
culties of penetrating the country,
desert, inhospitable, with few living
resources, or BY the jealousy of the
natives, who, since history began,
have been intolerant of the visits OF
foreigners.