Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-13
By Col. Sir Frank Younghusband,
the Distinguished Explorer.
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T7 HIBET is no longer closed kingdom:
we have opened it up. AS the most
important result OF the expedition
which led to Lhasa, formal treaty was
signed, by which the country was practically
thrown open to foreigners Trading posts have
been established, and the natives are anxious
to cultivate friendly relations with the outside
world.
The city of Lhasa is situated in n lovely val
ley well irrigated, richly cultivated, and watcred
by river broad as the Thames at Westminster
1t is exceedingly picturesque, the town being
huddled about The base Of n lofty Hill, on which
stands the huge palace of the Grand Lama
an imposing structure of masonry, very solidly
built.
Many of the houses are Of stone and substan.
TALLY constructed, and not a few of them are
surrounded by shade trees. The picture pre-
sented to the eye by the rock-perched palace,
with the strange city ut Its base-the whole set
in beautiful valley. deep in the heart, of the
mountans-is wonderfully impressive.
But in order that YOU may understand some
thing about conditions in Thbct. MS they were
and as they are now, L shall have to give you Il
brief account of expedition, which, you
must understand, was political In character.
and not military. If we did some fighting OIL
attacked and had to defend ourselves Our
mission was pacific, the object IN view being
two-fold-first to PIT stop to annoying dis
turbances along the frontier which separates
India from Thihet, and. secondly, to persuade
the ThibetanS to remove the barriers which cx-
Guided our people and our trade.
Our expedition started from Darjeelng and
the first part of the journey lay through the
wonderful tropical forests of Sikkim-the
mountain sides covered everywhere with n
wealth of tropical vegetation Marvellous or
chids and innumerable butterflies OF brilliant
hues lent additional beauty to the scenes
through which we passed.
Steadily ascending. We finally emerged upon
the high Thibetan tableand, and found our.
selves in view Of Il magnificent panorama OF
one hundred and fifty miles Of the tnllest peaks
OF the Himalayas. with Everest, the Hottest
mountain in the world as the eliminating oh.
iect. In the DIM mysterious distance lay the
sacred city OF which so little is known and en-.
trance to which was barred by every obstacle
man or nature could raise.
mad started out with an escort OF only two
hundred men, But, finding that there was likely
TO be fighting, the expedition was reinforced by
n considerable body of troops, eventually
amounting TO about five thousand. When orders
were given to move forward to Gyantse Il town
half way to Lhasa, II was in midwipter. the
month being December
AT place called Yatung trading post had
been established under m old treaty But =
wall had been erected to shut out all intruders
anu beyond J, our traders had never hcen al
lowed to pass. The wall was built directly
across the road and high up the mountain edo
on either hand. We thought we might have TO
fight our way through but the great door in the
tower which guarded the road was standing
open. and thus we passed peaceably through tho