New-York tribune., 1920-10-31


md . total Of FIVE years will be
pent exploring Centra Asia. The
@hinese government will oe invited
o add as many scientists to the
oarty as they Sc, fit.
Explaining why this treasure
louse has remained so long un-
touched by scientists, Mr.. Andrews
said:
A DesoIafe Region
"There are many reasons why
Central Asia has remained scien-
.ifically unexplored for so long a
me. 1t is so remote and difficult
ef access that the cost Of work on
a large scale is enormous. More
{ yer, the country and its inhabitants
present unusual obstacles to scien-
t'fic research. Not only are there
vast intersecting mountain chains,
wateriess deserts and treeless plains,
but in many parts the climate is too
cold for effective work in winter. In
some places the natives are exceed
ingly suspicious of foreigners; re-
ligious superstitions greatly handi-
cap research ana make it decidedly
dangerous. The Chinese have many
superstitions rege riding ground. The
feng shut, the spirits Of earth. wind
and water, must always be favorable
before burial tokes place. and it is
exceedingly unlucky to disturb the
ground in th. Aeighborhood of n
cemetery. AS CT ma is one vast
5urial grourd, there is rot much
loom left to dig. Besides this, fos-
sils have a great value for the Chi
neso. They are known as dragon
bones, and are ::lpposed to possess
remarkable medicinal qualities. The
Chinese medicine men grind them up
snd mix them with some acid and
make an acid phosphate which is
helpful in some cases. Therefore, if &
rative finds fossil bearing rock he
>onceals it with The greatest care,
for it is a virtual gold mine to him.
s'In Tibet ccnditions are even
more difficult All the gold in the
country belongs TO the Lama Church.
and the natives imagine only two
reasons why Foreigners should come
TO their country either as gold seek
ers or missionaries. They want
nothing of one or The other"
After Strange Animals
Mr.. Andrews is not going only for
the missing link, however. The ex-
pedition will bring back a great col
lection of Asiatic mammals, living
and fossil. Mr.. Andrews says:
"Not only was Central Asia pre-
sumably the cradle Of the human
race, but also it was the center Of
distribution for many Of the animals
living to-day in Europe. America
and other parts Of the world For
instance, the caribou, moose, elk or
wapiti, the bighorn sheep and the
so-called Rocky Mountain goat arc
All Of Asiatic origIn. TIE human
problem is closely connected with tht
animal life both of the present ant
the past"
; While as for living animals, 0,
the Tibetan steppes are enormou
yak, snow leopards, giant panda
, and beautiful golden monkeys witt
: blue, upturned noses. Some Of thes
, species are among the rarest am
/ least known animals in the world
in China is the takin, a creatur
t x;th veritab'e golden fleece.
t strange, oxlike animal that rcam
t the highest mountain valleys an
4 that actually represents an interme
e diate stage between the antelope an
the goat. In the forests Of Mar
t churia is the long haired tiger of tn
n Amur River, tiger larger and fine
: than the Royal Bengal of India
e Specimens of all these animals Wi
d be brought back for the Asiatic Ha
l. Of the Museum of Natural Histor
e. 1t is part Of the aim Of the exped
tion to make New York the hea
ii quarters Of information on Asia.
4 A