The Ely miner., 1920-11-12
To Search for
Missing Link

wishes seriously to study Asiatic 20
ology one must go to the British Mu-
scum of London. 1t is hoped that this
expedition will bring to New York the
greatest natural history collections
which the world has ever seen and
will make New York the center OF
Asiatic scientific activity.
One of the reasons why so little is
known of the fossils of China and
interior Asia is that material of this
sort is of considerable value to the
Chinese. Fossils are supposed to have
wonderful medicinal qualities. They
are known as dragons bones" and
whenever a fossil yielding locality has
been found, it is carefully concealed.
Nevertheless during the last three
years DR.. ]. G. Anderson, Mining Ad-
wiser to the Chinese Republic, has
been carrying on Investigations on be-
half of Swedish institutions and has
made some remarkable discoveries. DR..
Anderson is practically the first sci
enlist who has ever collected fossils
personally in China.
We know almost as little about some
of the living natives of Asia as about
the fossil history of the country. Long
before the Chinese arrived, China was
inhabited by aboriginal tribes, which
were pushed south and west Just
as the Indians were driven westward
by the white men when they ad-
vanced across the American continent.
The remnants of nearly thirty of
these ancient tribes, such as the Lolos,
Mosos, Lisos and others, are rapidly
disappearing and yet almost nothing
is known of their origin, life or Gus
toms.
Keep Chinese Out.
Although many of the aborigines
were scattered among the mountains
of Yunnan and KweichOw and along
the Tibetan frontier, the Lolos, still
maintain an independent territory in
SZechuan, one of the richest and most
populous provinces of ChiDa. No Chi
nese is permitted to cross the invisible
lines of their Kingdom" without the
probability of incurring violent
death. Continual raids are carried on
back and forth along the border Per-
haps the Chinese will capture a score
or more of LolOs who have ventured
to glimpse the world beyond their wild
hills and valleys. In retaliation, few
nights later. the Lolos will burn
whole Chinese village, kill all the men
and, carry the women into slavery.
Thus the Lolos have earned reputa-
tion as barbaric savageS. And yet
French explorer who crossed their
territory, properly 'chaperOned." re-
ports them to be charming people, of
hospitable temper and high mentality.
He is one of the few scientists who
have penetrated the land of the LoiOs
and live to tell the tale. Mr.. Andrews,
who has hunted with Lolos in Yunnan,
found them Independent, to be sure,
but delightful in their native courtesy
and simplicity.
He says: 1T is impossible not to be
in this strange people. They
are totally unlike the Chinese for
they are tall and slender, with lorg
faces and patrician noses. and they
show every indication of Caucasian
blood If they have it, where did 1t
come from? This is one of the ques
tions that should be answered before
the LOlos disappear, as the other tribes
as rapidly doing"
There are many reasons why Cen
trail Asia has remained scientifically
for so long a time. 1t is
SO remote and difficult of access that
the cost of conducting work on. a
large scale is enormous. Moreover
the country and its inhabitants pre-
sent unusual obstacles to scientific re-
search. Not only are there vast in
mountain chains, waterless |
deserts and treeless plains, but in |
many parts the climate is too cold for |
work in winter. In some |
places the natives, are exceedingly |
suspicious of foreigners; religious su-
perStitiOns greatly handicap research |
anc make it decidedly dangerous.
Chinese Superstitious.
The Chinese have many supersti-
tions regarding the ground. The feng
shut, the spirits of the earth. wind |
and water, must always be favorable
before burial takes place. and it is
exceedingly unlucky to disturb the
ground in the region of cemetery.
Though our paleontologists are GER
Immigrants. he said. nlan their des-