Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-01-18

CPreszred ~ tae SasiouaI Gsor-phie So
clflF. WasltrFflE- - %
Few Countries are more Isolated
than Tibet with the huge bulk Of
China hemming Il Ia on the east. the
worlds greatest rampant ~ noun
taIus 30 the south and west, and vast
desert sXrauSe 60 the north. Behind
these hulwarEs Tibet has existed for
centuries. Unacceptable % the knock
iur ~ modern ideas: and IL Is today.
therefore. ln Institutions and customs,
one az the most primitive ~ the lnrg-
or Continental countries which have
any semblauce u governmental ma
chiuery. Buddhism seems 90 have
been the only one IL the great forces
u1,LIn- the outside world which made
itself felt behind Tibet's towering
mountains: and even that force. hav-
tug once gained success. has been al
most swallowed up Boo the devil wor-
ship which j. the highest religion that
the TIhetuus themselves have evolved.
Until q few years ago the West
knew practically nothing ~ Tibet eN-
cert tLe rather doubtful Information
brought "a the outside world by a few
ADVENTUROUS travellers uf the middle
ages. Explorer after explorer dur
Iue the past century was turned back
with but a feeJing glimpse of the
edge II the unknown land. usually In
the sparsely settled regions VI the
north. 4s
BUT though much Of Tibet Is un-
known. civilization has set few out
posts In the eastern edge OF the c0un-
try close 10 the Chinese border. and
e. has cume a. know provincial tt
bet fairly well Tie valley 81 the
YanEtze. where that greatest OF Chi
nese rivers lows almost due south az
the eastern end ~ the Himalayas,
forms the southern portion ~ the Dor
de- between China proper and Tibet
Theoretically Tibet j. a vassal state Of
China. but actually since the Chinese
revolution Tibet has kept all Chinese
officials out and has swum free under
hct ruling priests Even the region
on the China side ~ the Nangtze Is
mure Tibeian than Chinese.
This border region. which is better
known 70 the outside world than any
other part - Tibet. is a country u
hish piateaus and muntalns. The prin-
clpal city q the region. Batang. Is
one q the lowest points. yet It's alti-
tude IL e.co0 feet above sea level,
nearly twice that 81 Denver. Much
81 the surrounding plateau is 1000
% 1900 feet high. Prom this great
upland rise numerous peaks 10000
fees and more In height.
Tremendous Mountain Panorama.
The view from the SUBMITS of some
% tie passes that must be traversed
In travelling about this maryel0usly
rugxed country can hardly be sur
p.sEed anywhere In the world. The
panorama for hundreds OF miles on
a clear day i one ~ countless high
peaks interpreted with greater snowy
masses that exceed In height the top
most pIunacles u all ether continents.
Below timber line are some fne for
ests. and the Alpiue-like flowers OF
the short summer are exceedingly
beautiful Here aud there among the
mountains are clear. sparkling lakes,
their waters 50 cold that In most OF
them fish CANNOT live.
Many q the TIbetans are nomads,
tending focks % sheep and yak on
the uplands. and living In black. yak
hair tents In those valleys which
are low enough 90 permit the matur-
ing q grain. other TIbetans practice
a rude soTs ~ agriculture.
In spite q the cold winters the tent
q the year-ar0und home Of the no
RAIDS and they seldom even enter a
house. A. The snow melts on the
lower slopes ~ the mountains in the
spring. they follow their herds up-
ward from the valleys In It's train.
until IN mid summer they are living
far VI In the highlands and on the
sides u the peaks. When winter be-
gins 10 st IN they make the reverse
journey. going down 20 the valleys
only as fast as the descending snow
line drives them.
The farmers OF the lower valleys
I'VE In substantial houses OF mud