Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1923-11-24
SCIENTIST HAS
NARROW ESCAPES
Chinese Bandits Endanger Life Of
Washington Plant Specialist.
ENTIRE TOWN IS WIPED OUT


escapes from bandits are Detailing Jos.
Neph +. Rock, Washington scientist,
who entered Yunnan province, China,
on quiet search for plants, but, now
faces dangers from which, he writes,
"God knows where I will emerge"
Mr.. Rock went to the remote Burma.
Tibet frontiers of China, as head Of q
National Geographic society expedi.
ton which hoped to bring back nu-
mer0us plants for American introduce
tion, study the mystery of how Amer
lean native corn apparently was trans
planted there before 1892. and to seek
a blight-resisting chestnut tree. He is
the man who found the chaulmoogra
trees, oil from which is used to treat
leprosy.
From Likiangfu, China, he writes,
under date of June IL:
II just returned from an exciting
trip to the Lachiming salt mines.
Money is dreadfully scarce, paper
is useless as no one will take 1t, es-
pecially up here with all these tribes
people.
II decided to risk It and make
dash for Lachiming, in the heart of
the widest mountain ranges imag-
Unable, to get funds to carry on the
work and to see me through to wher-
ever God knows where I will emerge.
II had four Chinese drafts on the
Lachiming salt mines from the Tall
Salt office. n
OFFICIAL Feared for His Life.
SAT first the Likiang official refused
to give me an escort and said he
feared for my life and would not let
me go. Finally I said ! must have
money and I would risk it. He gave
me two opium sodden, disreputable
wretches Of soldiers as escorts. They
were simply nuisance and an ex-
pense. They were, Of course, only to
60 as, far as the next magistrate which
IL at Chen Chilean.
'There got four soldiers az far
as .Lauping. Lauping is not on any
map as it is in unsurveyed territory.
At Lauping which is Ave days west
from Lkiang, I got I'VE soldiers and
thence we started out through the
widest country imaginable to Lachi,
ming. Dense forests, deep ravines
high mountain passes. the loveliest and
weirdest imaginable. I. was not afraid
going to Lachiming, but I feared the
return trip with about $4,000 in silver
In the trunks.
II took seven of my Moso men along
and five soldiers from Lauping, be.
sides myself, so we were thirteen PEG.
pie in all. We reached Lachimins
safely and had no trouble to get the
money. I had to 60 at the end of the
month to arrange it so that I would
reach the mines on the first. which
did.
the roads are watched by the brigands
as usually on such dates money is dis.
patched. I was told. at Talifu to ar
range to be at the mines about, the
first Of the month. 1t is exceedingly
difficult to keep things secret. We
had no sooner arrived in Lachiming
than everybody knew why we came
did not stay longer than I had to
to prevent the news travelling faster
than we did, so left the next morn.
ing with an additional escort from
Lachiming. Thanks to the gods
reached Likiang without mishap.
II put four scoundrels into the jail
in Lauping where they got beating
as they tried to foul me. but ! got
ahead Of them and so here am safe
with the cash with which to carry on
Entire Town Wiped Out.
ION my trip up the Yangtze and
the Yundodye river toward Chungtien
met the Grand Lama on the road
who informed me that not house has
been left standing in Chungtien. The
whole place has been burned and the
Chinese official flew to Likiang where
he is at present. Two thousand Ii
4 betan bandits are at Hsiao Chuntien
five days north Of Likiang. What. will
happen no one knows.
II had a letter from the customs
commissioner. He tells Of the Ten
gyueh magistrate having been cap