Evening star., 1923-11-04
A Sojourner in the Kingdom
Of Jade Is Visiting America
ny THE MARau1sE DE FoxrENoY.

ny THE MARQUIsE DE FONTENOY.
Gen. Sir Percy Sykes, who has
Just arrived in New York on board the
Majestic, for the purpose Of visiting the
United States and, incidentally. iectur-
ing at the Lowell Institute, is one of
the most interesting Englishmen who
have ever visited America. Rugby and
Sandhurst athlete. veteran cavalry
officer Of the Boer campaign. where he
was badly wounded; resourcefu organ
izer and commander OF oriental levies
and allies Of the British Empire. the
moving spirit Of all the military
operations Of England in Persia and
Baluchistan throughout tho great war.
during which he drove the Germans
from Teheran and defeated, in the very
niok OF time. the intrigues by means Of
which they were inducing the shal1's
government to Join the cause Of the
kaiser against the entente, and, above
al; one Of the most celebrated of
Astatic explorers, he knows more about
the inner region Of that vast continent
of those unknown regions which
scientists declare to have been the
cradle OF the human race--than any
was British consul general and repre-
sentative at kashgar, the headquarters
and central market Of all the native
trade OF central Asia, and at Khotan.
which is the capital Of the ancient
Chinese Kingdom Of Jade.
For considerably over a thousand
years Khotan stood in glory ~ the
chief producer OF that stone which tho
Chinese have always esteemed a. the
most precious OF gems, and to which
they. as we'll al most Of the people Of
the orient. attribute all sorts of super
stitious values. Jade mines, which have
been In operation since time imme-
mortal. surround the city. Green Jade,
yellow Jade. blue Jade and. above all.
the still more highly priced white Jade,
have always been furnished to the
world from Khotan, which IL known
to the Chinese a. Futien, q city whore
beginning Of December and the end Of
February that laws have always exist
ID according to tho terms OF which
any owner OF house closing his door
against 2 man, woman or child seeking
shelter In the winter from the tenpera-
ture and the elements is tried for
murder and punished with death. It IL,
I believe, the only city of the world
where the refusal Of hospitality il
looked upon 40 . capital offense, as a
crime against humanity, and is visited
with punishment by death In its least
pleasant oriental form. -.
a-..., s = = Att :
Sir Percy Sykes 10 now married to q,
daughter Of Col. Bruce Seton Of the
historic Scottish family OF that name.
But during the most Of his Hfs 1t
xashgar and In the Kingdom Of Jade.
20 celebrated throughout the orient.
specially In ancient. times. he had
with him his sister. Miss Ella sykes.
the flrst Engiishwoman to visit the
Khotan and to cross the dangerous
oasoes to and from the Pamirs, and to
vet foot In Ill those deserts and oases
II central Asia, and Of that species OF
,asin which u bordered on three sides
~ the northern ranges Of the Himalayas
nd on the fourth by the Gobi desert.
In Eastern NlrkestAn Sir Percy Sykes
nd his sister found the owls poll, or
he mountain sheep, described by the
Medieval Venetian explorer, Marco
'olo. His story Of mountain sheep with
orns Ave feet Ia length WaS tor cen-
urioo regArded In the western world -
trASeIore fAtTy tale. But Sir Percy
3yEao hao ha6nled and, haSHed these
slea1, An4 1ae recor6 hea0g with