Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 February 1915 — Gibet, no longer forbidden [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Gibet, no longer forbidden

TIBET Is no longer A closed kingdom; we have opened it up, says CoL Sir Frank Younghusband, the famous English explorer, in a published interview. As the most important result of the expedition which I led to Lhasa, he continues, a formal treaty was signed by which the country was practically thrown open to foreigners. Trading posts have been established, and the natives are anxious to cultivate friendly relations with the outside world. The city of Lhasa is situated in a lovely valley, well Irrigated, richly cultivated, and watered by a river broad as the Thames at Westminster. It is exceedingly picturesque, the town being huddled about the base of a lofty hill, on which stands the huge palace of the grand lama —an imposing structure of masonry, very solidly built. Many of the houses are of stone and substantially constructed, and not a few of them are surrounded by shade trees. The picture presented to the eye by the rock-perched palace, with the stray city at its base —the whole set in a beautiful valley, deep in the heart of the mountains—is wonderfully Impressive. Our expedition started from Darjeeling, and the first part of the journey lay through the wonderful tropical forests of Sikkim—the mountain sides covered everywhere with a -wealth of tropical vegetation. Mar velous orchids and innumerable butterflies of brilliant hues lent additional beauty to the scenes through which we passed. Steadily ascending, we finally emerged upon the high Tibetan tableland, and found ourselves In view of a magnificent panorama of 160 miles of the tallest peaks of the Himalayas,

with Everest, the loftiest mountain In the world, as the culminating object. In the dim, mysterious distance lay the sacred city of which so little is known, and entrance to which was barred by every obstacle man or nature could raise. Not Opposed at First At a place called Yatung a trading post had been established under an old treaty. But a wall had been erected to shut out all intruders, and beyond it our traders had never been allowed to pass. The wall was built directly across the road and high up the mountain side on either hand. We thought we might have to fight our way through, but the great door in the tower which guarded the road was standing open, and thus we passed peaceably through the gate of Tibet, and descended into the Chumbi valley. - *• ... In the valley bottom and on the hillside were comfortable villages and cultivated fields. The people seemed well-to-do, and were decidedly well disposed toward us. They soon showed themselves keen traders, and must liave made a small fortune out of their dealings with the expedition. After three weeks, which were devoted to military preparations; we started again. A force of the Tibetan troops attempted to oppose our progress, saying to us over and over again. “Go back to the frontier!'* It was not until early April that, after exhausting every possibility of agreement, we finally proceeded to Gyantoe. On the way we

had several fights. The distance from the frontier to Lhasa is 320 miles, and Gyantse is just about half way. The town Is situated in a flat, open valley, dotted all over with flourishing hamlets, and watered by numerous streams. It was an agreeable change for us, especially as spring was coming on, and the bitter cold had been left behind. On the fifth day of May our camp was awakened by wild shouts and firing, which were the prelude of an attack in force by the Tibetan troops. For fully two months we were besieged; then re-enforcements arrived, and we were enabled to proceed. On July 14 we set out for Lhasa in the midst of a rainstorm. Frequent rains thereafter went far to destroy the delusion that Tibet is a rainless country. Lhasa, the Forbidden City. As we passed over range after range of hills we looked eagerly for the mysterious city. It was on the second day of August that we beheld at last the golden roofs of the Potala —the huge group of buildings on the hilltop composing the official quarters of the grand lama —glittering in the distance; and on the following day we pitched our camp beneath the walls of Lhasa, the forbidden capital, which no living European had ever seen before. The first fact of importance that we ascertained was that the grand lama had fled. He had sought refuge in Chinese territory. We found much to interest us meanwhile in the monasteries, which might be described as ecclesiastical settlements, surrounded by high walls and gathered about one or more temples. The temples always have red walls, and in many instances the roofs are covered with plates of pure gold. In

each temple is usually a long altar, behind which stand huge images of the gods. Inside they are very dirty and grimy, with highly decorated imaginative pictures of demons and dragons. Before the images of the gods burn many bowls of butter night and day, just as candles are burned in Roman Catholic churches before the figures of saints. People Were Hospitable. When once we had entered Lhasa we found the people hospitable as well as friendly. They even gave ha free access to the monasteries and temples. They are very fond of theatrical performances, which are conducted in the open air. On one occasion I was routed out of bed at seven o’clock in the morning to attend such a performance, which lasted until seven in the evening. It was got up expressly for my entertainment, and consisted mainly of pantomime, accompanied by dancing and music, the latter being chiefly drumming. They wanted to go on with it for three days more, but one day was enough for me. Vi We saw a good deal of the women of Tibet. They are not veiled or secluded in any way, as in other oriental countries. Many of them came to our camp, between fights, bringing eggs, poultry, mutton, butter, wheat, barley, and other produce for sale. Polyandry is practically restricted to the agricultural laboring clasa It is an expedient of economy, the arrangement usually being, one under which a woman is the wife of several •brothers. She does not- choose he* husbands from different families, ./.•