TIBET***


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Transcriber's note:

      Minor punctuation errors have been corrected without
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AN EXPLORER'S ADVENTURES IN TIBET

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE AUTHOR, FEBRUARY, 1897]

[Illustration: THE AUTHOR, OCTOBER, 1897]


AN EXPLORER'S ADVENTURES IN TIBET

by

A. HENRY SAVAGE LANDOR

Author of
"In the Forbidden Land"
"The Gems of the East"
etc. etc.

With Illustrations by the Author







Harper & Brothers Publishers
New York and London
MCMX

Copyright, 1910, by Harper & Brothers
All rights reserved

Published April, 1910.

Printed in the United States of America




CONTENTS


     CHAP.                                         PAGE

            PREFACE                                 vii

     I.     A FORBIDDEN COUNTRY                       1

     II.    AN UNKNOWN PASS                          10

     III.   A NARROW ESCAPE                          20

     IV.    WATCHED BY SPIES                         29

     V.     WARNED BACK BY SOLDIERS                  37

     VI.    ENCOUNTER WITH A HIGH TIBETAN OFFICIAL   47

     VII.   AN EXCITING NIGHT JOURNEY                58

     VIII.  HUNGRY FUGITIVES                         67

     IX.    AN ATTEMPT AT MUTINY                     79

     X.     AMONG ENEMIES AND ROBBERS                90

     XI.    IN STRANGE COMPANY                      102

     XII.   AMONG THE LAMAS                         113

     XIII.  LIFE IN THE MONASTERIES                 126

     XIV.   ANOTHER DISASTER                        136

     XV.    FOLLOWED BY TIBETAN SOLDIERS            150

     XVI.   FIRST WHITE MAN IN THE SACRED PROVINCE  163

     XVII.  DISASTER AT THE RIVER                   176

     XVIII. CAPTURED                                191

     XIX.   THREATS OF DEATH                        203

     XX.    A TERRIBLE RIDE                         210

     XXI.   THE EXECUTIONER                         220

     XXII.  A CHARMED LIFE                          233

     XXIII. LED TO THE FRONTIER                     245

     XXIV.  WITH FRIENDS AT LAST                    257

            APPENDIX                                267




ILLUSTRATIONS


     THE AUTHOR                                           _Frontispiece_

     INVOLUNTARY TOBOGGANING                              _Facing p._ 10

     AT NIGHT I LED MY MEN UP THE MOUNTAIN IN A
         FIERCE SNOW-STORM                                "      64

     BEHIND OUR BULWARKS                                  "      76

     THE BANDITS LAID DOWN THEIR ARMS                     "     102

     A NATURAL CASTLE                                     "     136

     CAMP WITH GIGANTIC INSCRIPTIONS                      "     142

     TORRENTIAL RAIN                                      "     150

     TIBETAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN                           "     174

     PURCHASING PONIES                                    "     192

     I WAS A PRISONER                                     "     194

     DRAGGED INTO THE SETTLEMENT                          "     196

     CHANDEN SING BEING FLOGGED                           "     202

     THE RIDE ON A SPIKED SADDLE                          "     218

     WE ATTACKED OUR GUARD WITH STONES                    "     254

     CLIFF HABITATIONS                                    "     262




PREFACE


This book deals chiefly with the author's adventures during a journey
taken in Tibet in 1897, when that country, owing to religious
fanaticism, was closed to strangers. For the scientific results of the
expedition, for the detailed description of the customs, manners, etc.,
of the people, the larger work, entitled _In the Forbidden Land_ (Harper
& Brothers, publishers), by the same author, should be consulted.

During that journey of exploration the author made many important
geographical discoveries, among which may be mentioned:

(_a_) The discovery of the two principal sources of the Great
Brahmaputra River, one of the four largest rivers in the world.

(_b_) The ascertaining that a high range of mountains existed north of
the Himahlyas, but with no such great elevations as the highest of the
Himahlyan range.

(_c_) The settlement of the geographical controversy regarding the
supposed connection between the Sacred (Mansarowar) and the Devil's
(Rakastal) lakes.

(_d_) The discovery of the real sources of the Sutlej River.

In writing geographical names the author has given the names their true
sounds as locally pronounced, and has made no exception even for the
poetic word "Himahlya" (the abode of snow), which in English is usually
misspelt and distorted into the meaningless Himalaya.

All bearings of the compass given in this book are magnetic. Temperature
observations were registered with Fahrenheit thermometers.

                                                        A. H. S. L.




AN EXPLORER'S ADVENTURES
IN TIBET




AN EXPLORER'S
ADVENTURES IN TIBET




CHAPTER I

A FORBIDDEN COUNTRY


Tibet was a forbidden land. That is why I went there.

This strange country, cold and barren, lies on a high tableland in the
heart of Asia. The average height of this desolate tableland--some
15,000 feet above sea-level--is higher than the highest mountains of
Europe. People are right when they call it the "roof of the world."
Nothing, or next to nothing, grows on that high plateau, except poor
shrubs and grass in the lower valleys. The natives live on food imported
from neighboring countries. They obtain this by giving in exchange wool,
borax, iron, and gold.

High mountain ranges bound the Tibetan plateau on all sides. The highest
is the Himahlya range to the south, the loftiest mountain range on
earth. From the south it is only possible to enter Tibet with an
expedition in summer, when the mountain passes are not entirely blocked
by snow.

At the time of my visit the law of Tibet was that no stranger should be
allowed to enter the country. The Tibetan frontier was closely guarded
by soldiers.

A few expeditions had travelled in the northern part of Tibet, as the
country was there practically uninhabited. They had met with no one to
oppose their march save, perhaps, a few miserable nomads. No one, since
Tibet became a forbidden country to strangers, had been able to
penetrate in the Province of Lhassa--the only province of Tibet with a
comparatively thick population. It was this province, the most forbidden
of all that forbidden land, that I intended to explore and survey. I
succeeded in my object, although I came very near paying with my life
for my wish to be of use to science and my fellow-creatures.

With the best equipment that money could buy for scientific work, I
started for the Tibetan frontier in 1897. From Bombay, in India, I
travelled north to the end of the railway, at Kathgodam, and then by
carts and horses to Naini Tal. At this little hill-station on the lower
Himahlyas, in the north-west Province of India, I prepared my
expedition, resolved to force my way in the Unknown Land.

Naini Tal is 6407 feet above the level of the sea. From this point all
my loads had to be carried on the backs of coolies or porters.
Therefore, each load must not exceed fifty pounds in weight. I packed
instruments, negatives, and articles liable to get damaged in cases of
my own manufacture, specially designed for rough usage. A set of four
such cases of well-seasoned deal wood, carefully joined and fitted,
zinc-lined and soaked in a special preparation by which they were
rendered water and air tight, could be made useful in many ways. Taken
separately, they could be used as seats. Four placed in a row, answered
the purpose of a bedstead. Three could be used as seat and table. The
combination of four, used in a certain manner, made a punt, or boat, of
quick, solid, and easy construction, with which an unfordable river
could be crossed, or for taking soundings in the still waters of
un