7th Nov.
Here the" intention was not to follow {every tent in the country had received the main route, but to take a orders not to sell anything to strangers; due south-south-west course from this! under pain of death. With the Chief point to Trachilumpo, or some other appeared some 200 or 300 armed tribes-small Tibetan place to the west of! men, in fact, to use Mr. Rockhill's it, from which India could be reached words "they were walking arsenals."
Mu. W. Woodville Rockhill has recently; in a few days. This route, which he' his place was about five days W.N.W. returned from the adventurous jour-; had heard vaguely spoken of some years of Lassa, and W. of Tengrinor. The ney upon which he embarked last before, had the advantage over any of, country'was ruled by Lassa, and to the year, bringing with him a good deal of the others to the east of it, in that it west of them was a desert, and if the information concerning Tibet.
His did not cross any chain of mountains, traveller had not been obliged to go to latest travels have confirmed more! the whole country rising up to the west, these people, lie would have got right strongly than ever the fact that, for the and besides facilitating travelling would in front of "Trachilumpo by following ut at any rate, the power of the the route across, the whole country jamas cannot be evaded, and that all enable Mr. Rockhill to define the limits of the Yangtze. The exploring parts being desert to the west of these attempts to pass through the territory left Naichigol in aichizor on 17th people, as it is to the north. The of Lassa must be futile. In conversation April and followed the course indicated with Mr. Rockhill one cannot help bein; until 8th July, passing around to the peerie were very courteous, gave Mr. chill and his party anything they astounded atthe completeness with whic! west of the most important chain of needed from day to day, but firmly the Lamas preserve the inviolability of mountains in northern Tibet, theDangla, refused to sell any supplies. Mr. their country, and although the Lama before reaching which they crossed the Rockhill was now of course in a rule seems to be hated as an odious head waters of the Yangtze, passing the serious dilemma, and despite the cour-tyranny by many of the tribes, still by main branch, where it was but a small tesy with which he was treated was Draconicpunishments the latter remade stream issuing out of most tremendous anxious to move on. He spent some to serve as most efficient, even though snowy mountains. All this time Mr. five days with them comfortably. The unwilling, instruments in the hands of Rockhill never camped at a lesser altipeople would come to his tent, the ruling power. tude than 15,000 feet above sea level, talk, and joke, and. he gathered that Mr. Rockhill left Peking on Ist and sometimes he was nearly as high as they disliked the Lama rule very con-December last, his object. being to 17,000 feet. The cold was not nearly so siderably, as they spoke of the Lamas as find a route going from the north-great as he had anticipated, but incessant being very bad. Eventually the people western corner of China, and either storms were accompanied by thunder and consented to show Mr. Rockhill the running into Kashmir, or some other lightning. Limited rations, too, could high road to Lassa, on condition that if Indian" possession to the east of it, only be issued, consisting of meal, gene-stopped he would not say by whom he Lassa. Proceeding to Kalgan, just without passing over the territory of rally mixed with tea. On one occasion had been guided. Going a day north, aman was caught stealing the food, but until they got back to the 'I'sambochu, north-west of Peking, he went to Kuei-punishment was out of the question. the exploring party were taken to the east huachéng, and then down the Yellow River, which he crossed at Haku. he Generally Mr. Rockhill issued eight across some 10 days' hard riding, 'The days' rations at a time, but the men whole country was nearly wuder water. idea waste go through Haku, and traverse refused to regulate their meals accord-Where the ground was not swampy it the Mongol country of the Ordus tribes, to the Chinese town of Shibtsui. Sub-ingly, and would consume their allow-was covered with great tussocks of grass, ance mahout todays. It then became between which the water was a foot sequently he had to change this on necessary to reduce the rations, which deep, necessitating careful riding. When account of famine, and take another on the 8th of May consisted of about a in the far distance the high road was route to the north, after having gone handful of meal a day for each man. seen the tribesmen left the half way across the Ordus country.
Several large lake sand rivers were passed Along this high road, which is plainly Crossing to the north of the Yellow most of the former were brackish, and in marked, Mr. Rockhill hadamisadventure. River he went to Lanchow and thence some instances absolutely undrinkable.
Meeting the annual caravan which goes up to Hsining, proceeding later to the So far a tent had not been seen, as the from Kumbum to Lassa, he and his rear Buddhist lamasserie of Kumbum.
was here that the traveller had pay desired to avoided interruption, headman were recognised by some of obtained his men three years ago, wut the failing supplies now made it the Tibetan traders, with whom they needful that people should be encoun-had been quite intimate on the pre-and he endeavoured to procure ti tered from whom food could be procured. vious journey some three years be-same individuals. Whilst his headman Having crossed the 'I'sambochu, sup-fore. One of them went off post-was purchasing mules for the trip, he plies were at an end, and a move to haste south, and informed the first went down to visit a curious tribe of Trachilumpo, which was then only post of Tibetan soldiers stationed on Narks, living alongside the Salar river about 160 miles distant, was made. the high road that a foreigner was as well as different Tibetan tribes living On the Sth of July they saw in the discoming that way. he informer then on the borders, which he had not seen tance some black tents, and went to {returned and apologised to Mr. Rock-for three years. When everything was the inhabitants. The people became hill for what he had done, explaining ready he left Kumbum on 14th March very suspicious, could not understand that if it had been found out that the and followed a new route, passing south how the party had come, said there was {caravan had allowed his party to proof the' Kokonor and reaching the south-no road, and that they did not desire to ceed, it would not have been Allowed to east corner of the Isaidam. Along have anything to do with Mr. Rockhill. enter Lassa, and the whole caravan, this partof the journey, where the moun-After some time one man agreed to sel consisting of some 300 carts, would tains are very high, be made some curious some meal, but it was only enough for ave been forced to return to Kumbum. discoveries, amongst them being a large day and a half, and indeed the people The Tibetan soldiers next arrived and river flowing into the T'saidam called the did not seem to have enough of tsamba extracted a promise from Mr. Rockhill Tsaihanossu. He went on to fix the themselves. Foranother day Mr. Rock- that he would not move until the Chief position of Lake Tosunor, out of which hill continued on the course he had arrived from Nagchuka. The soldiers flows the chief river of the Tsaidam. marked out, and reached a large valley, remarked: "You have come from the Next he went to western 'I'saidam, to in which he saw a number of scattered north, and must-.go back to the the Taichinor country, were he heard of tents, and herds of yak and sheep. It! north." When the Chief. came there a, man who. had guided some sixteen turned out to be a valley inhabited by was a repetition of the previous delay. Been down into Lassa and 'Trachilumpo, arties of eastern' Mongols; who. had firmly declined to sell food until they ed that Mr. Rockhill should not proceed Namra Tibetans. Here again the people He was courtesy itself, but firmly declar-
and who was reputed to be the best guide had asked the permission of the Chief. further on his way. After staying three in the whole of the Mongol country.
When the Chief arrived he said that days, Mr. Rockhill learned that. the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.