From Tachienlu to Batang by t the Old Road: The Might of the Tibetan Headman: Safe Conduct Through Robber Infested Country Frou Our Own Tachienlu, Sze, Mar. 30.
Two American missionaries, Dr. Hardy and Mr. Peterson have sucjeeeded in making the long journey between this city and Batang. It is now some years, perhaps 10, ince this road was travelled by. riy European. Batang is nomina fally in Szechuan and is remember-led geographically as the place where the Yangtze enters China jand its natural approach is through this province. But during the past 10 years the road has been so inested by Tibetan robbers that. merchants and missionaries have reached Batang through Yunnai This involves a much longer at more arduous journey; the stretch luetween Yunnanfu and Batang necessitating a chair or horse ride lof 43 days. Coming out through Szechuan it is possible to reach water communication with Shanghai in 20 days. Since these two young American missionaries have reach, namely, iting or engaging a Tibetan headman, without in any way inquiring into his past history or the methods he employs to get _you and your belongi ly through some dangerous zone. Aden, the Tibetan headman, is prepared'at any time and under ani circumstance to see any one sat through any part of Kam, f the small sum of say 100 rupee the charge for riding and pack rumals being outside this. questions are asked, so no qualms Jere experienced. What the Chinese [Government cannot do, fail to do, Jand will not do, A-den undertakes to carry out and if necessary is Frepared to protect you with his life, A-den serves under no government, Tecognizes no authority, and obeys no power: he serves those who pay him and protects those who follow him. Briefly this is the form of government, or whatever primitive adds to the thrills of the journey. again opened up the road it may bbe possible for them again to travel by Szechuan. With women and children a long 43 days journey over rough roads and rugged dangerous mountains is no easy mal ter; delays are also caused by mals falling down the mountain ides and the roads in other places giving way and the journey takes months to accomplish.
The Tibetan Headman The two travellers engaged a. Tibetan headman named A-den, who for the sum of 99 rupees guaranteed to see them safely as tang; the two travelle engaged his animals and for these they had to pay an additional sum. [One in Litang, this dangerous {Journey across this part of the "Roof fof the World," is practically an accomplished fact. From Litang on Tachienlu the same Tibetan headman A-den and his aminals brought them through the remaining dangerous country.
'A new precedent, unavoidably so, has now been established in Tibetan travel in Eastern Tibet. When General Pereira and Dr. Thompson [travelled through parts of Kam last year, they adopted the same method which now appears the only. lone if the traveller must travel, the we may please to call it, which now obtains in Eastern Tibet.
What China Cannot Do With this system now establishe what, we ask, will be the final out come? The' Tibetans now realize iat_ the Chinese can give no adequate protection to travellers or merchants in Kam; they also realize that they can and that the past few years, not only iropeans but Chinese officials have frequently received this protection, For some years now Chinese chants have only been able to business in Kam under this Acgis. The situation is indeed peculi jin Eastern Tibet where Chine rule and authority are supposed to obtain yet, China and those who belong to her, seek the protection of Tibetan headmen. China's reas sertion in Kam, if it ever takes place, will only be done at tremend~ lous expense in life, time, and money. The present condition has gone on too long and has worked too successfully to be lightly and suddenly thrown aside. A-dens, and there are many of them, are not quite prepared to take 'a back seat and alow anyone to take from them what is now a lucrative though per-[haps mot quite lawful form of occupation,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.