Berlin.
"Om mani padre hum"—thi is the most solemn prayer of the Tibetans, intoned-by thousands at the highest religious holiday, the Butter Festival, filling the air like the monotonous roar of the sea.
Through all of Tibet, from the Chinese boundary to the tropiea! fields of India, these mystically sacred words accompany the explorer who wanders over the inhosmystery. 7 pitable plateaus of that land of
This is why Wilhelm Filchner izives that rather unintelligible title to his book on Tibet ("Verlag Brockhaus"); not until we have [accompanied the author on his voylage of exploration do we grasp its significance. A horribly cold pla-tean is Tibet, with but scanty pasture land, and that only in Summer, for sheep, yaks and a few cattle.' There men live a poverty-stricken existence at a height of three to five kilometers above sea evel; the country is practically devoid of vegetation. It has been an frst to risk his life by crossing its frontier, which theretofore had queen closed to every stranger, was Sven Hedin, Now, however, Ti8et per of specking. America has sent great expeditions there, equipped with all conceivable scientific in-
Sruments and supplied with large funds. The expedition of Joseph Rock is described in the National Geographic Magazine in an article illustrated with many pictures, Dr. Filchner's book also con excellent photographs of in-national types and char-landscapes.
Dr. Wilhelm Filehner, a German geologist, physicist and explorer, set himself the task of tracing: magnetic currents in Central Asia, locality of which nothing was known in this connection. In 1923, when he started out, Germany was not in a position to defray the ex-enses of an expedition such as his. Filehner, however, was undismayed, Jand went ahead, although his funds were inadequate and he was supplied with only the barest mecessities of life and scientific research.
But he had an ardent idealism and an iron will when he set forth to face the horrible privations of the next few years in that poverty-stricken land where aid of any sort impossible to find, where reigious fanaticism and weird superstition combined to meet every stranger with hostility.
When he traveled through Russia and Siteria he was first subjected to persecution as a spy; but later the Soviet Government proved help-fol to him. When he crossed the Chinese border he had exactly 6 rubles left of the money he had taken along. Tis expedition consisted of two covered wagons, one which he drove himself, his ex-Jeecdingly sensitive scientific _aptatus, with which he intended to measure the magenctic currents, Jcanvas tops of the wagons—this in order that it might be protected from the worst of the jolts. Filchner adapted himself to the mode of life practiced by the natives, living fon tea and butter and a disgusting sort of dumpling that is created Ly long hand-kneading: of a mixture of tsamba, butter and tea, As wash: {ing is 2 custom foreign to the de-rightful Tibetans we can easily imlagine the colour which this appetizing food assumes after considerable Kneading. The wooden bowl from which it fs eaten must be licked Jary family, an English physician. They nursed him and collected funds for him so energetically that the end of the winter they were fable to give him about $500, which the used to purchase equipment and supplies for the next Jp of Now he was joined by an Australian, Jack Mathewson, who later jas of great service to the expedition by reason of his connections: with the Viceroy of India. For in addition to all the diffeulties and sufferings to which practically Jevery explorer in savage, uncharted territory is exposed, Fiichner was rey to the greatest fear of all. He was not certain whether he would permitted to travel through Tibet at all. His book contains some thrilling and even dramatic pages that describe how the lamas agitated: against him because he might pull the sun down to the Jecrth by means of his telescope and thus cause great heat and the drying up of large streams (which ocjeurred every. year). "Poor Dr. Filchner, sitting in his tent frozen hands and feet, broken ribs fand gall-stone colic, did not dare jose his telescope except at night, when he could adjust it at a hole in his ceiling and thus observe the course of the stars. He was surrounded by battalions of soldiers until, at long last, there came the letter of the Dalai Lama of Lassa recommended that the authorities give all possible aid to the explorer and permit him to travel lover the Himalayas to In Filchner's book, which is written the form of a diary, contains the notes he made during his years. in China and Tibet. Though it seems somewhat monotonous at times it deeply moving because of the simplicity with which it records those tremendous achievements of haman energy and scientific zeal, The charts which Filchner has made—the first to have been constructed of these regions—will soon published by the Porthos Verlag in Gotha; a scientific publishing house in Potsdam will, in about a year, publish the scientific findings fas well axa book that deals ex-curious rites, such prayer mills, Gauntene REUTER. clean; every one carries his. bow!
ith him day and night, keeping it den inside his fur coat. Meat as an article of food is very rare among the Tibetans, and—green vegetables do not seem to thrive in the icy heights of their country.
Although the treatment he received was none too pleasant, Fil-Jchner describes the Tibetan character as friendly and kindly. As ye read his account we cannot help thinking that a European could bear the privations of that life only he possessed perfect health. Poor Dr. Filehner, however, was sick all those years—he suffered from gallstones; it seems almost unbelieveable that he managed to spend eight. hours a day at his apparatus, making, the measurements and observations for which he had come. Almost miraculously he always, when-Jover his need was greatest, received assistance in the form of money.
struments, horses, victuals and even medical aid. Again and again he gives credit to men of afl nations—Americans, Englishm Italians, Chinese—who helped hi and proved to him that science can all peoples. At the end of his account Filehner expresses his ace-felt gratitude to all the 5 governments, organizations and individuals that aided him: he men-fictions them by name—and the list is very long.
Reports of Filehner's reached Europe: for a long time was thought that he had been murdered. He had to pass through the ternery of the Ngoloks, 'a savage predatory tribe. But as these Ngoloks are Buddhists, with whom murder is contrary to religious principles, Filehner was safe short of actual combat. And since Filchner's expedition was far from rich in appearance he escaped their Fust for loot.
Previous to this Filehner had spent a winter of great privation in the vicinity of the enormous mountain cloister. Kumbum, Frequently his. food consisted of only a little milks he lived in a cellar whose windows were merely holes; his hands and feet were frozen; he fell seriously iM, But he found some faithful and celt-sacrificing friends
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.