Ambush Laid for Chinese National Notes Missionaries, Sent to Shanghai Tachienlu, Nov, On October 31 Messrs, Alfsen Westborg. after a very strenuous Journey. from Batang arrived in Tachienlu. Ther original plan leaving Batang was to. proceed to Derge and 'Kaze and discover the prospects for mission work, along the frontier 'They had not travelled very far along the north road whet they and their armed escort walked ights Into the hands of Tibetan brig~ 'There was no' doubt about the ambush Tid for these Norwegian there' was ample evidence, Entering a somewhat narrow defile shots rang out on all sides and two Chinese fell to the ground, some shots passed through Mr. Alfsen's heavy coat but fortunately none touched his body. Tre "Chinrse soldie: s returned the re but no one: could see where the bardils were hiding. As the firing ceased the two. Norwegians gathered up their longings and. returned with the wounded to Batang, The bullet wounds of the two" Chinese were somewhat serious and needed more attention than could be given on the road, With very little time lost the party velumed to Batang and remained there for two or three weeks. A. fresh start_was made, this time_in the direction of Tachienlu. The Batang military' governor allowed them to use the flag system and give them another escort. Over the famous Dzongbenta, covered with snow, the party reached safer ground as it came onto the great Litang plains, Litang's greatest claim, how= ever, to notoriety is the dual nature fof iis lama population. The Litang Tamas have accomplished the dificult feat of praying and robbing at one and the same time and practically every lama carries his rifle and his prayer-wheel. Why not? He is ale ways in danger of being robbed him= self by other Litang lamas.
The two Norwegians intend, once permission has been granted, to travel along the north Lhasa. road and make a survey of Rombatsa, known from Rockhill's description as the garden of caster Tibet. " Should permission be obtained they will probably settle in this district and work out from Rombatsa Batang has now become a cul de sao with practically no trade and very few Tibetans coming and going. Should the two men be able to set fon the great north road they. will meet Tibetans from "every part of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.