LHASSA, THE FORBIBDEN CITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 202, 24 August 1904, Page 2

LHASSA, THE FORBIBDEN CITY.

A WOMAN'S KINGDOM. The fascination and mystery of the sacred city of Lhassa. land of the gods," has at present an enhanced inteiest as a result of the strenuous opposition to the British mission now in Thibet. M. Tsybikov, who was "sent by the Russian Imperial Ooographical Society to explore the forbidden land, succeeded not only in reaching Lhassa in the guise of a pilgrim,'but in remaininjr in the vicinity for over a year. Lhassa is a city of women. The entire population, excluding priests, can, scarcely exceed ten thousand persons, and at least twn-thiids of these are women. The clerk? in the shops, excepting those kept by Kashmir and Nepaul merchants, are nearly all women. Not only Lhassa. bnt Thibet itself, can be described as the land of women and women's rights. This is due to the vast number of celibate priests. The results of this institution to ? large part of the female population are complete independence both in business and in personal conduct. In family life both polygamy and polyandry are met with, or of several sisters with one husband. U legarded ?.s the ideal condition. In no country in the world, perhaps, do T.-oircn play a greater part In business than in Thibet. I can recall no occupation that is carried on in the country in which women are not actively engaped, and they often conduct great undertakings quite independently of men. THE DALAI-LAMA. The present Dalai-Lama has now, at the ajre of t-v~nty-one or twenty-two, attained his majority. Since ISOfi there have been fire new Dalai-Lamas. Sis or seven yeats ago the present holder of the title entered r.pon a struggle with his regrent, the most i.lr.strious of the Thibetan "reincarnates," and issued from it victorious, thereby escaping the fate of his four predecessors, who died comparatively young, most of .">'vjn having been put to death by their regents, or the rivals of the latter. The present Dalai-Lama accused his regent of having performed conjurations against his life, confiscated the regent's large estate, and placed him under strict domiciliary arrest. Tbo rrgent was found dead one fine morning. P*!si-Lama is evidently an ener.eet.ic and weU-i'it— .tioned man. One of his first acts after seizing the reins of authority was the abolition of the death penalty. THE THIBETAN ARMY. Four tl ocrncii soldiers maintained at the cost of thp State. Their armament conslstr, o" Bwcrds, muzzle-loading firearms, a.'-r'i !;ows and arrows. A helmet decorated wi'.a feathers is worn, and a small shield is carried, and some wear a cuirass also. The discipline is poor. The soldiers live in their villages and assemble only periodically for d-ili in archery and in the use of firearms. The army is divided into cavalry and infantry. The Central Thibetan is averse to war and militaiy service. One often sees a soldier on tbe way to the drill ground placidly spinning woo! or sewing on a boot sole, or perhaps employing the time which would otherwise be wasted in telling a rosary or turning a prayer-cylinder. The nomadic clans of Eastern Thibet, who are prone to laiding thfir peaceful neighbours, strive as a rule to avoid bloodshed, employing intimidation oftener than force. The Slightest determined opposition sends them back home.