STRANGE POWERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 148, 26 June 1939, Page 9

STRANGE POWERS.

PEOPLE OF TIBET.

ANCIENT CIVILISATION. ENGLISHMAN'S DISCOVERIES. Strange people, in the remote parts of Tibet, whose civilisation dates back for many thousands of years, who have few contacts with the world and who hold in their monasteries and places of learning many jealously guarded secret*, were described to-day by Dr.- M. Macdonald, principal of the College of Universal Science, London, on his arrival at Auckland by the Monowai, from Vancouver, to spend several months in Xew Zealand.

"They are an extraordinary people, who have directed all tneir scientific research and practice to developing the inner force* of man," said Dr. Macdouald, "and they have physical and mental powers beyond the conception of the people of other nations. They are a very lovable race, courteous, apparently content to remain isolated, with a culture entirely their own." Fabulously Wealthy. Besides their heritage of secret knowledge, these Tibetan people possessed, wonderful paintings, fabulously rich monastic orders, which owned" inlays and carvings in gold and other precious

metals accumulated since ancient times, and beautiful tapestries. They were originally of Mongol stock, but their characteristics were entirely different from those of the present-day Mongols. They were estimated to number a little oyer 2,000,000, and they wished to continue in isolation, living their selfcontained aloof life.

In his investigation*, Dr. Macdonald visited parts of Tibet behind the great range of the Himalayas by special permission from the master* Llama. He met numerous leaders of the people, and was admitted into some of their treasured secrets.

''By practising what is called 'tumo' they are able to withstand without clothing the rigours of the climate on the high slopes of the Himalaya*," said Dr. Macdonald. "Snow and ice melt when close to them, and they appear to have tuned the human body up to an uncanny degree. They arc taught to breathe in a certain way, which seems to be a key to much of their bodily resistance, and they practise ideas of a balanced method of living unparalleled anywhere else in the world." *

Another curious power was that of the mental transmission of me«sa tps over distances of many miles, without the aid of radio or other equipment.

Mount Everest Unconquerable. Such a form of locomotion was con- ! fined to a small number of highly developed members of the race, remarked Dr. Macdonald. The conquest of space had not, however, been carried to a point where the Tibetans could ascend the peak of Everest. In their view the mighty mountain would never be scaled. The winds near the summit were so fierce and so changeable as to defeat all efforts on the highest slopes. At times it was completely encircled by terrific cyclones. The seasonal lull lasted for only about a week and this was too brief for a climbing party.

In Tibet there were 3500 monasteries, of which some had 9000 lamas, he continued, and the religion was a form of Buddhism. One of the lamas was reputed to be about 200 years of age, and was a. capable linguist in several languages, including English. In the full possession of all his faculties, he had the appearance of a man not much over 70.

Remotest Place on Earth. To indicate the unusual climatic conditions in which the Tibetans lived, Dr. Macdonald said the floor of Tibet was higher than the top of Mount Cook, and some of the ]>eople lived at heights 17,000 ft above sea level. They never washed with water, but smeared their bodies with butter, which nourished as well as protected them.

'"Next year I hope to visit a still more remote part of Tibet." eoneludi'd Dr. Macdonald. ''It is situated behind Bhutan, at the eastern extremity of the country, and is so inaccessible that few Tibetans from the other part* have ever been there. £ome of the monasteries are reached only by means of a basket attached to a rope. The area must be one of the remotest places on earth."