FOUR PERILOUS YEARS

Evening Star, Issue 22893, 26 February 1938, Page 3

FOUR PERILOUS YEARS

GERMAN EXPLORER’S RETURN RICHES IN TURKESTAN Large crowds and a military guard of honour greeted Dr Wilhelm Filchner, the German explorer, on his return to Berlin after four years of exploration in Cental Asia. He had had every difficulty and hardship to overcome mutinies among ids supporters, illness, imprispnment for six months at Khotan, with almost continuous ill-treatment and the intermittent threat of being shot or poisoned, exhaustion for long stretches of the way, and continuous obstruction of his ' plans by civil and _ military governors. It is hard to imagine how he managed to win through, but he has returned fit and well, looting every inch the part—tall, burly, bronzed, To Press representatives he expressed especial gratitude for the help given to him in need by British representatives in Central Asia and India. Dr Filchner ha’d been in Central Asia twice before. First in 1903-05 he travelled from Tashkent through Mongolia and Kansu. In 1926-27 he went from Tashkent to Tangar, in Kansu, and then tacked back to Leh, in Kashmir. WITHOUT A PASSPORT. His last journey he began-in 1934 with the object of making a detailed magnetic survey of the great wastes between China and India. Nanking refused him a passport on the grounds that Sinkiang (Chinese Turkestan) was infested with bandits and that they could not he responsible for his safety; but he set off without one. At Lanchow Dr Filchner spent six months developing the acquaintance of the Moslem General Ma and the Gover-nor-General of Chinghai.; and then set off towards Tangar,-on the Chinese Tibetan frontier, with a caravan of one German lay brother, six Chinese, and 40 camels. Bandits with machine guns and hand grenades kept the journey past Tangar to Koko Nor from being dull; and when the bandits were not in evidence Dr Filchner’s Chinese servants would take the opportunity to mutiny. To the east of the great Tsaidam swamp the camels were exchanged for ponies, and then for several weeks, while they skirted the southern edge of the swamp, the expedition had_ to face all the evils of further, mutinies, mosquitoes, and tremendous heat. All the members were ill at one time or another, THROWN INTO PRISON, At Cheroheivth© first Tungan town, they were well received, owing ,to the good offices of the British agent; but at Khotan the Padishah wanted to see Dr 'Filchner’s non-existent_ passport, and promjitly threw both him and his German companion into prison, in spite of the handsome present of a Leica camera. Dr Filchner was forbidden to use his astronomical or wireless instruments, but he managed at length to construct some kind of a set in secret, and could listen-in with the added_ interest of knowing that discovery might' mean his instant execution.

One day the Padishah marched off with his troops towards Kashgar, leaving the prisoners in the charge, of Padishah 11., who by all accounts appears to have _ been systematically brutish. The prisoners fared a little better thah some of the dogs, but often had no food for days, and were denied medical attention when ill. The one ray of light came with the chance visit of the British Consul-General from Kashgar, for Dr Filchner managed to see him for a quarter of an hour, and they had, between the innocent official phrases which thgy Exchanged. some whispered words in German. Berlin was soon told of the plight of the two prisoners, and efforts began for their release, hut meanwhile their treatment became worse, and they fully expected to be poisoned in tleir food.

Then, suddenly, they were released. They bought the nearest mules and set off over the Himalayas, a journey which took them well over a month. They reached Leh exhausted and in rags, and were nursed hack to fitness by the British authorities there.

Dr Filchner has declared that he is well satisfied wi|h the results of the expedition. He thinks that much netroleum is likely to exist in the Khotan district of Eastern Turkestan, where he saw films of oil on many rivers. Gold, too, would he there, for the natives had gold dust and nuggets to offer. He sees no reason why the district should not be opened up with railways across the great plain between Kashgar and Lanchow.