MOWED DOWN HUNDREDS

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 May 1930, Page 5

MOWED DOWN HUNDREDS

TO REACH LHASA. Most distinguished of visitors to reach Canada this year (according to the Toronto “Star”) is Sir Francis Younghusband, r K.C.5.1., K.C.1.E., C.1.E., gold medallist of the Royal Geographical Society,. Kaisar-a-Hind medallist, LLD., of Edinburgh, D. Sc. of Cambridge, Rede lecturer at Cambridge, soldier, diplomatist, author, explorer and past-president of the British Geographical . Society. A little man, short, slightly stooped, with a ruddy face and drooping white

moustache, Sir Francis is a perfect representative of that Anglo-Indian type of soldier and explorer depicted by E. M. Forster in his “A Passage to India.” I-le has been everywhere, seen everything in the British Empire; explored the outposts of India and Manchuria; journeyed all over Turkestan; was “The Times” corres- , pondent with the Chitral expedition of 1895; travelled through the jungles of Rhodesia and in the Transvaal; and was British Commissioner to Tibet during 1902-4.

Renowned as explorer, ranking with Hudson and Cartier and Vancouver, with Mackenzie and La Verendrye and Fraser, Younghusband’s principal claim to fame rests upon his extraordinary expedition to Tibet in 1903. He was the first white man to enter’ and return alive from the “Forbidden City” of Lhasa in Tibet, that romantic and mysterious country beyond the Himalayas, a vast inhabited tableland lying at a much higher elevation than the d-izziest peaks in the

Canadian rockies, and bordering India for a thousand miles. The story of that expedition, told by Younghusband to the newly-formed Canadian Geographical Society makes an epic of high courage and romance. It was x away back in the days when Lord Curzon, with all his pomp and circumstance, was in India, and when Britain was still under the spell of the imperialism of the Boer War and the jingoism of Mi’. Kipling. The Tibetans, for a reason not understood, declined to permit Indians to enter their country, their regent was in communication with the Tsar; there was British fear of the old bugbear of a Russian invasion. Younghusbandf, then with the political department of the Indian Government, and a soldier and explore) 1 of experience, was com-

missioned’ by Curzon to go to the Tibetan country, discover the reasons underlying the action of the Tibetans, report back to him. There was some months’ delay, failure to get into touch with the Tibetan capital, increased uneasiness in India. So on December 9, 190.3, Younghusband set out at the head of 2.000 men, mostly Indians, to invade the Tibetan country and adjust differences witli them. To do this, it was necessary to scale the Himalayas, the most accessible pass of which was 15,000 feet above sea level. Younghusband led his force through this pass in the heart of winter, through driving blizzards and snowfalls, passed glaciers and through deep suow, and with the temperature

hovering around 17 below zero. The Indian troops were mostly from the sun-baked Indian plains, unused to cold. But notwithstanding that the expedition was often without adequate fuel, was compelled to sleep in tents, and sometimes lacked good food, this necessitating terrible hardships and suffering, it succeeded in making its desperate marches through the Himalayas. Arrived there, Younghusband’s force encountered the outposts of the Tibetan army. There were more weeks of delay during which Younghusband sought in vain to get into communication with the Tibetan leaders. Finally, exasperated at the loss of time, Younghusband set out from his camp accompanied by a single

officer, a Captain O’Connor, made his way to the Tibetan lines, passed their outposts, and confronted the Tibetan generals. Then followed an extraordinary scene. Some of the Tibetans decided to prevent Younghusband returning to his own lines; it was only after a show of cold courage on the part of himself and his officer that prevented his detention; and he was finally permitted to depart, heartily cursed by some of the Tibetan monks and admonished to return to his own country. Two days later, the British forces led by Younghusband appeared before the Tibetan lines. ' Word was

sent to the Tibetan generals that inasmuch as they refused to negotiate with the British and’declined to send representation to their rulers at Lhase, it had bee decided to go direct to the “Forbidden City.” The Tibetans drew up in a square; one of their number fired a revolver into the Bri-

tisli ranks; there was a blaze oi British musketry, and 300 Tibetans fell. The outcome was a treaty signed in the Tibetan capital under which the Indians were at last permitted to go into Tibet and be guaranteed protection, and the long-mysterious city, whence no white man had ever returned alive, became thereafter well-known to travellers from the outside world. The regent of Tibet discontinued his advances to the Russian Tsar; friendly intercourse was opened -with the Indian Viceroy; and the Tibetans became the firm friends and allies (as they were in the Great War) of the British Government. Younghusband was honoured by Curzon, acclaimed by the whole Empire, and a Union Jack which he carried at. the head of his expedition to Lhasa was brought to England and placed over the statue of Queen Victoria in Windsor Castle. Younghusband told this story with less emotion than he might exhibit if dissatisfied with the quality of the port in the Travellers’ Club. He is, in fact, the least martial-looking of men; and it is an extraordinary sidelight upon the character of this unique and world famous man that he has written widely upon religious as well as upon geographical, exploration and military matters. His “Within” and “The Gleam” are well-known works of deep philosophy and piety.