TRAVELS IN CHINA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22568, 11 May 1935, Page 10

TRAVELS IN CHINA

A MISSIONARY'S ADVENTURES REVOLUTIONS AND WINTER SNOWS The trials which have to be faced by a missionary during his daily work are vividly described by the Rev. J. H. Edgar, who is stationed in the province of Szechwan, China, in an article in the China Inland Mission Journal, China's Millions. Mr Edgar, who is a native of Tapanui, writes: '" Early in the year medical advice and snow on high passes kept us prisoners in the Kinchwan arcadia. While detained, however, we were busy directing operations among settlements in the mountains. During February, with Mowkong as our base, Dr Jeffrey and I visited 70 miles away, and much literature was put in circulation and contacts made. At Mupo a lad exhibited a Catechism which had been obtained two years previously. Our party set out for Tatsienlu. We were detained by a heavy fall of snow, and it was only by driving a herd of yak through tho loose deposits and floundering up and over deep drifts, many times on the verge of exhaustion, that we finally conquered the sinister Ta Pao Pass, 15,000 feet. Revolutions and winter snows had detained us for more than six months, but our detention was really an opportunity to do work that otherwise would have remained undone. April and May s.iw us 90 miles west of Tatsienlu, and the point where the most famous ferry in Lama land crosses the Ya Lung. Traffic is temporarily detained here, and the miserable city is, besides, the official centre of from 2000 to 3000 Tibetan families.

" The month of June saw us marching down, dealing out literature to the Riku and Kuorka lamaseries, with 300 and 400 inmates respectively. On the return journey an exploratory detour was made before reaching an unofficial rendezvous 13,000 feet above the tide. The heat on this occasion was terrific, and with the altitudes seemed to anaesthetise the portion of the brain controlling the motor nerves. In any case, the simplest physical movement required an amount of will power quite out of proportion to the result accomplished. POWER OF THE GOSPEL

"During July we were again visiting centres and routes in an unknown part. Our party, largely composed of wellknown missionaries from Chengtu, crossed three passes about or over 16,000 feet, and made camps on four occasions above 14,000 feet. As the Chengtu friends passed through the settlements in the valleys and camped amid the nomads they were amazed at the friendly epirit of the Tibetan groups. One hundred miles north-west of Tatsienlu was visited in August. A former Dalai Lama had been born In the vicinity*, which helps to explain why the 500 lamas in the adjoining institution are ultra conservative. Two years ago our Catechisms were refused, but on this occasion scores of Gospels were accepted in the Temple Court. Is it possible that these proud disciples of Buddha see a beauty in the Gospels not found in the man-made tracts?

" The journey was not void of experiences. For instance, on my birthday, while I was writhing in pain caused by tainted fish, brigand troopers were robbing the cowboys about a mile away. On our return journey we visited the ranch, and found 100 to 150 men camped at the upper end, who were in charge of from 1500 to 3000 animals, now contentedly browsing on the green pastures. "Braving packs of fierce mastiffs, we got in touch with the men, who also, like the animals, were reacting to the exquisite surroundings, but which, like the latter, they were powerless to describe. After camping one night at the nomad lamasery, we set out the next day to explore a plateau of considerable extent. Our party was soon lost in a labyrinth of bogs and gullies, but as encampments were numerous we accomplished our work, and finally came to ourselves at a friendly lamasery high above the cereal limit, where the inmates clamoured for the last of our literature. As showers were appearing at different points on the horizon, we set out for a temple 1500 feet lower down. But later, sensing a spirit of antagonism, set out for a former camp on the other side of a pass. On the summit a cold, torrential rain was encountered, and it was not till after dark and drenched to the skin that we found shelter and warmth in a rancher's lamasery. The next day, after eating our last crust, we reached the friendly Nashi.

AN UNCOMFORTABLE JOURNEY In September, on a journey of 140 miles, my wife accompanied me to our temporary centre at Ying Kwan Chiai. She and, our lama visited settlements and a lamasery with literature on the third and fourth days respectively. On both occasions I guarded the camp against the machinations of predatory dogs. These zoological mistakes on several occasions made unauthorised nocturnal visits to pots and pans inside our tent. Valiant attempts to enforce the death penalty failed miserably! After four days we struck camp and, fording a river, we camped finally for one day at the limit of population. We now turned for home, and after climbing pleasantly for seven hours, about 4 p.m. reached the summit of a 16,000 feet pass, from which we had a superb view of the awe-inspiring Gang Kar. The weather hitherto had been uncomfortably warm, but finally camping 1200 feet lower, we were soon immersed in fog and a freezing temperature. Our camp was far from human habitations and in a region of wild dogs, wolves and brigands. Our drivers were manifestly uneasy, and after dark promptly arrested two innocent but well-armed wayfarers. Our decision later was in their favour, so they were forgiven, their weapons returned to them, and cordially invited to share any advantage our camp might provide. In the morning the fog had not lifted, and a deposit of three inches lay on the hills around. While the Tibetans were boiling tea, our yaks took French leave. The drivers set out in different directions to i find ■ them. One was finally successful and the other became hopelessly lost. As ;he did not return we left about noon without him, but the fog continued to obscure the landscape, and we, after a descent of five miles, uneasy in mind, again pitched our tent in the translucent, freezing atmosphere. The next day, after experiences with fog, showers and an execrable road, the party arrived at Che-to, where we were joined by the lost driver. An uncomfortable ride of 10 miles in a whirling snow storm ended the day, and the journey. A CLOSE CALL "Early in October we set out to visit Lu Ting Hsien, but it ended disastrously when my animal fell over a cliff. The accident should have ended the career of this old cowboy and a youthful gelding, but God had. prepared a cradle of vines, and the latter, in falling, was eased down by unseen hands to a group of splintered rocks 10 or 15 feet below. As the rider is not specially equipped to experiment with barbed-wire entanglements, it was a pleasant surprise to find himself reposing unhurt between the skyward extending legs of his "mount." Bucephalus was later coaxed to right but the chasms were so many and the rocks so sharp that he refused either to move intelligently or flounder haphazardly, and it was only after more than an hour that 11 men, by shouting,

pushing and lifting, were able to edge the victim up inch by inch to the road. "During 1934, 2000 miles have been traversed and 42,000 Scripture portions put in circulation. Many trading caravans on the main road in the city have been dealt with, and six large lamaseries, besides settlements and encatnpnicnts innumerable, have been visited.