ADVENTURE IN TIBET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3619, 24 July 1923, Page 27

ADVENTURE IN TIBET.

A BRITISH BUDDHIST. FORBIDDEN CITY REACHED. The leader of the British Buddhist Mission has now returned to Darjeeling from Lhasa (wrote the Calcutta correspondent of the London Times on April 20). Dr M’Govern, it will be remembered, was turned back from the frontier with the mission four months ago. He determined to make a second and secret, attempt. In his view, as an ordained Buddlvst priest, he was entitled to enter or leave Tibet without the knowledge of the Indian Government. On January 12 he left Darjeeling with four servants, his route lving through Nemc.hi s Dikcliu. Lachen, Tliangu, East Chomoiomo, and on to Karula, 18,009 ft above sea level. After battling with snowstorms, and being more than once compelled to retrace his steps, Dr M‘Govern was faced at Hangu with a strike of his servants,_ whom he forced to proceed by the aid of his fists. On the desolate Pass of Karri, Dr M’Govern revealed to liis servants his final plans to reach Lhasa. Here lrs secretary was disguised as master, Dr M’Govera playing the double role of coolie assistant and cook. The work of the disguise was extremely painful, the doctor dying and painting his whole body so as to avoid detection in case of search. " The weather was extremely cold, with a biting wind, and he had to dress in the thin garments of a peasant in the depths of the frontier winter. Before sunrise on February 1 t lie Tibetan frontier was crossed, and the little party camped in the open far from any village. Dr M’Govern, in order to escape detection, wanted to continue in the open, but the servants threatened to desert unless they spent the nights in the Tibetan rest houses. This made the matter more difficult for the leader, who could not afford for a second a relaxation from the strain of his perpetual disguise. The party proceeded in the company of two small traders as far as Shigatse. ATTEMPTS AT BLACKMAIL. In Shigatse, the secular town attached to tha Tashilumpo Monastery of the Tashi Lama, the second greatest spiritual personage in Tibet Dr M’Govern was bothered by attempts at blackmail on the part of the " master ” of the expedition, who imagined the doctor to be in his power. A compromise was arranged, but throughout the remainder of the journey attempts at blackmail added to the doctor’s difficulties. The route from Shigatse to Lhasa was along the Tsangpo River, but precipitous mountains made it necessary for the .party to diverge and follow the Rong River to its source in Lake Yamdok. This is new territory, completely unmapped, and in the dead of night when the rest of the party was asleep, the explorer made sketches from memory for tlie benefit of future cartographers. Reaching the village of Jase, 75 miles from Lhasa, Dr M’Govern discovered that tlie Indian Government had learned of this attempt, and lied telegraphed to the Tibetan Government asking him to be stopped. Local officials were ordered to examine all travellers going to Lhasa, and the party was subjected to scrutiny henceforth at almost every stage of the journey. The pseudo-master was most carefully inspected, but Dr M’Govern, disguised 33 a humble hireling, with a heavy pack on his back, was, happily, only super ficially examined. At one rest house the doctor hoard a discussion between the landlady and the servants to the effect that the spiritual omniscience of the Dalai Lama was sure to penetrate the disguise df the foreign devil and send him hack. IDENTITY DISCLOSED. The hardships of the doctor at this point were increased by an outbreak of dysentery, but, happily, he wa3 able, at the village of Jangme, to ' exchange the remaining mule for a horse, on which he rode to the Potala residence of the Lama., one mile from Lhasa. This point was reached on February 15, the Tibetan New Year’s Eve, which complicated matters. The streets were filled with drunken brawlers, and detection might have led to the doctor’s death. In addition the utmost difficulty was experienced in finding a lodging, but after diligent Search the doctor was accommodated in a small room in the centre of the Forbidden City itself. Ha was so ill that he had to be carried upstairs. He found himself the guest of Lepchn Babu, who was in charge of the newly-installed telegraph service, and to him he disclosed his identity. The next day news of his arrival was made known in Lhasa, and caused rioting by the populace. Dr M’Govern did not intend to stay more than a week, but had to remain six weeks before he left the city, against the wishes of the Tibetan Government. Here for the present the storv of the romantic Odyssey ends, the Buddhist Mission, “ for political and personal reasons,” withholding further information.

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