INTO UNKNOWN TIBET.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15595, 11 August 1921, Page 3

INTO UNKNOWN TIBET.

MOUNT EVEREST PIONEERS

VISIT TO A MONASTERY

LONDON, July 27.—-The following despatch has come to hand from Colonel Bury, pie leader of tho advance party of tho "-Mount Everest expedition : "Trekking up tho picturesque valley of the Bhong-Chu river, flanked with hills, from which tho most wonderful views* can be obtained for 100. mile®, we reached Tingrid-Zong, a small trading mart, situated on an i.solated hill in thomiddle of a, great plain, sloping up toward Mount Everest and the wonderful chain of snowy mountains from 25,000 ft. to 27,0C0ft. high forming tho TibetNepal boundary. "Tingrid-Zong will constitute our base for stores and supplies while we are reconnoitring the appallingly sleep northern and north-western approaches, to Mount Everest. Along tho Bhong Valley donkeys are our sole means of transport, owing- to rinderpest. They are most diminutive, but are capable of (•allying heavy loads.

"Wo reach Kishong, a pretty village, .surrounded bv willows and seabuckthorn. In a nearby valley, though it is 15,000 ft. above sea level, we found a mass of wild roses and juniper. The loses are cream colored, and most sweetly scented. Patches of soil, green grass and bubbling springs' form a. delightful contrast to Ihe rest of the rather arid region. ''Shekaid-Zong is a, most remarkable place, with a huge monastery, clinging to tho hillside. The monastery contains 400' monks. The ecclesiastical Jongpen welcomed us with Tibetan lea, made with butter and sail, and offered us macaroni mince.

"We visited the monastery, which consists of innumerable terraced buildings on the steepest slope. Ascending winding streets to the niain courtyard we met the official head of the monastery, appointed from Lhassa. The main temple smelt most strongly of the rancid butler which is burnt in the lamps. "The temple contains several lifesized Buddhas, studded with precious stones and - turquoises. Behind,•them stands a colossal figure of Buddha, 50ft high, and round tho temple are eight figures each 10ft high, curiously dressed in' a. costume with flounces. Tlp'se are the guardians of tho shrine.

"We went up steep, slippery ladders in darkness, and came out on a platform opposite the gilded face; of Buddha, where there were profuse offerings of grain and butler, and exquisitely carved silver and curious chain armour.

"We called on the old abbot of the monastery, who is supposed to be a reincarnation of a former abbot. Ho is a most charming old man of 66 years, and is worshipped by the monks of the monastery, who induced him to be photographed. "All wanted a picture, since his time on earth would bo so short. For the photograph be was dressed up in beautiful gold brocades and priceless silk hangings. Tho monks had never seen photographs, but bad heard about them, and were very excited. "Moorshead and his surveyors are very busy observing from the hills of BhongChu. All this was new and unsurveyed country, of which they have nn*r map-. ped out 25.0C0 square miles/'