Last In Lhasa.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XIV, 2 April 1904, Page 53

Last In Lhasa.

Apropos of Colonel Younghusband’s mission in Tibet, it is interesting to recall the fact that the Rev. Kawaguchi Kei-Kai, an enlightened Japanese priest, is the latest individual that has succeeded in penetrating into the mysterious city of Lhasa. Ho went there as a Buddhist priest, and, after inspecting Lhasa thoroughly, he entered the University of Sera, a mile and a-half from the capital, intending to graduate there. He stayed in the university fifteen months, when his relations with the outside world were discovered. He was then obliged to flee for his life. Since then he has written some of his observations of Tibet in Indian and Japanese papers, and is compiling a large volume on thfl subject of his travels.

Most curious of all are the revelations which the Rev. Kawaguchi makes concerning the practice of polyandry, the strongest domestic institution in Tibet. Polyandry means the possession of one wife by many husbands, exactly the reverse of polygamy. It is fostered and encouraged by the priests and

lautaa. wto are the rulers of Tibet. As may easily be imagined, this system of polyandry gives rise to a vast number of complicated questions regarding parentage, inheritance. and cognate matters. These are settled by a long and elaborate code of laws, which have been perfected for a thousand years. One husband always has a priority, usually the oldest, and as long as he occupies the position of husband the others are expected to stay away. He indicates that he is in residence by hanging his boots and his bow and arrows outside the door.