UNWANTED GOLD.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1924, Page 3

UNWANTED GOLD.

(Rv an Englishman in 'f'bet) YAT UNG (Tibet). Gold has from time immemorial formed one of the principal exports from Tibet, being exchanged lor silver and nllier products of the -mm,aiding eotiuTiie principal goldfields are found in the Chang-Tatlg. or Northern Desert, and also in the territory east of Lhasa, Letueen that city and the Chinese Irontior. The Tibetan gold-miner. however, duly collects gold-dust, believing that should he remove any nuggets the supply of gold-dust "ill <ease. as the mtgec's are supposed to he alive and to p, ndueo the dust by breeding. All instance of the lengths to which superstitious belief is carried in Tibet is fumished by the following occurrence. The Tibetan Government a tew years ago sent a youth to England for training its a mining engineer and metallurgut. and tin his return instructed him to search for gold. To a very short time he discovered gold in exceptionally large quantities aim proceeded to extract it from the inq. in which it was emlmdied. Large numbers of nuggets were also found. Just as the work was getting into fell swing the local lamas arrived on tiie scene and forbade further operatic us and directed that all gold already taken out should ho put hack. The young engineer appealed to the Tibetan Government to .sanction his carrying on work as the find was of great value and would give very considerable revenue. The lamas retorted that unless their instructions were carried out to the letter ill-fortune would surely come to the country, and especially to the State religion. In the face of this attitude of the priests the Government was powerless, a>h 1 in consequence one of Hie richest goldfields in Tibet, and, for all that is known to the contrary, in Asia, must lie undisturbed for an indefinite period.