Undiscovered Country.

Manawatu Herald, 1 March 1898, Page 2

Undiscovered Country.

Mr Hetlry Savage L'abdor, whose unfortunate experiences iri bis rebeiu attempt to penetrate into^he interior of Thibet will be fresh in the minds of many, is at present in Florence, where a correspondent ob&inei some interesting particulars from him. -*S iOf co-.r.i?, -yi<: Lrador'f taU. will ba ; told by bioit-'ftlf ; bu& the journalist' wae ciub-sc! to gain some idsa of the traveller's story :<&om certain illuitrations he was shown. The tale is began with the photograph of Mr Landor and his two confidential ser'. vants in their travelling outfit as they entered the boundaries. Others ( of various interest follow. -4 EXPERIENCES UNDER THE TOBTUM. Presently comes the picture of a naked figure bound to a tree. Around it dances a circle ot the most hideOUß beings. It is impossible to call them human. With flattened heads, distorted bodies, and small cunning eyei, the lower part of the face more resembling an animal* than a man's theie creatures jeer and taunt the victim of their cruelty.. Slashed and bruised, with the cords cutting deep into the fleeh of wrists and ankles' the brave servant grimly conceals every trace of pain. The bronze face might be a relief on some old coin. We have" no photograph of the scene which followed, where the master was treated to the same experience. The camera was captured, and to its dark interior the savages dared not penetrate, thinking it was some instrument of the devil Here we must, turn to the 2 surviving men. Mr Landor's eyes were burned and withered by red hot irons. He was bound for some hpurs to the rack, and twisted and wrenched out of all semblance to a man. He wag made to ride for 80 miles in ft saddle stack over with spikes. One of these entered the basis of the spine and shattered the nerve-centres, reducing the flesh, tendons, and bone to ft lacerated jelly. Trial after trial was iriade to draw from master and man some expression of pain, but all vain. Through starvation, burning, excruciating suffering, and mental strain, the savages were denied the pleasure of discovering that any or all of iheir attempts has produced the slightest effect. Mr Landor haa.qaito lost one eye, though the doctors say that in time life may return to it. White hot irona were held juat close enough to the eyes not to touch the skin, shrivelling and withering them, the Thibetans deeming that this was more painful than the instant burning out of "the eyeballs. Day after day this was practised, and day after day no aign of fueling were thoy able to extract ;fi-om their victim. Mr landor's ankles and wrists are still livid with the cruol cords which bound him to the rack, and, as he himself says, an Animal in his condition would be instantly shot. With indomitable will he forces himself to stand, and walk, and sit using his extremities as wooden machines, declaring that they are made to use, and use them he will. TBK TUISLT BXBOVI. Then the long gap was ended, and we see a photograph 01. 2 creatures not recognisable as the same we taw in the first days of the expedition. Teart seem to have passed over the countenance. The skin is out and lacerated . and seamed ..with burns arid slashes. The hair is burned to he scalp, the beard is singed to a powder, eyeabrows and laches burned to the quick, and the eyes 2 ghastly slits Of the rescue just a few hours ere life must have beeu extinot, when no food or water bad been had for 8 days, we can but read with admiration for the men who, , bearing from some trading Thibetans that far in the interior a white man was to be beheaded, organised a relief party, thinking to procure at least the mutilated body and any of the precious outfit that could be extracted from the. moderers. To this party belonged Dr Wilson, Mr Larkin, and the Political Teahkar, Karak Singh Pal, the nephew of Raj i war of Aekote. By forced marches, and after .many thrilling escapes from treacherous guides and adventures which well nigh co3t them their liven, those 3 men at last reached the 2 sufferers. As has. been said, Mr Landor was within a few hours of death. His reason was already gone, and only by the most prompt action was he kept alive. After 8 hours of attention he had so far regained consciousness that he was able to tell where he had concealed, one of the cameras and on its being recovered he caused to be taken — for he could not take it himself— a photograph of the savages cowering in their terror of the avenging white men. Never for a moment during all the horrible time did Mr Landor forget that all that he was able to procure of photographs and sketches were of immense interest. Up to the moment of capture he had kept bis diary complete, and after that time each hour was impressed with hideous vividness upon his mind. By slow stages he was carried to

Almora, and there after 3 days h« had so far. recovered that he was able tode?patcH runner* to the nearest station with newe and letters hoiile. Th« outfit which had been config. cated was given up, and the precious diary and maps and surveyi w«r« fiefeured: Many of the instruments which liad heeti provided by the Boyal Geographical Society he haft been obliged to bury in the Himalayas, and there they still await the time when some brave iiian irill teebver theifi. Mr Landor himself will probably nat«r fee able torttoro.