FATE OF AN EXPLORER

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 2988, 19 January 1926, Page 4

FATE OF AN EXPLORER

AN ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY

WESTERN CHINA AND TIBET

A fascinating story of the last journey of tho famous explorer, BrigadierGeneral Sir George Ferreira, was told by Dr H. Gordon Thompson, survivor of the expedition, in a lecture before the Royal Geographical Society, in London. While travelling along the borders of China and Tibet, across country never crossed by Europeans, their escort dwindled to one old native woman carrying a hurricane lamp. General Ferreira died so far I' loll }, civilisation that the usual method of disposing of the dead was to throw them into the river or give them to the vultures to eat. Dr Thompson secured a grave for his friend in a Chinese cemetery. . r , It is just two years since Sir Ueoige Ferreira died. His most famous journey was a trek across Asia from 1 chin to Calcutta—7ooo miles in a zig-zag course, and nearly 3500 miles on foot. Ho finished in a Calcutta nursing }l °Next year he joined Dr Thompson in an expedition along the frontiers of Western China and Tibet. On the sixth day of their journey the two explorers crossed the frontier between Yunnan and Szechuan. Their escort, which, on leaving Ynnnan-fu, was du soldiers, well armed with repeating rifles, had now dwindled to an old woman, who carried in one hand tho precious hurricane lamp and in the other tlve official paper to hand on to the headman of the next village. NOT A HUMAN BEING. Later the explorers crossed the J.varai La ppr at 13,650 feet “We had seen no sign ol human beings for several days,” said Dr Thompson, “but just before reaching the toot of the pass a Chinese, who had asked if lie might join our party from l>atang to Kantse, attempted to take a short cut across a spur of lull and through a small valley. “He rejoined us and. trembling with fright, told us ho had seen the dead body of a man, bound hand and loot, close to his path. “Our head Washi muleteer immediately took the best pony and went scouting ahead, but nothing happened and, although our path now went through a narrow defile with great cliffs on each side, we crossed tlm pass without any trouble. “The Washi seemed to think that the man was probably the victim o one of tho blood feuds lor which the Tibetans are famous." . General Ferreira was now beginning to feel ill. and when within only, three and three-quarter miles ot Kantse ho was obliged, on account ot severe pain, to get off hts pony. REFUSED TO CARRY SICK MAN.

“The pain became less, and we tried to get passing Tibetans to act as healers up to the town. It was of no use —not even our Washi yak-drivers, who had been with us from Batang, would help to carry a sick man. “As time was getting on and it would soon be dark, I sent tlm Tibetan boy on ahead to find a bouse toi us to stay, and as the general thought he could manage on the pony we lilted him into the saddle and slovlj made our way into the town. At o.A) we arrived at our destination. “His bed was soon ready, and m il few minutes we had him snug with hot water bottles and every comfort that we could give him, but lie was very weak. . , , , “At a quarter to nine be asked for the light to be put out, and lie would try to sleep. “After thanking me for all m> trouble he dozed a little and wandered in his sleep, sometimes talking in Chinese, sometimes in English. “At 1 a.m. I helped him to turn on his side, and ho talked to me quite rationally, but after a few minutes there was a sudden change; lie became unconscious, and ten minutes later he passed away peacefully m my arms. ~ “So died a bravo soldier, a remarkable traveller and a devout Christian. SAVED FROM THE VULTURES. The Tibetans dispose of their dead either by throwing them into a river or giving them to vultures to eat, but the Chinese traders in Kantse owned a small cemetery in the town, and offered Dr Thompson a site for a grave, where General Ferreira was laid to 10 After General Pcrreira’s death Dr Thompson continued the journey alone, but was cajitured by bandits when near the end. ... , “As captive with the brigands wo crossed the Yellow river on ice. Tlvo incessant moving about, sometimes by day sometimes by night, the intense cold —20deg. below zero—the loss of camp oquijjmcnt, blankets, etc., the difficulty about food, made this an experience I am not anxious to repeat. “We spent eight days in the neighbourhood of the Ordos desert (near the Chinese Wall) until, with the help of the Chinese officials, 1 managed to escape, and, travelling all night, once more crossed tho Yellow River on the ice and reached safety.” Dr. Thompson was able to save all maps and important records by posting them home or biding them on Ins person, but camp equipment and instruments were lost.