Dr. Lansdell's Journeyings in Central Asia.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 368, 15 May 1889, Page 6

Dr. Lansdell's Journeyings in Central Asia.

The last news of Dr. Lansdell, a well-known traveller, was from Ohine&e Turkestan, lie arrived at Kboten in October, and from that place retraced his steps to Yarkand a'tfd turned sop. th wards towards Leh, in Ladak; or Western Thibet. 'Five days brought him to the last building north of the mountains with sleeping accommodation, and on the Ist of November an altitude was reached in the Kuheeuen ranges that brought sickness, headache, and giddiness to several of the party. The next day the snow-covered Kilian Pass whs traversed atra height of about 17.000 feet, horses, both for riding and baggage, being exchanged for yaks. On 10th November the Kaiakoram, 18,500 feet high, was pasted over, and that with ut snow. It was different three days later, when the Saser had to be crossed by travelling nearly all day over mountains ot solid ice and snow, with adjacent peaks lising to considerably more than 20,000 feet, and wheie a caravan only a few days before had lo»b" half a dozen horses. On the following day Dr ;Landsell sighted at Changluny the first inhabited hubs of the Thibetans and five days more were spent in pa e sing through the villages of the Nubra Valley ; after which the Khaidung, another snow pass of 17,00™ feet, was crowed again with yaks, but with greater exhaustion lhan on any previous occasion. A hearty welcome awaited Dr. Landsell at Leh fiom the Moravian missionaries to the Thibetans ; and a few diys' rest there was imperative. Bub the proper season for descending to Kashmir wag already pa«t, aad the party accordingly started again, amid falling snow," being doubtful as to whether or not the Zojl La Pass would be, blocked. The attempt to cross was made on the sth December, 40* men having been provided by the local authorities to help. The result was that, the ldsb Thibetan hut having been left about sunrise, the first Kashmir hamlet was sa f ely reached at midnight. Three days more brought the traveller to Srinagur to rest for a Sunday at the'most northerly of the Indian stations of the Church Missionary Society ; after which, the Sou Item Passes being blocked, another fortnight was needed to reach Rawul-'Pindee, via Murree. At Rawul Pindeo Dr. Lansdell finished a caravan journey from Kuldja of nemly 2.00 U miles, crossing sovpn of the high pasf-ea of the world, of which the lowest xvas 12,000 feet and the highest nearly 19,000 feet high. TWfe journey in its enbirety had never before, it is boliered, been accomplished by

a European - After the foregoing a railway journey of 2,000 # miles to Calcutta was but pleafeafn tr res't t and > idffeshnienfc, r#ndored the more ao by tho.hoppitalifcy of mission and other friends at several important centres. At Lahore, Dr. Lansdcll was kindly received -and entertained by the Lieu tenant-Governor and the Bishop, and at Calcubta f he had the honour of an interview and of dining with the -Viceroy, after which,- on the Bth of February, he again turned his face northward and started for Dai'jeeling. - • • . . -. ' •