ESCAPING THE BOXERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 253, 24 March 1914, Page 7

ESCAPING THE BOXERS.

EIGHT HUNDRED MILES ON FOOT. THE BACK BLOCKS OF CHINA. DOCTOR'S EXCITING TALE. Christchurch, Saturday. A light-built man, with a spare figure, blue eyes, grey moustache and an exceptionally quiet and retiring manner, came down from his rooms at a Christchurch hotel yesterday when a Star reporter sent his card up to Dr. R. Logan Jack, who has a very high reputation as an Australian geologist and explorer. Ho was Government Geologist in Queensland for twenty-two years, but fifteen years ago he retired from the position. He lives in Sydney, and now he is touring New Zealand for the sake of Mrs. Jack, who wishes to escape the Commonwealth's trying weather at this season of the year. The visitors have been to the Southern lakes, and they will spend a few days in Christchurch before going on to Wellington, on their way back to Australia. Geology is usually regarded as one of the dry-as-dust sciences, but Dr. Jack's career shows that some very stirring incidents may be crowde'd into its study. In the early days of Queensland, for instance, his explorations led him into the wilds. On several occasions troubles with the natives were unavoidable, and as a memento of one of these he carries with him a spear wound he received from the hands of a hostile member of a tribe. The most notable incident of his career, however, was in China, after he had retired from the position of Government Geologist in Queensland. He led an expedition into Korea and China in the interests of an English company, but the Boxer trouble broke out and ho was ordered by the British Consul to leave the place he was at, on the banks of the Yalung, a tributary of the Yangtse, and make his way as best he could to British Burmah. There were, five Europeans in the party. They travelled 800 miles, mostly on foot, along the spurs of the great Himalaya Mountains, passing through districts inhabited by the Lolo people, who, it is believed, were the original inhabitants of part of China, but were dispossessed by the Chinese, and were driven back into the mountains.

Dr. Jack's journey is described in a fascinating book of travel, "The Back blocks of China," but yesterday he chatted interestingly of his journey, which, he said, was an experience lie would not like to have missed: The Chinese officials treated him very well. They gave him guards, who took the party from village to village. In addition, proclamations were sent on ahead, asking the people to be courteous to the strangers and to help them on their way. The Lolos, 'he said, wei% very different from the Chinese in appearance, ideas and customs. Their skins were as white as those of dark Europeans and their cheeks were red. They were, in fact, more like Hungarians than Mongolians. In dress, also, they resembled Europeans. He had some illustrated journals with him, and when photographs of actresses were shown to the Lolos, they claimed the ladies as members of their own race. The men spent most of their time hunting, the women working. The men were warlike, but well dispositioned. Their arms were a strange assortment. Some bore the cross-bow, others the ordinary bow with poisoned arrows, others halberds and tridents, other match-lock.!, flint-locks, and even converted Enfields. It was not until he was near Burmah that lie saw men with Winchester rifles.

The party had to curry its own provisions. It. saw little, game of any kind, even birds being rare. On one occasion a Lc.'o chief invited Dr. Jack to take part in a tiger hunt, but the traveller was anxious to reach the end of his journey, and declined the ofTcr, which was made in all kindness. The roads were indescribably bad, and, although ■horses and chairs were provided by the Chinese officials, progress was so slow that it was felt that walking w;is preferable to riding. But if tne roads were execrated, the immense bridges excited great admiration. There was hardly a river, including vast streams like the Yangtse, the Salucn, the Mekong and Illawadi, that was not bridged, and every form of bridgeknown to engineering and every form of arch known to architecture was represented. Most of Dr. .lack's geological work in Australia has been connected with mining, but lie lias studied the theoretical side of the question, and has taken a prominent part in schemes for obtaining supplies of artesian water in Australia. His lirst visit to New Zealand was made some years ago, when lie met the late Captain V, \\'] Hutton, Sir James Hector and other New Zealand geologists. At I'aradisc, in Otago, he did a little geological work, but he has not yet had an opportunity to go up in the hills in Canterbury and. see the kind of stun" they are made of.