1871. | Proceedings of the Asiatic Soevety. 169 
were by far not so great, as several Europeans had been able to 
enter Tibet through Bhitan, Kumaon and the Sutlej valley. It is 
remarkable for instance that the two Roman Catholic Missionaries 
Hue and Gabbet were allowed peacefully to cross the whole of 
Eastern Tibet and North China, even after they had been expelled 
from Lhassa. Itis by no means likely that a European would be 
equally well treated at the present time. And still every one who 
approached any part of the frontier of that vast unknown country 
will understand the anxiety of a traveller to proceed into the interior 
of Tibet, where nearly everything is new to the observer. Indian 
officers had, sometimes under the greatest difficulties, devoted their 
time to explore the sources of rivers of other countries, while no one 
has as yet made an earnest attempt, or at any rate not succeeded, to 
discover the sources of the river from which India derives her name. 
If his (Dr. St.’) memory serves him right, he thought, that the only 
reliable knowledge we have of the sources of the Indus is a state- 
ment by Moorcroft in his travels, that a range of hills separates the 
sources of the Indus from the Mansarovara lakes, but it is not 
even perfectly certain whether Moorcroft had seen these sources, 
or not. A subject of such general interest, as this, would by it- 
self warrant the equipment of an expedition to these unknown 
regions. It is to be hoped that the endeavours of the Great Tri- 
gonometrical Survey to increase our knowledge of the geography of 
Tibet will sooner or later solve this problem, 
With regard to the personal objections which Tibetans make to 
Europeans, attempting to cross the frontier from the Kumaon and 
Ladak side, Dr. Stoliczka thought, they appeared to him to be 
chiefly of a commercial nature. The Chinese as rulers of the 
country have a monopoly in supplying Tibet with tea, opium and 
all articles of luxury connected with the Bhudhist religion; 
and because they are afraid of losing this monopoly, they refuse 
Europeans access to the country. Naturally there are besides 
these other reasons, as for instance love for ruling or protection 
to a co-religionist, &c., but these seem to be of minor importance. 
The Tibetans themselves are not directly hostile to Europeans; 
they invariably say that they have orders not to allow Europeans 
to cross the frontier, and that if they would allow it, their homes 
