July II, 1878] 



NATURE 



289 



his experiences on the borders of Thibet. He entered 

 that land of mystery at Ta-chien-lu, whence the road at 

 once ascends to the great plateau through a valley amongst 

 granite rocks, capped at the summit with bare crags of 

 limestone. Standing on the summit of the pass, by 

 which the great upland country was reached, the traveller 

 saw stretched below a fine valley closed in on both sides 

 by gently sloping round-topped hills, covered with 

 splendid grass. The road to Lithang was a succession of 

 mountainous valleys, huge pine forests, and open glades. 

 Capt. Gill found Lithang a cheerless place, some 12,500 

 feet above the sea-level. The natives told him that Ta- 

 so, the last mountain-pass before reaching Bathang, was 

 a very bad "medicine-mountain," the inconvenience 

 caused by the rarefaction of the air at these great 

 altitudes being attributed by them to subtle exhalations. 

 On the road thither Capt. Gill passed the magnificent 

 mountain Nen-Da, 22,000 feet high, and near the top of 

 Ta-so he entered a httle circular basin, surrounded on all 

 sides but one by ragged precipices, with a pond of clear 

 water at the bottom. On crossing the crest of the 

 pass, he entered a large basin two miles in diameter, 

 where a wild and savage scene presented itself to his 

 sight : great masses of bare rock rising all round, torn 

 into every conceivable shape by the rigour of the climate. 

 The bottom of the basin was covered with the debris that 

 had fallen from them, and some small pools of water in 

 the hollows formed the sources of the stream, which 

 eventually became a roaring torrent among the pine 

 forests in the valleys below. Bathang, Capt. Gill found, 

 had been recently rebuilt, after its destruction, a few , 

 . years ago, in a frightful series of earthquakes, which, 

 lasting for several weeks, devastated the whole neigh- 

 bourhood. The town, he says, is chiefly remarkable for 

 its immorality and its lamasery. Besides his description 

 of the country Capt. Gill gave some interesting informa- 

 tion respecting the habits of the Thibetans, contrasting 

 them with those of the Chinese. Owing to their originally 

 nomad mode of living they have no idea of inn accom- 

 modation, and the owner of a good house even will, as 

 often as not, be found sleeping on the flat roof, whilst 

 the hardy people in winter can sleep with their clothes 

 half off and their bare shoulders in the snow ; tables, 

 chairs, and bedsteads are unknown in their houses. 

 Thibet is a land flowing with milk and butter, the enor- 

 mous quantity of the latter consumed by a Thibetan 

 being very startling — butter in his oatmeal porridge, and 

 huge lumps of butter in his tea. As a rule he does not 

 drink much milk, which is mostly made into butter, but 

 he is fond of sour cream, curds, and cheese ; and this 

 brings a Thibetan bill of fare to an end. 



News from Samarcand recently received gives some 

 interesting descriptions of the district of Karatejin, which 

 formerly belonged to Khokand but was afterwards ceded 

 to Bokhara by the Russian Government. Karatejin, with 

 the smaller districts of Dorwas, WaGhia, and Shugnan, as 

 well as the largest portion of Kojistan, are situated in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of the plateau of Pamir. 

 Karatejin in winter is completely isolated, and only 

 during the summer months is accessible from the neigh- 

 bouring districts. The manners and customs of its 

 inhabitants are yet in the most primitive state. They 

 have no idea of measures or \veights, have neither 

 markets, booths, caravans, nor indeed any institutions of 

 public life. Theft is a thing unknown amongst them. 

 Their occupation consists mainly in tending cattle, 

 besides a little agriculture ; everything is general property, 

 as it were. If any family is short of provisions it is a 

 matter of course that the next neighbour gives them what 

 they may want. 



The Pandora, which is to be sent out by the New 

 York Hei'ald to the North Pole, has been re-christened 

 at Havre the Jeaimette. She leaves this week for San 

 Francisco to complete her outfit, and starts next June 



for Behring's Straits. News has been received from 

 Washington that there is no probability that funds will 

 be appropriated this year for the intended Polar Colony 

 of Capt. Howgate. No tidings have arrived yet from 

 Capt. Tyson's preliminary expedition. 



A CORRESPONDENT of the Hong Kong Daily Press, 

 writing from Labuan, gives some interesting particulars 

 respecting a scheme which, if carried out, may contribute 

 much to the development of the resources of Borneo. 

 An American company was formed for this purpose 

 some time back, and obtained large concessions from 

 the Sultan ; but the policy of the United States govern- 

 ment being to discourage in every way the extension of 

 American commerce abroad, and the expenditure of any 

 capital in foreign countries by its citizens, it has been 

 deemed expedient to transfer the rights thus acquired to 

 British merchants, and to leave to them the task of 

 developing the enormous riches which now lie dormant 

 in this beautiful island. For this purpose the steamer 

 America^ with representatives of both parties, went to 

 Brunei, and the circumstances of the case having been 

 explained to the Sultan, he not only consented to the 

 transfer, but added to the former grants that of Gaya 

 Island and the mainland opposite, including the magni- 

 ficent harbour known as Gaya Bay, an enormous sheet 

 of water said to be capable of sheltering the united fleets 

 of the world. By this addition to the former grant the 

 territory conceded now extends in an unbroken line 

 from Kinarn's Bay, on the west coast, across the island 

 to Sibuco, on the southern edge of St. Lucia Bay, on 

 the east coast. This matter having been arranged, the 

 America proceeded northwards, and, entering Maludu 

 Bay, passed through the Malwalla channel to Sandakan. 

 The approaches to this channel are very imperfectly 

 surveyed, and abound with coral reefs and shoals not 

 marked on the charts. From Sandakan the steamer 

 went on to Sulu, and anchored in Membong Bay, about 

 fifty miles south of the petty fort of Bhanuar, which 

 has been held by Spain for the last two years. The 

 Sultan of Sulu, when visited, expressed his hearty con- 

 currence in any scheme which would tend to open up 

 and civilise the rich and splendid provinces on the 

 mainland now lying waste, and he at once confirrned 

 the grants made by the Sultan of Borneo. Returning 

 to Sandakan, the party proceeded up the Kina Batangan 

 River in a steam launch, penetrating nearly two hundred 

 miles into the interior, where no European vessel had 

 ever been before, and then, having taken formal posses- 

 sion of their property at Sandakan, proceeded on their 

 voyage to Labuan. 



The Rev. W. G. Lawes, the well-known New Guinea 

 traveller and missionary, has communicated to the 

 Colonies an interesting account of a visit which he paid, 

 towards the close of last year, to the previously unknown 

 village of Kalo, on the western bank of the Uanekela (or 

 Kemp-Welch) River, which empties into Hood Bay, New 

 Guinea, not far from Kerefunu. Mr. Lawes says that 

 the village is laid out in streets and squares, all of which 

 are kept scrupulously clean, being swept every day by 

 the women. He induced one of the chiefs to accompany 

 him some three miles up the river, which he found takes 

 a sharp curve a little way above Kalo, and becomes 

 narrower, but after about a mile it widens out agam 

 into a fine broad stream. It is said to be navigable for 

 a long distance, and, according to native accounts, runs 

 to Manumanu, in Redscar Bay. On the Kalo side of the 

 river groves of cocoa-nut trees abound, and betel-palms 

 are also plentiful, while on the east bank numerous and 

 extensive plantations of bananas and sugar-cane were 

 seen. -Mr. Lawes states that the villages round and near 

 Hood Bay are inhabited by a fine race of men, who are 

 industrious and Inndly-disposed, though at first shy and 

 suspicious. They have a warlike character, but their 

 hostility to each other would probably be soon removed 



