Col. Rockhill's Trip Through Thibet

A Washington dispatch to the Heralil saya: Col. VV. W. Rockhill, formerly of Philudelphla.and latteily secretary of legation at Pekiu, China, has just retumed to Washington from an exploring tour of 1,500 miles tlirough the eastern part of Thibet. Half tlie country traversed had never been seen before by either an American or a Europea. It g the same trip whicli Henry M. Stanley said, when here he woulcl rather inake Ulan go buck to África, it being now terra Incognito. Col Kockhill, in making the tour, eucceeded where all otliers have failed. A private, with no money but hla own, he has achieved, through American courage and shrewdness, wtiat English, Frenen, Russian and Aust rían explorers, backed by their respective governments, have failed to accomplish. It was just becuuse he was brave and clever rnough to go into the unknown and foibidding country with only four attendants, two of whoui he lost half way in, tliat he got through a' riglit. He left Pekín in December last and entered Thibet in January, emergiiig into China again in June, and Teaching the coast In August. He vvore a Chinese costume in China and on the borders, anda Tkibetau costume in Thibet, and lived on native food. He speaks Chinese and Tliibctan. and so was able to make himself understood everywhere. He has brought back most valuable data about the country, the people thelr religión, customs and commerce. who piiictic.illy monopoiize educitlon and weallh. There U a nominal king, beside the grand lama, but the country is governed by the Chinese minister and residents and pays tribute to China. The CMm sj want to keep all the other foreigners out, po as to continue to monopoiize the tea trade. Thibet buys nearly thirteen milliou pounda of tea from China each year. The country Is poor, exporting only musk and rhubarb. Gold miaing is carried on feebly, being discouraged by the lamas. The country Is largely a wlldernesg. Eugland is trying to break in on the southern border of the country, to introduce Indian tea, but the Thibetans don't want ludían tea, although they are eager for all other ludían exports. " The people are ignorant, superstitious and poor. The general customs of tbe country are medioeval in character. The lamas had never heard of the western Tlieoeophists, and admitted that their salnts no longer worked miracles. The Chicago Llar- I see that your papers do a good deal of cackling about Detroit artists. I lock my door and laugli every time I tliink of it. I've see sorae pretty fair daubs credited to your home talent, but they no more compare with work I've seen done in Chicago thnn does the grandeur of the most. charming Italian sunset wlth a 25-cent advertising chr jmo for the Ilising Sun stove polLsli. Our dead wall decorators can give your best painters here a string and then beat tliem out. I've seen a storm cloud palnted by one of our artists that would make you hoist an umbrella even if you had to steal one to do it. I saw an old farmer step lnto one of our galleries, look at a vvheat field with glasses on and glasses off and then in a bewildered way offer $300 an acre for the land and the erop. There was one charming little piece there, a mouse chasing a bug, that they had to tsike down. It was so life-like that the ladies screamed, jumped on the furniture and tried to climb the pillars. I've seen fat men covered wlth dust and perspiratlon come intoa gallery, stop before a winter scène, and be carried out with a congestiye chili. Urchins try to nip pear?, peaches or grapes from a fruit piece, and the best judges will leave a fat stock show to see some of the animáis that our Chicago artists have placed on canvas. Paint? They can paint anything from a moonbeam to the roar of Niágara, and beat nature three out of five times. Your Detroit artists couldn't do Fccond-class whitewashing in Chicago.-