My Journey to Lhasa by Alexandra David-NeelReview by: F. E. Y.The Geographical Journal, Vol. 71, No. 1 (Jan., 1928), p. 85Published by: The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1783090 .

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REVIEWS 85

has set about attaining it and the student in having such a work brought to his hand. R. C. T.

MY JOURNEY TO LHASA. By Alexandra David-Neel. London: Wm. Heinemann Ltd. 1927. 9x6 inches; xviii+310 pages and illus? trations. i\s

Madame David-Neel has performed a very courageous and a very difficult feat in travelling to Lhasa from China in disguise. Those who know the terrible cold and the disgusting dirt of Tibet can best appreciate the endurance it must have required to live as she did for months in Tibetan houses of the poorest type and among the lowest classes. The filth of the food would alone be sufficient to deter most travellers.

The geographical results are very meagre, for there is no map attached to the book and no means of knowing exactly wThat route she took. But her

descriptions of the ordinary life of the common folk of Tibet are of real value ?of all the more value because she evidently liked and understood them. Her discomfort was acute, as she lived in a hovel in Lhasa among beggars. But they treated her " with simplicity and kindness as one of themselves." And it is surprising to hear from her that these poor wretches enjoyed life even in the depth of winter. "

Everybody enjoyed the great luminous blue sky, and the bright life-giving sun, and waves of joy swept through the minds of these unlucky ones devoid of worldly wealth." This is first-hand information of real value. And it is corroborated by her experience of the simple Tibetans

throughout her journey. Her descriptions of monastic life are also of great interest, for she had

lived long in monasteries and studied the Tibetan sacred books. All over Tibet are monasteries, and these do at least symbolize a lofty ideal. And if a great number of the occupants fall below that ideal, even these, Madame Neel says, " do maintain a reverence for learning and saintliness."

This being so, it is distressing to hear that hatred of white men is being sown in the remotest corners of Asia where it will thrive and spread. This may be so?or it may not. For one is conscious throughout the book of a strong anti-British sentiment founded on what certainly are not facts. She speaks of the Dalai Lama being under British suzerainty, and of the British not allowing him as much freedom as his Chinese master did. And she seems to think that it is through the British that he refuses permission

" to explorers, savants, missionaries, scholars, to all, in fact, except their own agents." And the Tashi Lama is represented as resenting the servitude in which the British Government keeps his country.

But Madame Neel acknowledges that she takes little interest in politics. If she studied them at all she would know that the Dalai Lama is as inde?

pendent of Great Britain as is the President of the* French Republic, and has, and exercises, the right to admit or refuse to admit to Lhasa whom he will. But his decision in this matter is very greatly influenced by the feeling of the

powerful monasteries at Lhasa. Against that feeling he dare not go too far. If Madame Neel had been more fully aware of this she might perhaps

have written less disparagingly of the British, who after all have done more than any other people to open Tibet. F. E. Y.

THE BREATH OF THE DESERT. By F. Ossendowski ; English text

by L. S. PALEN. London: George Allen 6? Unwin Ltd. 1927. 9x6 inches; 279pages and 40 illustrations, ids

The author makes wide reading a preparation for travel-writing; a not un?

worthy preparation for what is really an able, careful, and interesting piece

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