TIBETAN WOMAN owN .\:>b With the Tibetans in Tent and Temple NARRATIVE OF FOUR YEARS' RESI- DENCE ON THE TIBETAN BORDER, AND OF A JOURNEY INTO THE FAR INTERIOR BY SUSIE CARSON RIJNHART, M.D. Fifth Edition FOREIGN CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY CINCINNATI, OHIO COPYRIGHT, I90I, BY FLEMING H. RBVELL COMPANY ,O*it30fe6t>Z*\ TO THE MEMORY OF MY HUSBAND, WHOSE HEART AND LIFE WERE GIVEN TO THE TIBETANS, THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED Introductory Note Since this work was published in igoi Dr. Susie Carson Rijnhart, the author, has returned to the borders of Tibet to work amongf the Tibetans. She is located at Ta Chien Lu, in West China. Dr. Rijnhart represents the Foreig^n Christian Missionary Society. Her associates are Dr. and Mrs. A. L. Shelton and Mr. and Mrs. C. Ogden. J. The readers of this book will remember how her child died and was buried in a drug box, and how a great boulder was placed over the grave to keep from being desecrated by robbers or from being it disturbed by wild beasts and how her husband ; while seeking aid from the natives disappeared from her sight forever. Dr. Rijnhart has consecrated her life to Tibet, and the loss of her child and When husband could not afifect that consecration. asked if it would not be a cross for her to return to Tibet where she had suffered so much, she said, " It would be a cross not to return." The desire of her heart has been fulfilled. Being providentially restored to health she has gone to minister the gospel to the Tibetans. She heals the sick, teaches the women of Christ and his salvation, distributes literature, and trains helpers for the service. PREFACE In the following pages I have attempted to nar- rate briefly the events of four years' residence and travel among the Tibetans (1895-1899). The work does not aim at literary finish, for it has been writ- ten under the stress of many public engagements. It is sent forth in response to requests and sugges- tions received from friends in all parts of the United States and Canada. If I may succeed in perpetuating and deepening the widespread interest in the evangelization of Tibet, already aroused by the press and platform accounts of the missionary pioneering herein de- scribed, I shall be glad. To this end I have incor- porated in the narrative as many data concerning the customs, beliefs and social conditions of the My Tibetans as space would allow. close contact with the people during four years has enabled me to speak with confidence on these points, even when I have found myself differing from great travelers who, because of their brief sojourn and rapid progress, necessarily received some false PREFACE impressions. The map accompanying the book shows the route of the last journey undertaken in 1898 by my husband, myself and our little son, and of which I am the sole survivor. Leaving Tankar on the northwestern frontier of Chinese or Outer Tibet, crossing the Ts'aidam Desert, the Kuenlun and Dang La Mountains, we entered the Lhasa dis- trict of Inner Tibet, reaching Nagch'uk'a, a town about one hundred and fifty miles from the capital. In describing this journey, such portions of Mr. Rijnhart's diary as I was able to preserve, and also his accurate geographical notes, have been of inesti- mable value to me. My thanks are due to Rev. Mr. Upcraft, Baptist missionary at Ya Cheo, China, for photographs from which some of the illustrations were made. And I am especially grateful to Prof. Charles T. Paul, of Hiram College, who placed at my disposal the fruits of his many years' study of Tibetiana, and rendered me invaluable assistance in the preparation of the manuscript. Susie C. Rijnhart. Chatham, Ontario, Canada.