ABSTRACT
The former pioneer explorer, Nain Sing, disguised as a merchant of Ladak, reached Lhasa through Nepal in 1866, and was the first to fix the latitude and longitude of the Forbidden City. The inaccessibility of Lhasa has been due in part to the well - nigh unsurmountable natural barriers. Manning, fascinated by the romantic accounts of China and its mysterious dependency Tibet, determined to devote his life to exploring the regions. The last of all the Asiatic foreigners who contrived to enter Lhasa was the Japanese priest, Kawaguchi, when his disguise and nationality were discovered. No Englishman ever saw Lhasa up till the present year, except one, about a century ago, if one do not admit the doubtful case of Moorcroft. Another Englishman, Dr. Moorcroft, is alleged to have reached Lhasa in 1826 and to have remained there for many years, although another account asserts that he died in 1826 before reaching Lhasa.
