Page 99 - GFA – A Different Drumbeat
P. 99
GFA – A Different Drumbeat 99
there be any need of their assistance later. In both cases they expressed sympathy and an
awareness of the potential dangers of the situation.
He spent the rest of the afternoon dealing with other matters and when he arrived back at
the home of his hosts about six o’clock, he received a phone call from the Chargé d’Affaires
of the American legation asking him if he would be willing to go immediately to Paot’o and
lead any rescue mission that was possible. This was not a surprising request as you will
have already discovered, they knew that GFA was a leader and capable administrator.
Each of the legations assigned a military officer to
Sven Anders Hedin report to him and accompany him on the trip to Baotou.
(19 Feb 1865 – 26 Nov 1952) Lieutenant Kanaga and Captain Stables were
was a Swedish geographer, immediately seconded to assist him. His host that
topographer, explorer, night was Sven Hedin, the great Swedish explorer of
photographer, travel writer, Central Asia and his wife. They were fascinated in
and illustrator of his own what GFA had been asked to do, but a little concerned
works. about some of his personal preparation for the job. So
During four expeditions to Central Asia, he after the evening meal, while the two men talked, his
discovered the Transhimalaya (once named
the Hedin Range in his honor) and the hostess excused herself and left the room. She joined
sources of them again later and when the evening was over, they
the Brahmaputra, Indus and Sutlej Rivers, farewelled him and it was only later that he discovered
Lake Lop Nur, and the remains of cities, that she had placed in his vehicle a sleeping bag,
grave sites and the Great Wall of China in
the deserts of the Tarim Basin ground sheet, mittens and a number of other items
From the end of 1933 to 1934, Hedin led—on which she thought he would need, as Baot’ou
behalf of the Kuomintang government under bordered on the Gobi Desert.
Chiang Kai-shek in Nanjing—a Chinese Not only that, but such was the importance they placed
expedition to investigate irrigation measures
and draw up plans and maps for the on this rescue mission and the respect they held for
construction of two roads suitable for Findlay Andrew, that the American Charge d’Affaires
automobiles along the Silk Road from Beijing had immediately gone into action. He had contacted
to Xinjiang. Following his plans, major leading officials in the Suiyuan Province (today part of
irrigation facilities were constructed,
settlements erected, and roads built on the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region), and organised
Silk Road from Beijing to Kashgar, which the requisite passports for the team. They were
made it possible to completely bypass the booked on the midday train for Paot’o the next day.
rough terrain of Tarim Basin.
GFA was one of the special breed of missionary who
had been able to absorb the culture of the Chinese people. He was fluent in the language
and, more importantly, was able to converse in a number of the numerous dialects which
proliferated in the country. He also knew enough about the drawn out and sometimes
obtuse negotiating methods used by the Chinese when marketing or solving problems
between people or groups. His previous experience had taught him that having a
knowledgeable and sympathetic Chinese friend with him was often invaluable and could
make the difference between success or failure.
there be any need of their assistance later. In both cases they expressed sympathy and an
awareness of the potential dangers of the situation.
He spent the rest of the afternoon dealing with other matters and when he arrived back at
the home of his hosts about six o’clock, he received a phone call from the Chargé d’Affaires
of the American legation asking him if he would be willing to go immediately to Paot’o and
lead any rescue mission that was possible. This was not a surprising request as you will
have already discovered, they knew that GFA was a leader and capable administrator.
Each of the legations assigned a military officer to
Sven Anders Hedin report to him and accompany him on the trip to Baotou.
(19 Feb 1865 – 26 Nov 1952) Lieutenant Kanaga and Captain Stables were
was a Swedish geographer, immediately seconded to assist him. His host that
topographer, explorer, night was Sven Hedin, the great Swedish explorer of
photographer, travel writer, Central Asia and his wife. They were fascinated in
and illustrator of his own what GFA had been asked to do, but a little concerned
works. about some of his personal preparation for the job. So
During four expeditions to Central Asia, he after the evening meal, while the two men talked, his
discovered the Transhimalaya (once named
the Hedin Range in his honor) and the hostess excused herself and left the room. She joined
sources of them again later and when the evening was over, they
the Brahmaputra, Indus and Sutlej Rivers, farewelled him and it was only later that he discovered
Lake Lop Nur, and the remains of cities, that she had placed in his vehicle a sleeping bag,
grave sites and the Great Wall of China in
the deserts of the Tarim Basin ground sheet, mittens and a number of other items
From the end of 1933 to 1934, Hedin led—on which she thought he would need, as Baot’ou
behalf of the Kuomintang government under bordered on the Gobi Desert.
Chiang Kai-shek in Nanjing—a Chinese Not only that, but such was the importance they placed
expedition to investigate irrigation measures
and draw up plans and maps for the on this rescue mission and the respect they held for
construction of two roads suitable for Findlay Andrew, that the American Charge d’Affaires
automobiles along the Silk Road from Beijing had immediately gone into action. He had contacted
to Xinjiang. Following his plans, major leading officials in the Suiyuan Province (today part of
irrigation facilities were constructed,
settlements erected, and roads built on the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region), and organised
Silk Road from Beijing to Kashgar, which the requisite passports for the team. They were
made it possible to completely bypass the booked on the midday train for Paot’o the next day.
rough terrain of Tarim Basin.
GFA was one of the special breed of missionary who
had been able to absorb the culture of the Chinese people. He was fluent in the language
and, more importantly, was able to converse in a number of the numerous dialects which
proliferated in the country. He also knew enough about the drawn out and sometimes
obtuse negotiating methods used by the Chinese when marketing or solving problems
between people or groups. His previous experience had taught him that having a
knowledgeable and sympathetic Chinese friend with him was often invaluable and could
make the difference between success or failure.
