British Perceptions of Tibet in the late 19th to the early 20th century

"For centuries Tibet has been a place of intrigue in Western minds. From as early as the time of Herodotus (484-425 BCE) the mythical perceptions of Tibet were already present in the West. In Herodotus’s third book of his work Histories apodeixis he describes fox-sized ants who would lived nearby tribes of people who lived north of the Indians. The fox-sized ants would dig up the sand to construct their underground homes while unearthing amounts of gold dust in the process. In the mornings gold-seekers would quickly come to gather up as much sand as possible before fleeing from the pursuing giant ants. ..."

http://tibettalk.wordpress.com/2010/01/09/british-perceptions-of-tibet-in-the-late-19th-to-the-early-20th-century/