across the
narrow streets, while the owners of the cobwebby tenements, peeping out
of the narrow windows in their balconies, made their remarks upon the
strangers in not much more melodious tones; in an old court-yard a little
way above, was visible an unwieldy rhinoceros, placidly contemplating a
bundle of grass, from which it had satisfied its hunger, in happy
ignorance that its life is dependent on that of the Rajah; for in Nepaul
it is a rule that the death of one great animal should be immediately
followed by that of another, and, when a Rajah dies, a rhinoceros is
forthwith killed to keep him company. As he stood tethered almost under
the palace windows, we thought him at once a fitting moral and a
characteristic background to this novel and interesting picture.

CHAPTER VIII.

_The temple of Sumboonath--View from the platform of the temple--The
valley of Nepaul and its resources--Tradition respecting it--Entrance of
the Prime Minister into Katmandu--The two kings--A brilliant reception_.

The temple of Sumboonath, which we next visited, is situated on the
summit of a woody eminence; it is approached by a long flight of steps,
the trouble of ascending which is amply compensated by the lovely view
which the platform of the temple commands, as well as by an inspection of
the curious construction of the building itself.

Sumboonath is looked upon as one of the oldest temples in Nepaul, and was
erected, according to Kirkpatrick, when Nepaul was ruled by a race of
Thibetians; its possession was at one time claimed by the Dalai Lama, or
Sovereign Pontiff of H'Lassa, but he has since been obliged to abandon
the claim.

The Dagoba resembles the temple of Bhood, but is only about half its
size; the spire is covered with plates of copper, gilt. It is surrounded
by pagodas, as well as numerous more modern shrines of a bastard Hindoo
class, to which Bhootyas and Bhamas, a tribe of Newars, resort in great
numbers. Occasionally the Ghorkas visit these shrines; the thunderbolt
of Indra, which is here exhibited, being, I suppose, the object of
attraction to them, as they pride themselves on being orthodox Hindoos.

This collection of temples is surrounded by rickety old houses, inhabited
by Bhootyas and priests. All around small images sit upon wet stones,
holding in their hands everlasting tapers, and look out of their niches
upon the dirty worshippers who smother them with faded flowers. Turning
our backs up