ies, without distinction, but the quantity is altogether
inadequate. The voluntary offerings of the pilgrims come in aid, but,
besides that these offerings are uncertain, they are divided among the
Lamas according to the position which each occupies in the hierarchy, so
that there are always a great many who never receive any thing at all
from this source.

Offerings are of two sorts, tea offerings and money offerings. The first
is operated in this fashion: the pilgrim who proposes to entertain the
brotherhood, waits upon the superiors of the Lamasery, and, presenting to
them a khata, announces that he shall have the devotion to offer to the
Lamas a general or special tea. The tea-general is for the whole
Lamasery without distinction; the tea-special is given only to one of the
four faculties, the selection being with the pilgrim. On the day filed
for a tea-general, after the repetition of morning prayer, the presiding
Lama gives a signal for the company to retain their seats. Then forty
young Chabis, appointed by lot, proceed to the great kitchen, and soon
return, laden with jars of tea with milk; they pass along the ranks, and
as they come to each Lama, the latter draws from his bosom his wooden
tea-cup, and it is filled to the brim. Each drinks in silence, carefully
placing a corner of his scarf before his cup, in order to modify the
apparent anomaly of introducing so material a proceeding as tea-drinking
into so spiritual a spot. Generally there is tea enough presented to go
round twice, the tea being stronger or weaker according to the generosity
of the donor. There are some pilgrims who add a slice of fresh butter
for each Lama, and magnificent Amphytrions go the length, further, of
oatmeal cakes. When the banquet is over, the presiding Lama solemnly
proclaims the name of the pious pilgrim, who has done himself the immense
credit of regaling the holy family of Lamas; the pilgrim donor prostrates
himself on the earth; the Lamas sing a hymn in his favour, and then march
out in procession past their prostrate benefactor, who does not rise
until the last of the Lamas has disappeared.

Offerings of this sort are very little for each individual Lama; but when
you reflect that on such occasions there are assembled together more than
4,000 tea-drinkers, you may easily estimate that the aggregate expense
becomes a very serious affair. In the Lamasery at Kounboum, one single
tea-general, without either butter or c