and all
admirable, like the works they enclosed, for their delicacy of outline
and the beauty of their colouring. On the road which led from one temple
to another, were placed, at intervals, small bas-reliefs representing, in
miniature, battles, hunting incidents, nomadic episodes, and views of the
most celebrated Lamaseries of Thibet and Tartary. Finally, in front of
the principal temple, there was a theatre, which, with its personages and
its decorations, were all of butter. The _dramatis personae_ were a foot
high, and represented a community of Lamas on their way to solemnize
prayer. At first, the stage is empty, then, a marine conch is sounded,
and you see issuing from two doors, two files of minor Lamas, followed by
the superiors in their state dresses. After remaining, for a moment,
motionless on the stage, the procession disappears at the sides, and the
representation is over. This spectacle excited general enthusiasm; but,
for ourselves, who had seen rather better mechanism, we regarded these
mannikins, that moved on the stage and then moved off it without stirring
a limb, as decidedly flat. One representation of the play, therefore,
amply sufficed for us, and we went about admiring the bas-reliefs.

[Picture: The Grand Lama of Kounboum]

Whilst we were examining a group of devils, as grotesque, at all events,
as those of Callot, we heard behind us a tremendous flourish of trumpets
and marine conchs, and, upon inquiry, were informed that the Grand Lama
was issuing forth from his sanctuary to visit the flowers. We desired
nothing better, for the Grand Lama of Kounboum was a great object of
curiosity with us. He soon reached the place where we stood. He walked
in the centre of the principal dignitaries of the Lamasery, preceded by
minor Lamas, who cleared the way with great black whips. This Living
Buddha appeared to us to be, at the outside, forty years old, he was of
ordinary size, with a very flat and very common face, and of a very dark
complexion. As he passed on he gave a vague glance at the bas-reliefs;
when he saw that fine face of Buddha so repeatedly presented to his
observation, he must, we thought, have said to himself that by dint of
transmigrations he had dolefully degenerated from his original type. If
the person of the Grand Lama, however, did not particularly strike us,
his costume did, for it was strictly that of our own bishops: he bore on
his head a yellow mitre