ee times will make honest and good a person who has killed his or
her father, mother, brother, or sister. There are fanatics who make the
tour on their knees; others accomplish the distance lying flat upon the
ground after each step.

According to legend, Mansarowar was created by Brahma. He who shall
bathe in its waters will share the paradise of Mahadeva! No matter what
crimes he may have previously committed, a dip in the holy lake is
sufficient to purge the soul as well as the body of any criminal!

When they had finished purifying themselves by washing, I ordered
Chanden Sing to take his rifle and follow me into the Gomba. Having
committed no crime, I thought I had better do without the holy bath,
although the temptation was great to go and have a swim. The Lamas were
so polite that I feared treachery on their part. To please my men and
perhaps bring myself some luck, I hurled a couple of coins into the
lake.

The large square building, with its walls painted red and its flattish
dome of gilt copper rose by the waterside, and was both picturesque and
handsome in its severe simplicity.

There came sounds from inside of deep, hoarse voices muttering prayers,
of tinkling of bells and clanging of cymbals. From time to time a drum
was beaten, giving a hollow sound, and an occasional and sudden touch
upon a gong caused the air to vibrate until the notes faded away as
they were carried over the holy lake.

After Chanden Sing and I had entered the Lamasery, the large door, which
had been pushed wide open, was immediately closed. We were in a spacious
court-yard, three sides of which had two tiers of galleries supported by
columns.

This was the _Lhaprang_, or Lama's house. Directly in front of me was
the _Lha Kang_, or temple, the floor of which was raised some five feet
above the level of the ground. A large door led into it. At this
entrance were, one on either side, recesses in which, by the side of a
big drum, squatted two Lamas with books of prayers before them, a
praying-wheel and a rosary in their hands, the beads of which they
shifted after every prayer. At our appearance the monks ceased their
prayers and beat the drums in an excited manner. There seemed to be some
disturbance in the Gomba. Lamas old and young rushed to and fro out of
their rooms, while a number of _Chibbis_, or novices (boys between the
ages of twelve and twenty), lined the railings of the upper veranda with
expressions of evident suspense