and curiosity upon their faces. No doubt
the Lamas had prepared a trap for us. I warned Chanden Sing to be on the
alert, and set him on guard at the entrance of the temple. I deposited a
few silver coins on the drum of the Lama to my right, took off my shoes
in sign of respect, and--much to the amazement of the monks--quietly
entered the house of worship. Partly astonished at the sight of the
silver, and more so at my want of caution, the Lamas, of whom there
were a good number in the court-yard, remained motionless and dumb. The
High Lama, or Father Superior of the monastery, at last came forward
stooping low. He placed one thumb above the other and put his tongue out
to show his approval of my visit to the many images representing deities
or sanctified Buddhist heroes which were grouped along the walls of the
temple. The largest of these figures were about five feet high, the
others about three feet. Some were carved out of wood, their drapery and
ornaments being fairly artistic in arrangement and execution, while
others were fashioned in gilt metal. There were images in a sitting
posture and some standing erect. They rested either on ornamented or
plain pedestals painted blue, red, white, and yellow. Many wore the
ancient Chinese double-winged cap, and were placed in recesses in the
wall decorated with stuffs, wood-carvings, and rough paintings of
images.

At the foot of these images was a long shelf, on which, in bright brass
vessels of all sizes, were oblations of _tsamba_, dried fruit, _chura_,
wheat, and rice, offered, through the Lamas, by devotees to the
different saints. Some of the ears of barley were ornamented with
imitation leaves modelled in butter, and colored red, blue, and yellow.

The ceiling of the temple was draped in red woollen cloth similar to
that of the clothes worn by the Lamas. From it hung hundreds of strips
of silk, wool, and cotton of all colors. The roof was supported by
columns of wood forming a quadrangle in the centre of the temple. These
were joined by a balustrade, compelling the worshippers to make a
circuit from left to right, in order to pass before the several images.

In a shrine in the central part of the wall facing the entrance was
_Urghin_, or _Kunjuk-chick_ (God alone). In front of it on a kind of
altar covered with a carpet were to be seen donations far more abundant
than those offered to other images.

The Lama, pointing at it, told me that it was a good God. I salute