effort. They stop before the houses and cry out pitifully: You see how much it costs us to expiate your sins. Can you not afford us some trifling alms?" Sometimes they hire men to carry them through the streets in a chair stuck over with a thousand nails, in such a manner that it is impossible to stir without being wounded. To those who pass by, the devotee proclaims: Behold, I am shut up in this chair for the good of your souls. I am resolvol never to leave it till all the nails are bought. Every nail is worth sixpence. If you buy one, it will certainly become a source of happiness to you and your families, and you will also perform a religions act: for you will best w eharity not on the priests, but on the God Fo himself for whom we intend to build a temple."

In view of these extravagances, it is just to remember that they are disapproved by the more enlightened. The Regent of Thibet said to the French missionaries: "You have doubtless seen and heard much to blame in Tartary and Thibet, but you must not forget that the numerous errors and superstitions you may have observed were introduced by ignorant Lamas, and are rejected by wellinformed Buddhists."

The spirit of pilgrimage prevails to a great extent. Around the most celebrated Lamaseries there is a continual putting up and pulling down of tents, and the coming and going of pilgrims from far and near, on oxen, horses, or camels. One of the penances they impose upon themselves is to make the circuit of th Lamaseries, prostrating themselves, with their foreheads to the ground, at every step. When the buildings are of considerable extent, it is difficult to complete the circuit thus in the course of a leng day. They must not pause to take nourishment, 5 r if the [rostrations are once suspended after they are børn. the merit of the performance is lost. At each prostration the body must be stretched flat on the groun 1, the forehea touching the ground, the arms spread out, and the hat is joined as if in prayer. They ontinue this tiron_h Invistorms and the keenest cold. Others perfuma the er sla

e.

carrying a load of books, the weight of which is prescribed by the Lamas. When the task is completed they are deemed to have recited all the prayers contained in the books they carry. Some merely walk the circuit, telling the beads of their long rosaries, or turning a prayer-wheel, which they carry in their right hand. Some pilgrims undertake fearfully long journeys, prostrating themselves at every step. Near Lassa is a high mountain, rugged and almost inaccessible. The pilgrim who clambers to the top of it is thought to have obtained remission of all his sins. The offerings of the pilgrims are a great source of revenue to the Lamaseries. When a devotee of wealth or rank presents himself, one of the Incarnations of Bouddha usually presides over the ceremony of reception. His share in the offerings is fifty ounces of silver, a piece of red or yellow silk, a pair of boots and a mitre, arranged in a basket decorated with flowers and ribbons, and covered with a rich scarf. The pilgrim prostrates himself on the steps of the altar, and places the basket at the feet of the representative of Bouddha. A pupil takes it up, and in return presents a scarf to the pilgrim. The Superior Lama preserves meanwhile the impassive character suited to an embodied Divinity.

The humble huts of the primitive devotees of this religion gradually changed into spacious and elegant mansions. At the present day, Lamaseries are the most beautiful edifices in Asia, except the royal palaces. They are usually situated in picturesque and solitary places, especially on the tops of mountains. Adjoining them ist always a temple dedicated to Bouddha, or some saint. They usually terminate in a pyramid, which is a form of architecture sacred to gods, priests, and kings. Rich men, who wish to expiate their sins, and purchase happiness in a future existence, often build and endow them for public hospitals and seminaries. If they are well situated, and have ample funds, devotees do not fail to present themselves in sufficient numbers to fill them speedily. Sometimes separate houses are enclosed within a high wall; some

times one large building is divided into various suites of apartments; kitchen, hospital, prison, barber's office, treasury, dining hall, library, reception room for strangers, and sleeping apartments. These buildings are exceedingly numerous. The city of Lassa alone contains three thousand. Of course the most magnificent of them all is on the famous old mountain of Bouddha La, where the Supreme Pontiff of all the Lamas has his permanent residence. It is an aggregation of edifices, in the centre of which rises the temple of the Grand Lama, four stories high, and overlooking them all. It terminates in a dome entirely covered with golden plates, and surrounded with a peristyle, the columns of which are covered with gold. It contains a vast number of apartments, adorned with innumerable pyramids of gold and silver, and a great number of sacred images made of the same precious metals. Within the precincts of this Lamasery reside twenty thousand Lamas, whose principal occupation it is to serve and honour the Incarnation of Bouddha. Devotees will live very sparingly, and even suffer for food and clothing, that they may save money enough to make a pilgrimage to this holy place, and purchase perfumes to burn before the images. Strongly odorous flowers are a favourite offering, and they burn large quantities of the fragrant sandal-wood for incense. Winding-sheets consecrated by the Grand Lama, and covered with printed sentences from the Sacred Books, are sold in large numbers, it being supposed that those who are buried in them are sure of a happy transmigration. There have been some instances of pilgrims throwing themselves headlong from the steep rocks, as soon as they had completed their prayers and ceremonies; believing that their souls were then in a purified state, and sure of going directly to Paradise. There is a continual throng coming and going around Bouddha La, but they observe a profound and reverential silence. Two avenues lined with magnificent trees connect the mountain with the city of Lassa, about a mile distant. Here are swarms of pilgrims continually passing to and fro, reciting the mystic syllables

on their long rosaries. In the sanctuary of the central temple, resplendent with gold and brilliant colours, is placed a rich divan for the Grand Lama. At the hour appointed for prayer a large conch is sounded toward the four cardinal points. The great gate opens, and the Grand Lama walks in and seats himself. The attendant Lamas leave their boots in the vestibule, enter barefoot, and prostrate themselves three times before him. They then seat themselves in a circle, each according to his dignity. The signal for prayer is given by tinkling a little bell, followed by psalms in double chorus. Kings and noble personages flock to this shrine from all quarters, and enrich the temple with costly offerings.

Tartar Lamaseries are not to be compared with those of Thibet in extent or wealth, but some of them are splendid edifices. The Tartars are exceedingly frugal in their own dress and mode of living, but lavish in everything connected with worship. Lamas travel all over the country, from tent to tent, with authenticated passports, begging, in the name of Bouddha, for money to build a temple or a Lamasery. The rich give ingots of gold or silver; the less prosperous give camels, horses, or oxen; and even the poorest cheerfully offer furs and hair ropes. In this way, immense sums are collected, wherewith superb structures are erected in the deserts. Among these the most venerated is the Lamasery of Kounboum, famous to the remotest confines of Tartary. The following are the traditions concerning it. A woman, who had become old and was childless, fainted and fell senseless on a rock, whereon was inscribed various sentences in honour of Bouddha. From contact with these holy words, she conceived and bore a miraculous son, named Tsong Kaba. When he was born, he had a white beard and a majestic countenance, and immediately began to utter wise sayings concerning the nature and destiny of man. At three years old, he resolved to renounce the world, and devote himself to religious contemplation. His mother reverently approved his purpose, and prepared him by shaving his head, throwing his fine long VOL. I.-21

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hair outside the tent. Instantly there sprang from it a tree, which exhaled exquisite fragrance, and on every leaf were inscribed characters in the sacred language. Tsong Kaba spent his days on summits of the wildest mountains, or in the recesses of deep ravines; fasting, praying, and meditating on divine things. He tasted no flesh, and respected the life of the minutest insect. At eighty-two years old, he died; or, according to their mode of speaking, "he ascended to the Heaven of Rapture, and was absorbed in Bouddha." The mountain at the foot of which he was born, became a famous place of pilgrimage. Lamas from all parts assembled there and built cells; and thus by degrees was formed the Lamasery of Kounboum, whose name signifies Ten Thousand Images, in allusion to the marvellous tree, which sprang from the hermit's hair, with characters in the sacred writing on all its leaves. When the emperor Khang Hi made a pilgrimage to this place, he erected a silver dome over the tree. Plants gathered on this sacred mountain are bought by pilgrims at a great price. The young students of botany go out in troops and gather great quantities of herbs and roots, which are stored for sale.

The Buddhist temples are covered inside and out with carvings in wood or stone, representing lions, tigers, elephants, birds, reptiles, and all sorts of animals, real and imaginary. Some of these works are executed with great delicacy and beauty. The interior is filled with paintings and statues, illustrating the life of Bouddha, and the various transmigrations of celebrated saints. The Lamas themselves are the only artists employed in these decorations, which are generally of a fantastic character. Most of the personages represented in the statues and medallions have a monstrous and grotesque appearance. Bouddha alone is an exception. He is always represented noble and majestic, with large full eyes and long curling hair. The Lamas are less successful in painting, than in sculpture, being faulty in their drawing, and partial to gaudy colouring. But, according to the testimony of M. Huc, they