We were lodgedin the monastery, in an apar tmentallotted to the
devotions of the; Lama. It was a low, square room, with no aper ■
ture but the door, which, when shut, made it gloomy enough; and
here we reposed, amidst gods and whirligigs. But, not to speak too
ludicrously of that, with which their superstition connects very grave
and serious ideas, and which is found equally common in the temples
of Tibet and; in those of Bootan, it is necessary to explain, that this
machine is no other than a painted barrel, with gilded letters on it,
placed upright in a case, which has an opening to admit the hand. It
revolves upon an axis, having a notch in its side, to allow you to give
it impulse. In twirling this instrument about, and repeating at the
same time the mystic words, Oom maunee paimee oom, consists a material
exercise of their religion.
Our host, the Lama, was a lusty, venerable, sedate old man: he
treated us with great hospitality and kindness, and was very solicitous
for our comfortable accommodation. We were indebted to his kitchen
for a very good dish at supper: it was a preparation of mutton,
minutely incorporated with milk and spices, of which we eat heartily,
and thought it excellent cookery. There were also abundance of dates ,-
and dried apricots, with the infusion of rice, by way of liquor for the
table. The door of our room not shutting very closely, a keen -frosty
air found entrance by it, which soon drew from us, wishes for a fire.
Gur attendants, the Lama’s people, flew with eagerness to make one of
dried cowdung and slips of fir, which latter, abounding much with
turpentine, bum like a torch, and form, therefore, an excellent foundation
; but, the instant the blaze subsided, it was succeeded by so
-pungent' add penetrating a! smoker that, almbst-suffocated; wte'-^ereP as
glad to extinguisbt-heifire, as we had been anxious to admit arid Were
■ obliged immediately. t'mtsbrowi;©penithei.'dbi^feh'dth^v.^e'8Phiifis0tW the
cold air, to-get rid obits- effects. Time had deprived- crte?>fri©nd^of half
his teeth, and those-which remairled; kept-na,good|>h^h%®teh|fo'd'j#fth
eachrother.. He had numerous infirmittesi^shcri^i&sjofisight, rheumatic
pains, and fead’-digfeseicmt: cages Appeared <*»1 8 0 1 have’ aKshare -’in his
afflictions. He uirieavourcd.totr.iceumft’hc'di'di t JEri(Vgue‘ol; his cbirH-
plaints to. Mr. Saunders, who- I)unlanel)d6(irisbled-diim with'-ffiiV gdtM-
. counsel .and;i medical advice; and I> had’the"|fgoGd*fOrtMd’*fe(!ie?ll'dvfate'
one grievous, evil, by presenting-him with a -pair obsp^hmcle&f'- *
aalferi t|^l®iteifiug!pf Monday;; the »Wtth 'of4feJfteffiber,%e^0uMtfour-'
selves, in* thevitiriity -of-snow, covering a- range- ofrmoUnfemSf lyi'hgt to ’
the'north-east, about two miles ofD?-)‘®'he’ s>nbw GOMiAue^5 om srvRib^Sf
them, during -all seascms .off the- yeUr. | The most - c'b'rispicUfSu's feMffe
number is that called Chumularee, whibhdtes’-fitlbiftabovett^itrbSt, and
terminates in a..peak. - ■
Chumularee is highly venerated by tlie HmifooSj’htfhoy asf lMorift/g-
heer informed me, have been* used; from tiitSe immemorial, to-'-rerfort
hither in pilgrimage; for the purpose of paying' their-adoMtiMssttPlfS
snow-clad summit. ..I could gain no-satisfactory explanation* -(#**thfe
superior sanctity.-attached to'.this, mountain pibuti it- may •bfjtobscrvtd,
that eyjery smg|ila^gh?enomenon in nature, is of, the,-same, import-"
ance to the superstitious H indoo: "a snowy mountainfg(1ho:t well h,‘1 <t
As at Setacoon' near Monghire, in, t&e province of Beflgil.
1 d