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; These Tartars esune from a place which they, said was situated upon
the river..§uIlum,jio less than fifty-two days journey from'bepfce« Thi*
place, [therefore, according to the common computation of twenty miles
to a day’s journey, mUstjbe one thousand and forty miles .distant; The
followingl; understood to be their , route, on their return from hence
^towards home.: from Teshoo. Loomboo to-Lassa, twelve days ;. from
Lassa to Daum, ten days; from Damn. to. Sullum,. thirty days,;,.*
My next interview with.the Regent, Was in a eb^hegf unqn, tlm
same floor with A y own, separated only by a, long narrow; halh; of
rather gallery, into which we were first conducted, and where I found
an unexpected amusement, in examining a vast multitude of diminutive
images, the representatives of th.cir dewtas and heroes, who had here
fixed their abode.
The gallery, as I conjecture, was about forty feetjn length; having its
aspect towards the south-east. A balcony projecting from the centre;
fenced with a slight railing, and sheltered from the .weather by curtains
of mohair, served for the admission of light; opposite to the balcony,
in the most conspicuous part of the gallery, the images; were ranged
:in regular order, upon benches rising one behind the other, from'the
hoar* almost to the roof of the room. They were enclosed by a piece of
strong iron network. stretched before them. Some of these images
were composed of that metallic mixture, which in appearance resembles
Wedgewood’s black ware ; but the greater part were of brass, or copper
gilt. They were by no means ill fashioned, exhibiting an infinite
variety of figures and attitudes, and adorned with such symbolical
representations, as are appropriate to the respective dewtas. and heroes
Of the Hindoohiythology. - All of,these toe £0 be- $t$iwifch in* thiisiooft-
lection, asT gatHore'd from tlic rommtfmcations'-of the* Goseids^ with
Whom I,had afterwards &6queat.®pportubiti'es' Of visiting the! fpHhry
atiiiiy leisure, TIBS idols,-I learftt, wetfe not dll of©quahsanSky; srofo
bf them merely ifepres&nted deWut dtad p'iodsi different acts* of
religion, of exercises bf their faith.
W h ilst resided at- TCsfioo Loofnbooj I< aeoidontally obtained' knbw-
Ifedge of one method,-;by which tbist eabinet is» ©c'&MbnnKy;.rScniitted.
A Senior ®f the Gylongs, or grieStsfowhd wis styled Lama*? Wlti^
is the highest fatefc in that order, bagpsnted*. t6>-di& in* an ipartmeHt
not far front our own, and the* ®®da<si&n- gave rise to-a" long,and- fioisy
cferemony of inVot^ioni pfe-yer, and putifkatisii, in fcheJ hafoifeatiob
whe#e he bad lived. His body, I* was informed» was burnt with
Sandal wood, and its ashes- were afteTWards carefully collected,* ated
lodged within a small brass imagd, Which was immediately translated
to* a place, among the other saeted ifth&bitahts of'She galley* This
eabteehi therefore,, probably ©ontainsS thet earthly'#©itafesl of>> lofig
series of generations' of Gylongs, who from their superior sanctilyf hate
in all ages-,* been deemed worthy to dontrihutl <o its decoration-,, by
increasing the quantity of it® Hallowed* fuinitwre» Merit ha«' thus, in
Tibet, a brazen monument erected to its* memory.-- >"
The manufacture afiimagfeSj is an art* for Which they! dre fetOBf in
this country. Teshoo Loomboo hasi an extdnlsiv&boardrofiw&rksl, este*
bMshed under the; direction Of the mjimasteryy ahdcamstaiilsly employed
in this manufacture. When;images of #l«r:‘fabriedtiilW'Cife poiritfed
out to me, by’the side of others;-wHhfefh®d befen brought fremGhina>| 1 f t