6'2 Captain Webb's Jmirney in Thibet. 



our journey, though none remains in the immediate vicinity of 

 the temple later than the beginning of July. The height of the 

 temple above the sea (or rather above Calcutta,) is 11,897 feet, 

 by correspondent barometrical observations, taking a mean be- 

 tween five barometers which were with me, all of them in good 

 order. This is the nearest appulse I have yet made to the base 

 of any very lofty peak. That marked No. 3 in my list* is seen 

 from the temple under so great an angle of elevation as 26° 15' 

 15", and agrees, as well as could be expected, with the position 

 and altitude I had formerly assigned to it. For a history ofKeddr 

 himself I must refer you to Dr. W. ; but even he may not know 

 the legend attached to the temple : and perhaps I shall not excite 

 any profound veneration in your mind when 1 inform you, that 

 the object, to visit which this pious and toilsome journey is 

 undertaken by pilgrims, is represented by a mishapen mass of 

 black rock, supposed to resemble the hind- quarters of a buffalo. 

 Kiddr-Nutli, pursued by Bhhn Singh, v/diS overtaken by that 

 giant near the site of the temple. With admirable presence of 

 mind he transformed himself into a buffalo, and joined a herd of 

 those animals then grazing in the vicinity. The metamorphosis 

 was hardly accomplished when Bhim arrived, who, from the 

 probability of the thing, I suppose, suspected the trick which 

 had been passed off upon him, and devised a rare expedient 

 for detecting the object of his pursuit. Placing himself in tlie 

 attitude of a colossus, he compelled the whole herd to pass 

 singly between his legs. All but poor Kcdur passed the gauge 

 of trial, but his unwieldy carcase jammed midway. Before 

 Bhim Singh could execute signal vengeance on his enemy, the 

 violence of Keddrs struggles caused his body to separate into 

 two parts. The head and shoulders diving under ground, safely 

 reached Nepal by a subterraneous passage, where they may 

 yet be seen. The rump remained a trophy to the giant. Here, 

 as at Bhadri Ndt'h, the sins of the flesh may be expiated, and 

 an instant union with the ethereal essence of the Deity be ob- 

 tained by self-sacrifice. The self-devoted victim is conducted 

 to the gorge of a snowy defile by the Brihmens, among whom 

 he distributes his property and apparel. He is then directed 



* Joui'iiil o/ Science and Arfs, Vol. VI. p. "iS. 



