296 AMONG THE TIBETANS 



party got up for a game, the name of which I heard, but 

 which was unpronounceable by English lips. The younger 

 brother of the Panboh got it up. One hundred and eight 

 pebbles (the sacred Tibetan number) were collected, and 

 each of the four players provided himself with nine small 

 pieces of stick, each one of a different recognisable pattern ; 

 the stakes were four annas from each player. Two brass 

 dice, dotted in the usual way, excepting that one side was 

 crossed from angle to angle by two lines, and the iron tea- 

 ladle, were produced. A cloth was spread on the ground, 

 the players sat round, and the pebbles were placed in a 

 circle between them. The sticks of each player were 

 passed through the pebbles according to the pips turned 

 up on the dice. The great object seemed to be to pass 

 one's sticks through the stones as soon as possible, 

 throwing out those of other players that were passed 

 over. The man who puts all his sticks through all the 

 pebbles first, wins the stakes. The game took a long time, 

 and gave rise to much excitement and noise ; each player 

 rubbed the dice with energy on the spread cloth, on the 

 side of his boots, on the back of a Lama, or with a pinch 

 of dust " for luck," accompanying the action, which was 

 energetic and prolonged, with various gestures and the 

 words, " riri, riri, luri, luri." The dice got well polished, 

 and I should say would soon be worn out if many games 

 were played. After seeing the first game through, I left 

 and had a look at the ponies. They were small, well- 

 formed, compact animals, with fine heads and broad chests ; 

 they could not have been over twelve hands high, but 

 there could be no doubt of their strength and steadiness, 

 for they carried their riders, who were big men, with ease. 

 I returned to the tent much discouraged by the result 

 of my interview, making up my mind that I must return 

 the way I had come. Anparh came and said the final 



