242 THE LAMASERY OF KOUNBOUM. 



gine, in a mountain's side, a deep broad ravine, 

 adorned with fine trees, and harmonious with the 

 cawing of rooks and yellow-beaked crows, and the 

 amusing chattering of magpies. On the two sides 

 of the ravine, and on the slopes of the mountain, 

 rise, in an amphitheatrical form, the white dwell- 

 ings of the lamas, of various sizes, but all alike 

 surrounded with a wall and surmounted by a ter- 

 race. Amidst these modest habitations you see 

 rising, here and there, numerous Buddhist temples 

 with gilt roofs, sparkling with a thousand brilliant 

 colours, and surrounded with elegant colonnades. 

 The houses of the superiors are distinguished by 

 streamers floating from small hexagonal turrets; 

 almost at every step you see niches, in form re- 

 sembling a sugar-loaf, within which are burning 

 incense, odoriferous wood, and cypress leaves. The 

 most striking feature of all, however, is to see an 

 exclusive population of lamas, walking about the 

 numerous streets, clothed in their uniform of red 

 dresses and yellow mitres." 



This renowned establishment enjoys so high a 

 repute, that the worshippers of Buddha resort 

 thither in pilgrimage from all parts of Tartary and 

 Thibet. Upon the great festivals the congregation 

 of strangers is immense ; and of these there are 

 four in the year the most famous of all being the 

 " Feast of Flowers," which takes place on the loth 



