240 A THEATRE IN BUTTER ! 



colossal proportions, representing various subjects 

 taken from the history of Buddhism. All the per- 

 sonages were invested with a truth of expression 

 that quite surprised us. The features were full of 

 life and animation, the attitudes natural, and the 

 drapery easy and graceful. You could distinguish at 

 a glance the nature and quality of the materials re- 

 presented. The furs were especially good. The 

 various skins of the sheep, the tiger, the fox, the 

 wolf, &c., were so admirably rendered, that you 

 felt inclined to go and feel them with the hand, 

 and ascertain whether, after all, they were not real. 

 These large bas-reliefs were surrounded with frames, 

 representing animals and flowers, all in butter, and 

 all admirable, like the works they enclosed, for 

 their delicacy of outline and the beauty of their 

 colouring. On the road which led from one temple 

 to another, were placed at intervals small bas- 

 reliefs representing, in miniature, battles, hunting 

 incidents, nomadic episodes, and views of the most 

 celebrated Lamaseries of Thibet and Tartary. 

 Finally, in front of the principal temple, there was 

 a theatre, which, with its personages and its de- 

 corations, were all of butter ! The dramatis personce 

 were a foot high, and represented a community of 

 lamas on their way to solemnize prayer. At first 

 the stage is empty ; then a conch is sounded, and 

 you see issuing from two doors, two files of minor 



