TENT INUNDATED. BATHAR SHEILUN TEMPLE. 155 



The next day our intention of penetrating still 

 deeper into these mountains was thwarted by an 

 accident which detained us unexpectedly in the 

 same place. At ten in the morning a thunderstorm 

 accompanied by heavy rain burst over our heads, 

 and having carelessly pitched our tent in the dry 

 bed of a mountain torrent fed by two ravines, in a 

 few minutes streams of water were pouring straight 

 down upon our humble dwelling. We were inun- 

 dated by the torrent, and in a few moments some 

 of our lighter articles might be seen floating down 

 stream. By good luck half the tent stood on higher 

 ground, to which the water did not immediately rise. 

 Hither we carried some of our soaking things, dam- 

 ming the water out of the tent with felt to protect 

 our baggage. Fortunately our disagreeable situation 

 only lasted half an hour ; as soon as the storm had 

 passed and the rain ceased, the torrent speedily 

 subsided and dried up, and the only traces left of 

 the catastrophe were our damp things hung up to 

 dry. The day after this occurrence we marched a 

 short distance (ten miles) to the temple of Bathar 

 Sheilun, called Udan-chau by the Chinese, pic- 

 turesquely situated in the midst of wild, rocky 

 scenery^ and regarded as one of the most important 

 in South-eastern Mongolia. The gorgeous shrine 

 is four stories high, and surrounded by a cluster of 

 houses inhabited by 2,000 lamas, whose numbers 

 are increased in summer by the numerous pilgrims 

 who visit the temple to 7,000, many coming from 

 great distances. We ourselves saw, near Lake 



