TEMPLE OF CHERTINTON. 67 



tered by enormous cliffs, stands the temple of Cher- 

 tinton. 



The superior of the temple, a Gigen (i.e. living 

 Buddha) is a very remarkable man. On learning of 

 our arrival he invited us to his house to drink tea 

 and make his acquaintance. We gave him a stereo- 

 scope, with which he was delighted, and we soon 

 became good friends. Unfortunately he was a native 

 Tangutan, and could not speak Mongol ; our con- 

 versation was, therefore, carried on through the 

 medium of two interpreters, the Buriat-Cossack and 

 a Tangutan. Our host was an artist and made a 

 sketch of our first meeting with him. 



The valley of the Tatung-gol is so deeply cut 

 into the mountains that the elevation of the temple 

 is only 7,200 feet, the lowest spot we visited in the 

 district, although to the eastward, i.e. towards the 

 Hoang-ho, the valley of its tributary is of course 

 lower. 



The fords of this river are only practicable at 

 low water, and even then are very difficult : a bridge 

 has, therefore, been thrown across it, two miles 

 above the temple ; but the gates at either end are 

 too narrow to allow of the passage of loaded camels. 

 We had, therefore, to unload our beasts, and hire 

 Chinese to carry our things across. Here we pitched 

 our tent, and remained five days, in consequence of 

 the illness of the Cossack Chebayeff. Our com- 

 panions could not wait so long, and left us to con- 

 tinue their journey to the temple of Chobsen, only 

 forty-seven miles distant. Our compulsory five days' 



