A KALMUCK TEMPLE. 407 



their houses, and sometimes met the people with their 

 herds of horses, sheep, and camels. In the course of 

 their journey they came to a Kalmuck temple. Before 

 its entrance stood a number of upright sticks, like a 

 clump of spears adorned with flags, or pennons. These 

 pennons, which were long stripes of cotton cloth, were 

 covered with Kalmuck prayers, written in the language of 

 Thibet, which was always used by the priests in their reli- 

 gious rites, though unintelligible to their flock. The simple 

 Kalmucks admired it, just as the simple Catholics admire 

 Latin. It was a divine language, consecrated by the use 

 of ages. Neither the priests nor the Kalmucks read 

 these prayers, (the latter indeed could not :) they were 

 fastened to the long sticks already mentioned, in order 

 that the wind might wave them to and fro. The flutter- 

 ing of these written supplications was considered as 

 effectual as the repeating of them. If the god to whom 

 they were addressed had eyes, and most of the gods of 

 Asia were supposed to be rather liberally supplied in the 

 matter of vision, he could see them, which would answer 

 his purpose just as well as if he heard them. It was a 

 capital test of his divinity, and it saved so much time ! 



The travellers entered the temple, and watched the 

 Kalmucks at their worship. 



Glaring pictures of grotesque idols, hung on the walls, 

 and gilded images stood on the altar, before which were 

 several basins containing fruit, water, dried flesh, cheese, 

 and other offerings. Between the door and the altar 

 were six priests, sitting face to face on the floor, the 

 inferior priests nearest the door, the Lama beside the 

 altar. They were singing and playing on a variety of 

 instruments. It was difficult to tell which was worst 



