FROM TONKIN TO INDIA 



little Mosso village of Kampou, where the inhabitants utilised 

 even the dikes between the rice-fields for beans. Soon after, the 

 ■country became wilder ; affluents of the Mekong intersected our 

 road with barren gorges, the hills were covered with pines. Just 

 before dark we made out on the brow the white buildings of 

 a Lama monastery ; and as we could not reach a village before 

 nightfall, we determined to throw ourselves on the hospitality of 

 the Order. 



From a winding path beneath the sombre pines we all at 

 once emerged on a wide clearing, in the midst of which was 

 reared a striking pile. We knocked at several doors before 

 anyone opened, but on gaining admittance were soon the 

 centre of a crowd of monks, fat and bronzed, with shaven 

 heads, and draped in red toga - like mantles. They belonged 

 to the Order of Red Hats, who had never been hostile to the 

 missionaries. Some were Mossos, others Thibetans ; they spoke 

 either language equally, but only used Thibetan writing. Our 

 hosts conducted us to a clean little tenement, occupied by a 

 Lama and his two disciples. At the sight of money, eggs and 

 grain were quickly forthcoming ; they brought us also some small 

 apples, and a jar of that beverage which the Thibetans call 

 tchang, and the Chinese tchaotiou, in which the owner of our 

 lodging pledged us freely. 



Hearine loud shouts in the course of the evening" proceedinof 

 from the space in front of the monastery, we descended, and 

 beheld the Lamas in the act of decking a post with resinous 

 torches, surrounded with flowers and leaves. It was the con- 

 tinuation of the Hopatie. A light having been applied, they 

 began to sport round it, the young bonzes gamboling and 



throwing somersaults with very unclerical vigour. Ne.\t, all, big 



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