SOJOURN AT TSEKOU 



the Lamaserais astounding deeds are credited to their votaries. 

 They open their stomachs and readjust their intestines without 

 a scar remaining ; they walk barefoot upon the sword's edge, and 

 feel no inconvenience; the living Buddha of Tchamoutong ^ heaps 

 up water drops with his hand as one might ice morsels. And 

 they of Tsekou have beheld these things. 



One remembers that Father Hue brought back similar stories, 

 and was taxed with credulity. And yet from fear of seeming 

 untrustworthy he only related a tithe of what he saw. To corrob- 

 orate either his experiences or the tales affirmed to me personally 

 would require a protracted sojourn in the midst of the Lamas 

 themselves, leadino- their life and sharincr their ceremonies. It 

 is not beyond the bounds of possibility that they can by the aid of 

 forces little known to us, but yet consistent with nature, produce 

 manifestations which analogy with phenomena observed in 

 divers other times and places might render worthy of considera- 

 tion ; such, for instance, as those of levitation. Of course it is 

 easy to dismiss with a shrug of the shoulders the remarks of 

 one or even several travellers ; but it might be more reasonable 

 to suppose that others before ourselves have been able to recog- 

 nise a power similar to that outlined by recent investigations, 

 and have turned it to the advantage of their religious prestige. 

 Be this as it may, the Lamas, whether sincere or the reverse, 

 have not been above using deception. The liantay ^ of Lha^a 

 revealed to the Fathers a ceremonial trick of theirs. He told 



' Four days from Tsekou, on the banks of the Salwen, stands the Lamaserai of 

 the Tchamoutong, the Lamas of which take their grades from the parent house of 

 D^gue. It is the ancient foundation of a celebrated Mosso queen, Mutsien - tsong 

 (daughter of the chief of a thousand men), or, as she was called in her own language, 

 Azen diamo. 



-' Liantay : a special paymaster and delegate of the Chinese Government at Lhaqa. 



