Popular Science Monthly 



647 



His Drum Is Made of Human Skin 

 and His Trumpet of a Thighbone 



I AM A, meaning "a su- 

 _^ perior one," is the name 

 given by the Chinese and 

 foreigners generally to the 

 Buddhist monastic order in 

 Tibet. In Tibet, however, 

 the word is reserved for the 

 monks who have not only 

 taken the highest theological 

 degrees, but who have led 

 saintly lives and become 

 famous for knowledge. 

 Lamaism is a form of Bud- 

 dhism practiced by the peo- 

 ple of Tibet. In lamaism, 

 magic and mysticism play 

 such a commanding part 

 that its relation to Buddhism 

 can be recognized only with 

 difficulty. The monks of 

 Tibet are believers in the 

 efficacy of prayer. They use 

 a rosary such as that worn by 

 the lama in the photograph. 

 The rosaries are made of 

 various kinds of wood, shell, 

 sections of human skulls, and 

 various kinds of odd seeds. 



The drum and small 

 trumpet shown in this picture are used in 

 ceremonies connected with the exorcising of 

 evil spirits. The drum is usually made by 

 joining at the tops the domes of two human 

 skulls, the drumhead being made of human 

 skin. The beaters are suspended from 

 cords and the drum is sounded by smartly 

 rapping the beaters with the hand against 

 the drumhead. The small trumpet is 

 made from a human thighbone. 



Among the most important objects used 

 by the lama in church ceremonies is the 

 vajra, or thunder- 

 bolt, which is the 

 small metal object at 

 the left elbow of the 

 lama in the photo- 

 graph. The Napa- 

 lese scriptures say 

 that a contest once 

 occurred between 

 Buddha and Indra, 

 in which the latter 

 was defeated, and 

 had wrested from 

 him his chief and 

 peculiar instrument 



of power, the vajra, or thunderbolt, which 

 was appropriated as a trophy by the victor, 

 and has ever since been adopted by his follow- 

 ers. The usual dress of the lamas consists 

 of a kilt reaching down to the ankles, a 

 close-fitting waistcoat, and a 

 shawl passed around the body 

 leaving the right shoulder 

 and arm uncovered. The 

 head is shaved, and no head- 

 covering is worn except in 

 church ceremonies, when a 

 high yellow hat with a 

 fringe such as that shown in 

 the photograph, is worn. ■ 



The Favorite Pocket- 



Knife of the Jackies. 



It Is a Century Old 



OCCASIONALLY 

 we come across 

 some article of manu- 

 facture which 

 has been im- 

 proved upon 

 year after year, 

 only to return 

 again to its origi- 

 nal state as the 

 most desirable. 

 This is true of 

 the pocket-knife. You will find it in all de- 

 grees of perfection and ornamentation, but 

 the style most approved at the present 

 moment is that of the old navy knife — in- 

 vented no one knows how long ago. 



This knife is shown in the accompanying 

 illustrations. It is the instant action, drop- 

 out type, and is made in two styles, either of 

 which the Jackie prefers above all modern 

 pull-out and push-button types. The 

 blade simply slides in a groove so that it is 

 opened by the same movement which jerks 

 it out of the pocket. 

 When it has been 

 fouled from long 

 usage, the entire 

 blade can be taken 

 out and cleaned. 

 The jackie prizes its 

 simplicity when he 

 is up aloft, with 

 only one hand free, 

 and when his fingers 

 are stiff and numb. 

 At such times any 

 other kind would be 

 useless. 



The lama with his ceremonial outfit 

 which he uses in exorcising evil spirits 



Two types of old-fashioned knives 

 which are more popular with the 

 sailors than any modern specimens 



