146 LADAK. 



mortal. The ball from Whit worth, striking the ground, 

 had' doubtless glanced, and so struck the wrong animal. 

 I loudly deplored my ill luck : the shikarries dumb- 

 founded muttered together, attributing such a strange 

 accident to the undue influence of evil spirits ; and we 

 pursued our way down the dusty path, until the green 

 vale of Lama Yurru greeted our aching eyes a re- 

 markable place, a stronghold of Buddhism, a monastery 

 and other dwellings of lai^s being perched on the top 

 of a singular ridge of rocks of some hundred and fifty feet 

 perpendicular, scooped and hollowed out here and there, 

 divided into buttresses over which were laid the floors of 

 these curious buildings which themselves appear well 

 constructed of sun-dried brick, of two or three stories in 

 height one the principal mansion of four. Some have 

 little balconies projecting ; all have windows, some good- 

 sized and regularly placed, while a number of small loop- 

 holes are scattered about the walls. These buildings 

 slope inwards from the base slightly, on the pyramid 

 principle, as I believe all the houses of this country do. 

 Many monuments and tombs are here. Long rows of 

 them stretch along parallel with the path, looking just 

 like a line of huge chess pawns with square pedestals. 



A considerable extent of terraced fields along the stream 

 attest the comfortable circumstances of this community. 

 Clumps of yellow and common roses are numerous ; but 

 sad havoc has been played with the willows, the stump of 

 many a fine tree recently felled being conspicuous : but 

 about half-a-dozen remain standing. I have not ascer- 

 tained for what purpose this unusual cutting has taken 

 place : perhaps, some new building or extensive repairs 

 are in contemplation. My tent is pitched on a nice bit of 

 turf, a stream of clear water close at hand, guided to 

 turn a small mill which rumbles away beside me. 



