UNINTERESTING COUNTET. 323 



tliem with his situation ; unable to afford 

 him any other assistance, they lighted fires, 

 and endeavoured to keep him awake by 

 frequent shoutings, but their efforts were in 

 vain ; unable to resist the overpowering 

 drowsiness which assailed him, he yielded, 

 and towards the middle of the night, 

 down he came, dead as his victim, the 

 poor tahu*. 



Penee, Spitee, and indeed all Thibet, 

 are, with regard to scenery and general 

 appearance, very uninteresting ; cold, bleak 

 countries, dreary and monotonous, where 

 even in the month of June, it often freezes 

 at night; in winter it must be awful. The 

 more we were brought in contact with the 

 Tartars, the more I liked them ; simple in 

 then- manners, and obliging in their disposi- 

 tions. Buddists in religion, those who are 

 stationary, usually select a rock or some 

 other lofty site for their villages, where 

 house is built, or rather piled, above house, 

 with the temple and lamas' residence upon 

 the highest point in the centre. 



y 2 



