LAMAS 131> 



on occasions a grey felt hat, perhaps a foot high. No 

 Tibetan is ever without a wooden bowl, sometimes lined 

 with silver, from which he eats his porridge or drinks his 

 tea. He also invariably carries a small neat tinder-box,, 

 usually with the steel attached to it, the flint being 

 carried inside. These two articles when not in use are 

 carried in the folds of his long coarse coat. 



All races of Asiatics may be seen in the streets, 

 many being tall, fine, fierce-looking specimens of 

 humanity, armed with long guns, daggers and swords. 

 Their fire-arms are as a rule of no cjreat use, bein<>" 

 of the obsolete type so frequently seen among such 

 people, but the owners value tliem highly ; and 

 though I wished to bring some home as curiosities, 

 the price asked was so high as to prevent my pur- 

 chasing. Many lamas are seen at all times in the town,. 

 there being a large lamasery just outside. They may 

 be told by their scarlet cloaks and shaven heads, and 

 their music while at prayers is heard all day long. 

 Monseigneur Biet informed me that, while he was at 

 Batang, a lama of high rank died. The body was carried 

 to a lofty plateau, the flesh was then cut off the bones, 

 and the bones crushed and mixed with flour. Both 

 were then given to the vultures, and the whole body 

 was thus satisfactorily disposed of. Tibetan women 

 work hard. Thev collect firewood on the mountain 



