1871.] W. T. Blanford— Journey through Sildim. 391 



from them to the subtropical flora. On the road I had a snap shot 

 at a Ceriornis running away through the trees, but I was, as usual, 

 unsuccessful. We halted at the Raja's rest house at Eangpo 

 opposite to Tanilung. The change from the cold of Chumanako 

 was by no means unpleasant, but I imagine our coolies enjoyed 

 it more than we did. 



31st. "We crossed the valley to Tamlung, an easy march appa- 

 rently, but really a very tedious one, being a descent of about 

 3000 feet, and an ascent of the same amount, At the bottom we 

 crossed two streams, near their confluence, by cane bridges, and 

 then climbed up through rice and marwa fields to Tamlung. 

 Here we put up in a large monastery, or Gumpa, some distance west 

 of the Kaja's palace. In front of the central building of the mo- 

 nastery there was a square grass plot, to the west of which a 

 covered gallery, enclosed on one side, had been prepared for us. 

 The monks or Lamas live in little houses scattered around the 

 Gumpa. 



In the afternoon we visited the Gumpa, which consists of two 

 chapels, one on each floor. On the lower floor, in front of the chapel, 

 is a verandah, with a row of praying- wheels along the railings which 

 run along the front of it, and the rattle of these praying-wheels 

 was incessant, as every monk walking along the verandah gave 

 each of them a twist with his hand as he passed. In a side room 

 one Lama was constantly employed turning a large praying-wheel 

 by means of a treadle. Each chapel contains gilt figures of various 

 Buddhas behind an altar, on which stand numerous brass cups 

 of water ; these are emptied every day at sunset and refilled 

 in the morning. Immense trumpets, cymbals and other noisy in- 

 struments are employed in the acts of worship. In each of the 

 chapels are libraries of Tibetan books, none of which are man- 

 uscript, but all printed in Tibet, mostly it is said at Jigatzi, from 

 wooden blocks. The books consist of separate leaves of Daphne 

 paper printed upon both sides, and all are either tales of Buddhist 

 saints, or works on religion. The leaves of each book are secured 

 between two boards, and the whole enclosed in a cotton cover. 



Around the chapels hang the masks used by the Lamas at their 

 great festival, when all belonging to the monastery collect from 





