s 



1864.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 479 



The plot, as far as we could make out, seemed to be a Ladald 

 Boyal Court, with, gods as the chief personages instead of kings, and, 

 in one part of the performance, the characters represented in No. 4, 

 and several others came in, attending on Thlogan Padma Jagnas who 

 had a large umbrella held over him. These then performed a slow 

 solemn dance. 



The characters represented in No. 3 were always seated in line, 

 with the bell and a small drum in their hands, and appeared to 

 represent the courtiers. There is a wonderful resemblance in their 

 dress to some of those worn in Eoman Catholic processions. 



The dresses were very handsome, being made of thick China silk 

 covered with devices, in which the dragon continually figured. The 

 masks were beautifully made of papier mache. One peculiarity about 

 the costumes, is the continual use of the human skull as an ornament, 

 as shown in Nos. 4 and 5 ; and nearly all the masks have three eyes, 

 one in the centre of the forehead. 



The figures in No. 1 had a most remarkable hat with long streamers 

 of different coloured silk flying behind. Their dress was, I think, the 

 handsomest, and as they moved round in a sort of revolving dance 

 had a strange and very novel effect. 



The great peculiarity of No. 2 was that they had masks of brightly 

 polished brass, which the name indicates, azong Copper and iulcha 

 masks. No. 9 appeared to represent some sort of fight. There were 

 twelve characters, all with flags, with three eyes painted on them, 

 fastened to the top of their head dress. They were all dressed alike, 

 with the exception of 6 having red masks and 6 brown. The red 

 masks (Numbing) came running in from one side and the brown 

 (Tsaking) from the other, and performed a sort of war-dance, striking 

 each other's drums, &c, and then retiring as they had come in. No. 7, 

 was perhaps the most remarkable of all the dresses : it was an attempt 

 to represent the dance of death. Only two characters came in, dressed 

 as skeletons ; their masks were beautifully made, and had springs by 

 which, the jaws opened and shut, and thus enhanced the effect. 



No. 8 apparently represented the divinity to whom the monastery 

 at Pituk near Leh, is more particularly dedicated. 



Besides the characters I have described, there were many more, but 

 very similar, and I think the photographs I have sent will give a very 

 fair idea of the costumes and dresses. What is the meaning of these 



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