May, 1848. BOODHIST EMBLEMS. 147 



most grand, being heightened by the glare reflected from 

 the masses of mist which hover above. 



On the following morning we pursued a path to the bed 

 of the river ; passing a rude Booddhist monument, a pile of 

 slate-rocks, with an attempt at the mystical hemisphere at 

 top. A few flags or banners, and slabs of slate, were 

 inscribed with " Om Mani Padmi om." Placed on a 

 jutting angle of the spur, backed with the pine-clad hills, 

 and flanked by a torrent on either hand, the spot was 

 wild and picturesque ; and I could not but gaze with a 

 feeling of deep interest on these emblems of a religion 

 which perhaps numbers more votaries than any other 

 on the face of the globe. Booddhism in some form is 

 the predominating creed, from Siberia and Kamschatka to 

 CeyloD, from the Caspian steppes to Japan, throughout 

 China, Burmah, Ava, and a part of the Malayan Archi- 

 pelago. Its associations enter into every book of travels 

 over these vast regions, with Booddha, Dhurma, Sunga, 

 Jos, Fo, and praying- wheels. The mind is arrested by the 

 names, the imagination captivated by the symbols ; and 

 though I could not worship in the grove, it was impossible 

 to deny to the inscribed stones such a tribute as is com- 

 manded by the first glimpse of objects which have long been 

 familiar to our minds, but not previously offered to our 

 senses. My head Lepcha went further : to a due observance 

 of demon-worship he united a deep reverence for the Lamas, 

 and he venerated their symbols rather as theirs than as those 

 of their religion. He walked round the pile of stones 

 three times from left to right repeating his " Om Mani," 

 &c, then stood before it with his head hung down and his 

 long queue streaming behind, and concluded by a votive 

 offering of three pine-cones. When done, he looked round 

 at me, nodded, smirked, elevated the angles of his little 



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