May, 1848. TEMPLE OF SIMONBONG. 173 



glasses, with tufts of Abies Webbiana, rhododendron flowers, 

 and peacock's feathers, besides various trifles, clay orna- 

 ments and offerings, and little Hindoo idols. On the altar 

 were ranged seven little brass cups, full of water ; a large 

 conch shell, carved with the sacred lotus ; a brass jug from 

 Lhassa, of beautiful design, and a human thigh-bone, 

 hollow, and perforated through both condyles.* 



Facing the altar was a bench and a chair, and on one 

 side a huge tambourine, with two curved iron drum-sticks. 

 The bench was covered with bells, handsomely carved with 



TRUMPET MADE OF A HUMAN THIGH-BONE. 



idols, and censers with juniper-ashes ; and on it lay the 

 don/e, or double-headed thunderbolt, which the Lama 

 holds in his hand during service. Of all these articles, the 

 human thigh-bone is by much the most curious ; it is 

 very often that of a Lama, and is valuable in proportion to 

 its length. f As, however, the Sikkim Lamas are burned, 

 the relics are generally procured from Tibet, where the 



prayers, and whoever pulls the string properly is considered to have repeated his 

 prayers as often as the bell rings. Representations of these implements will be 

 found in other parts of these volumes. 



* To these are often added a double-headed rattle, or small drum, formed of 

 two crowns of human skulls, cemented back to back ; each face is then covered 

 with parchment, and encloses some pebbles. Sometimes this instrument is pro- 

 vided with a handle. 



t It is reported at Dorjiling, that one of the first Europeans buried at this 

 station, being a tall man, was disinterred by the resurrectionist Bhoteeas for his 

 trumpet-bones. 



