294 



SIKKIM HIMALAYA. 



Chap. XIII. 



fine mass of slaty gneiss, thirty feet long and thirteen feet 

 high ; not in situ, bnt lying on the mountain side : on its 

 sloping face was carved in enormous characters, " Om Mani 

 Padmi om ; " of which letters the top-strokes afford an 

 uncertain footing to the enthusiast who is willing to pur- 

 chase a good metempsychosis by walking along the slope, 

 with his heels or toes in their cavities. A small inscription 

 in one corner is said to imply that this was the work of a 

 pious monk of Raklang ; and the stone is called " Do-mani," 

 literally, " stone of prayer." 



DO-MANI STONE. 



The rocks and peaks of Mainom are said to overhang the 

 descent here with grandeur ; but the continued rain hid 

 everything but a curious shivered peak, apparently of chlorite 

 schist, which was close by, and reflected a green colour : 

 it is of course reported to be of turquoise, and inaccessible. 



