312 SIKKIM HIMALAYA. Chap. XIII. 



walls, and left open above, the composition was placed in 

 these boxes, a little at a time, and rammed down by the 

 feet of many men, who walked round and round the 

 narrow enclosure, singing, and also using rammers of heavy 

 wood. The outer work was of good hard timber, of Magnolia 

 ("Pendre-kun" of the Lepchas) and oak (" Sokka"). The 

 common " Ban," or Lepcha knife, supplied the place 

 of axe, saw, adze, and plane \ and the graving work was 

 executed with small tools, chiefly on Toon (Cedrela), a 

 very soft wood (the " Simal-kun" of the Lepchas). 



This being a festival day, when the natives were bringing 

 offerings to the altar, we also visited the old temple, a 

 small wooden building. Besides more substantial offerings, 

 there were little cones of rice with a round wafer of butter 

 at the top, ranged on the altar in order.* Six Lamas were at 

 prayer, psalms, and contemplation, sitting cross-legged on 

 two small benches that ran down the building : one was 

 reading, with his hand and fore-finger elevated, whilst the 

 others listened ; anon they all sang hymns, repeated sacred 

 or silly precepts to the bystanders, or joined in a chorus 

 with boys, who struck brass cymbals, and blew straight 

 copper trumpets six feet long, and conch-shells mounted 

 with broad silver wings, elegantly carved with dragons. 

 There were besides manis, or praying-cylinders, drums, 

 gongs, books, and trumpets made of human thigh-bones, 

 plain or mounted in silver. 



* The worshippers, on entering, walk straight up to the altar, and before, or 

 after, having deposited 'their gifts, they lift both hands to the forehead, fall on 

 their knees, and touch the ground three times with both head and hands, raising 

 the body a little between each prostration. They then advance to the head Larua, 

 kotow similarly to him, and he blesses them, laying both hands on their heads and 

 repeating a short formula. Sometimes the dorje is used in blessing, as the cross 

 is in Europe, and when a mass of people request a benediction, the Lama pro- 

 nounces it from the door of the temple with outstretched arms, the people all 

 being prostrate, with their foreheads touching the ground. 



