314 



SIKKIM HIMALAYA. 



Chap. XIII. 



the 21st, and the weather being fine, I took bearings of all 

 the convents and mountains around. There is much 

 cultivation here, and many comparatively rich villages, all 

 occupying flat-shouldered spurs from Mainom. The houses 

 are large, and the yards are full of animals familiar to the 

 eye but not to the ear. The cows of Sikkim, though 

 generally resembling the English in stature, form, and 

 colour, have humps, and grunt rather than low j and the 

 cocks wake the morning with a prolonged howling screech, 

 instead of the shrill crow of chanticleer. 



Hence we descended north-west to the Great Rungeet, 

 opposite Tassiding; which is one of the oldest monastic 

 establishments in Sikkim, and one we were very anxious to 

 visit. The descent lay through a forest of tropical trees, 

 where small palms, vines, peppers, Pa?idanus i wild plantain, 

 and Pothos, were interlaced in an impenetrable jungle, and 

 air-plants clothed the trees. 



IMPLEMENTS USED IN BOOD1IIST TEMPLES. 



Praying cylinder in stand (see p. 175); another to be carried in the hand; cymbals ; bell; brass 

 cup ; three trumpets ; conch ; dorje. 



