Dec. 1848. CONVENT OF TASSIDING. 317 



with the power of retreating behind to the convents of 

 Sunnook and Powhungri, which are higher up on the same 

 spur, and surrounded by forest enough to conceal an army. 

 Considering the turbulent and warlike character of their 

 neighbours, it is not wonderful that the monks should have 

 chosen commanding spots, and good shelter for their indo- 

 lent lives: for the same reason these monasteries secured 

 views of one another : thus from Tassiding the great temple 

 of Pemiongchi was seen towering 3000 feet over head, 

 whilst to the north-west, up the course of the river, the 

 lull-sides seemed sprinkled with monasteries. 



We camped on a saddle near the village of Sunnook, at 

 4000 feet above the sea ; and on the last day of the year 

 we visited this most interesting monastic establishment : 

 ascending from our camp along the ridge by a narrow path, 

 cut here and there into steps, and passing many rocks 

 covered with inscriptions, broken walls of mendongs, and 

 other remains of the via sacra between the village and 

 temple. At one spot we found a fissure emitting hot 

 vapour of the temperature of 65° 5, that of the air being 

 about 50°. It was simply a hole amongst the rocks ; and 

 near the Rungeet a similar one is said to occur, whose tempe- 

 rature fluctuates considerably with the season. It is very 

 remarkable that such an isolated spring should exist on the 

 top of a sharp ridge, 2,800 feet above the bottom of this 

 deep valley. 



The general arrangement on the summit was, first the 

 Lamas' houses with small gardens, then three large temples 

 raised on rudely paved platforms, and beyond these, a square 

 walled enclosure facing the south, full of chaits and men- 

 dongs, looking like a crowded cemetery, and planted with 

 fun ereal cypress ( Cupressiis fun eh i is) . 



The house of the principal Lama was an oblong square. 



