494 Journal of a trip through Kunawur, fyc. [No. 101. 



I at once refused to take at such a rate, as I knew they were selling 

 it much cheaper among themselves, and I had purchased it at Chango 

 at twelve seers. 



I therefore opened my own store and supplied my people for the day, 

 but even the knowledge that we could do without their grain failed to 

 reduce its price. Nor was I more fortunate in obtaining a sheep for 

 my own use ; for they would not produce a fat or a healthy one, but 

 brought me an old ewe, which looked like the mother of the flock, and 

 declining to buy her, I was necessitated to take a two year old he- 

 goat, or to go without my dinner. 



Leaving Larree on the 16th of June, I continued my route towards 

 Dunkur. A short walk, during which we had to ford two streams, 

 brought us to the village of Tabo, which is chiefly inhabited by Lamas, 

 who cultivate the soil, and attend also upon the takoordwara, or tem- 

 ple, which is a large building, and ornamented inside with a number 

 of earthen figures of their gods, by no means badly executed. These are 

 arranged along the walls of the principal rooms, which are also painted 

 with many grotesque figures and flowers connected with their my- 

 thology. 



Last year when the Ladak rajah was obliged to seek protection in 

 Bussaher from Runjeet's troops, the figures in this temple were sadly 

 mutilated. The houses of the Lamas were pulled down, and the noses 

 and hands of the idols were cut off" and thrown into the river. This 

 outrage is generally attributed by the people to their invaders, but in 

 reality it seems that it was perpetrated by the followers of the Ladak 

 rajah themselves, who when deserted by their master, thought to ingra- 

 tiate themselves with their conquerors, by assuming the same form of 

 turban, and mutilating the gods of their own countrymen. If asked who 

 defaced the images, the Lamas always accuse the " Singa," as they 

 term the Seikhs, but when questioned as to the numbers who invaded 

 them, all accounts agree in stating six or seven men, and the rest were 

 the adherents of the Ladak rajah. These fellows also, finding the op- 

 portunity favourable, and knowing that the blame would be laid upon 

 others, plundered every village in Spiti, and levied a fine of fifteen 

 rupees on each, with a threat that they would repeat the visit. Every 

 excess is however attributed to the Seikhs. 



From Tabo we proceeded towards Pokh, or Pokhsa, by a road which 



