200 Notes on Moorcroft's Travels in Ladakh, [No. 147. 



also have some connection with the former condition of the people, as 

 marauders and dwellers in tents. The flag surmounted by the long 

 hair of the horse or yak forms the usual standard, and adorns the 

 formidable spear of the Nomade warriors of this age. 



The small cylinder called mani is carried by any one thought 

 worthy to do so by the Lamas. Captain Gerard was misinformed 

 regarding the Rampas, (see under that head). I have heard that 

 these cylinders are made to revolve, in order, that motion may be com- 

 municated to the contained supplications as it is supposed, and that no 

 prayer can reach God unless an impulse be given to it by the tongue 

 or otherwise. Mani seems to have a meaning in connection with this 

 explanation, but the same term is applied to the fixed pile of stones ; it 

 does not seem sufficient, unless indeed it be a custom of the Lamas to 

 beseech the Almighty by encircling the pile, and it appears that the 

 mani at that time only, deserves the name. 



To recapitulate the shagri, (see under that head,) has no connec- 

 tion with any religious faith. 



The lapcha or lapchas is in honor of the deities of the hills. 



The darchah, lagung, labrang, dungkang, chokten and mani are 

 Buddhistic. 



TEMPLES. 



Shagris or Piles of Stones or Eminences. — At all the elevated piles, 

 there are a number of square piles of stones called shughar, upon 

 which passengers usually place a piece of quartz, or attach rags to 

 poles which are fixed in the middle. There are also several shugars 

 on the neighbouring heights, sacred to the deotas or spirits of the 

 mountains. The shughars at the passes are erected by travellers, but 

 those on the higher peaks, are commonly made at the expence of some 

 wealthy pilgrim, not much accustomed to the mountains — Gerard, 

 p. 59. 



In this description, two different things seem to be confounded. The 

 shughar, (or rather shagri in Kunawaree, and toyur in Bhotee,) is 

 built by shepherds generally, but by any one, to amuse themselves or 

 to commemorate an exploit. They are usually placed on peaks, or on 

 salient points. 



