264 Itinerary from Phari in Thibet, to Lassa. [April, 



crag," a Raja of Lassa, once travelled round it in 18 successive days and 

 nights. He had relays of Ponies all the way. The country all around 

 the lake is well cultivated and peopled ; and fish are most abundant in 

 all parts of it. The depth of the water is very great. At one place 

 it is 18 score of fathom, 2160 feet. There is an island in the south- 

 west corner of the lake, on which there is a Goomba named '• Dorje 

 Phamo." The passage is fordable and about a mile in width. This is 

 the only part of the lake that admits of a fordable passage to the 

 island. In all other parts leather boats are used in the navigation 

 and fishing. The island is a mile in diameter and rises gradually from 

 the water to a height of 200 feet. On the summit is the Goomba 

 which is visited by immense numbers of people from all parts of Tibet. 

 There is an avatari Lama always in this Goomba, which is one of great 

 sanctity and note. It is built of stone and very large. The images 

 are all gilded. The Gelongs* belonging to the establishment are about 

 100 in number, and there are as many Nuns (Annees.) The library is 

 a very extensive one and the lands appertaining to the monastery com- 

 prise the whole of the villages on the mainland to the west. The 

 number and value not known. " The island is not at all large, nor is it 

 the least like that in your map.f A man starting at daylight can walk 

 round it by noon." This is the information of a Lama who has twice 

 circumambulated the island on his visits to the Goomba. All the 

 pilgrims and religionists who visit " Dorje Phamo" circumambulate the 

 island three times ; once along the water's edge, once half way up the 

 hill and once round the summit. On each circuit, at the four cardinal 

 points, is a Chasting (Chaitya) in which are images of stone. The dead 

 bodies of Lamas and Gelongs belonging to the Goomba are carried to 

 the shore at the different Chaityas. A fire is lighted as a signal to 

 the vultures ; a blast is blown from the thigh-bone of a man for the 

 same purpose : and the body being cut into small pieces and the bones 

 broken, the whole is scattered about to be devoured, which is done 

 very quickly by swarms of kites and vultures. The bodies of the poor 

 are thrown on the shore entire to be torn asunder at leisure : and after 

 the flesh has been removed the skeletons are thrown into the lake. 



* Gelling" is Monk ; Lama, he who shows the way ; lam, learned monk ; often Prior or 

 Abbot.-B. H. H. 

 t Pemberton's. 



