OF THE RIVER SETLEJ. 391 



and some on yaks. The reality did not disappoint the ideas we had formed 

 of the road, it was with very little exception level, and without any excep- 

 tion good, the whole way to Hang, a distance of nearly nine miles. A lit- 

 tle beyond Lio, the river valley is quitted, to turn up that of a considerable 

 feeder. The declivities had here a gentler slope, and we were pleased in 

 this march to fall in with a herd of ponies, mules, and asses, grazing on the 

 mountain side ; they appeared strong and hardy, particularly the mules ; 

 Chulling we passed half-way ; it is situated on the right bank of the stream 

 in the bed, or a very little above it. Hang consists of three hamlets or more, 

 the principal of which contains about twelve or fifteen houses. A temple 

 of great sanctity in the opinion of the people, distinguishes this village ; it is 

 a large building, and something similar to those of the plains ; a strange and 

 mis-shapen red idol is the chief deity of the place ; but behind this image, 

 on. a kind of altar, or railed platform, are a number of other gods and god- 

 desses, chiefly small figures of copper or bronze ; the walls are painted with 

 the most ridiculous and monstrous figures as large as life; and, allowing for 

 the peculiarities of their productions in this way, the artist seems to have 

 been far from contemptible. 



The name of this Purgunnah seems to be derived either from this village, 

 or from some circumstance common to both. It is altogether Thibetian in 

 features, dress, language, and customs, such as that of Polyandry, and the 

 societies of Gelums or Monks ; the construction of manis or the long bench- 

 es of stones ; and in religion, as the substitution of Lamas for the Brahmins 

 of Kanawer, the mode of getting throng]] the duty of prayer by turning a 

 cylinder, and the general reverence and devotion with which the myste- 

 rious expression, Om mani pad men Hoong, is pronounced. In salu- 

 tation they incline their heads so as to touch ; a ceremony which, assisted 

 by the strangeness of their countenances and dress, has rather a ludicrous 

 effect. There is no distinction of cast, and consequently no fear of defile- 

 ment. They have no scruple as to food ; the manner of preparing it, or 

 the person by whom prepared. Ablution is so far from a duty as with the 



