530 ROUTE FROM CATHMANDU, IN NEPAL, 



was rich and the other poor. The former, desirous of possessing himself 

 of the latter's portion of the country, addressed him as follows : ' I pos- 

 sess such skill that I can cut a cat in five pieces with one blow,' and he 

 did so accordingly with an axe, before the poor Prince and many others. 

 The multitude shouted applause, and the rich Prince continued to the 

 poor one — ' What princely qualities like mine do you possess,' — the poor 

 Prince answered, ' I know yet a more cunning trick than thine — let the 

 people collect to-morrow at noon, and witness my skill — if in their opinion 

 it surpass thine, I will be sovereign — if otherwise, thou shaltbe sole Ruler.' 

 The people assembled at the appointed time, and the poor Prince having 

 fixed a peg in the ground at the top of the neighbouring hill, and ano- 

 ther peg at the bottom of it, suspended a rope between the pegs — and then 

 proceeding to the hill top, and causing his legs and arms to be tied up, 

 laid his chest on the rope and slid down it without aid of hands or feet : 

 the people crowned the poor Prince's exploit and buried his partner in 

 rule, alive, and erected over his remains a monument shaped like the 

 Chaitya of Sambhu in Nepal. Such is the tale — and annually at present 

 there is a rope festival held at Birbum, in commemoration of the event. 

 There is another annual festival at Birbum, called Birbumshitun, when 

 all the inhabitants of those parts are assembled. They are divided into 

 two bodies — one of males, the other of females — and no male is allowed 

 to mix with the females — more especially no male belonging to the 

 monastic establishment of Birbum. The festival is in honour of the god 

 Nuba- Riimchd, and is maintained with all sorts of merriment and feasting 

 for one whole day — after which the people disperse to their several homes. 

 One cos in advance of Birbum you come to the delightful retreat called 

 " The Garden of the Cashmiris" — half a cos beyond which is mount 

 Putla, the monastic abode of the great Lama. The Convent stands on 

 the hill-top, and is very magnificent — the roofs being gilt and the pillars 

 of silver. The slopes of the hill are well cultivated and peopled, and all 

 necessaries are procurable in abundance. From Putla onwards, to the 

 City of Lahassa, the whole way is thickly covered with dwellings. Lahassa 



