Chap. XIII. ADVENTUEE WITH A PRIEST. 269 



on and on notwithstanding. The time not spent 

 in this way was when they were either eating or 

 sleeping. They were too lazy to carry on the 

 services of the temple, which they deputed to a 

 little boy. And thns they spent their days, and 

 in this manner they would float down the stream 

 of time until they reached the ocean of eternity 

 and were no more seen. 



There were four or five of these men connected 

 with the old monastery, and two or three boys, 

 who were being reared to succeed them. All the 

 men were apparently imbecile, but the superior 

 seemed to be in a state approaching to insanity. 

 I seemed to have an extraordinary attraction for 

 this man; he never took his eyes off me; wher- 

 ever I went he followed at a certain distance 

 behind, stopping when I stopped, and going on 

 again when I went on. When I entered the 

 house he came and peeped in at the window, and 

 when I made the slightest motion towards him, he 

 darted off in an instant, but only to return again. 

 I began to think his actions extraordinary, and to 

 feel a little uneasy about his ultimate intentions. 

 The place and the people were all strange to me, 

 and it might so happen that the man was really 

 unsafe. By day there was no fear, as I could 

 easily protect myself ; but what if he fell upon me 

 unawares at night, when I was asleep ! I there- 

 fore sent for Tung-a, one of my servants, and 

 desired him to go out and make some enquiries 

 concerning the propensities of the mad priest. 



