Chap. XVII. 
BUDDHIST WORSHIP. 
265 
young priest stepped out from amongst the others, and 
took his station directly in front of the altar, bowing 
lowly and repeatedly as he did so. Then the hymn of 
praise began. One of the priests, apparently the leader, 
kept time by beating upon the hollow piece of wood, 
and the whole of the others sang or chanted the service 
in a most mournful key. At the commencement of the 
service, the priests, who were ranged in front of the 
altar, half on the right side and half on the left, stood 
with their faces to the large images. Now, however, 
they suddenly wheeled round and faced each other. The 
chanting, which began slowly, increased in quickness as 
it went on, and when at the quickest part suddenly 
stopped. All was then silent for a second or two. At 
last a single voice was heard to chant a few notes by 
itself, and then the whole assembly joined, and went on 
as before. 
The young priest who had come out from amongst the 
others now took his station directly in front of the altar, 
but near the door of the temple, and bowed lowly several 
times upon a cushion placed there for that purpose. He 
then walked up to the altar with slow and solemn steps, 
took up a vessel which stood on it, and filled it with 
water. After making some crosses and gyrations with 
his hand, he sprinkled a little of the water upon the 
table. When this was done, he poured a little from the 
vessel into a cup, and retired slowly from the altar 
towards the door of the temple. Passing outside, he 
dipped his fingers in the water and sprinkled it on the 
top of a stone pillar which stood near the door. 
VOL. II. N 
