130 TEMPLE OF ECQ-Y1NGL Chap. VIIT; 
the story runs, on that night occurred one of those 
fearful earthquakes which so heavily afflict this 
beautiful country. Houses were thrown down in 
all directions, and hundreds were buried alive in 
the ruins; conflagrations naturally followed, and 
this city of wooden houses was almost destroyed. 
Our attendant yakoneens kindly offered to take 
us to this celebrated temple, which was only a very 
little out of our way on our route homewards. As 
we approached it I observed in front a statue of 
Buddha, and some upright stones carved with an 
inscription which told the visitor of the fearful 
catastrophe and where the victims were buried. 
When we ascended the stone steps in front of the 
temple, a noisy crowd followed and surrounded us ; 
we being now in a part of the town densely popu- 
lated, and seldom if ever visited by foreigners. 
In an instant we had the yakoneens of the district 
in addition to our own by our sides, in order to pro- 
tect us from insult or injury. Although noisy 
enough in all conscience, this crowd of people were 
good-humoured, and, although naturally anxious 
to look upon such strange beings as we were con- 
sidered to be, they were perfectly civil, making way 
for us in any direction we wished to go. 
On entering the temple a curious scene was pre- 
sented to our eyes. Candles were burning dimly 
on the altars, and incense filled the murky atmos- 
phere with a heavy perfume. An old reverend- 
looking man occupied a kind of pulpit, and was 
engaged in a sermon or address to a number of 
