202 
T I r, E T. 
We were lodged in the monastery, in an apartment allotted "to the 
devotions of the Lama. It was a low, square room, with no aper¬ 
ture but the door, which, when shut, made it gloomy enough; and 
here we reposed, amidst gods and whirligigs. But, not to speak too 
ludicrously of that, with which their superstition connects very grave 
and serious ideas, and which is found equally common in the temples 
of Tibet and in those of Bootan, it is necessary to explain, that this 
machine is no other than a painted barrel, with gilded letters on it, 
placed upright in a case, which has an opening to admit the hand. It 
revolves upon an axis, having a notch in its side, to allow you to give 
it impulse. In twirling this instrument about, and repeating at the 
same time the mystic words, Oom maunee pciimee oom, consists a ma¬ 
terial exercise of their religion. 
Our host, the Lama, was a lusty, venerable, sedate old man: he 
treated us with great hospitality and kindness, and was very solicitous 
for our comfortable accommodation. We were indebted to his kitchen 
for a very good dish at supper: it was a preparation of mutton, 
minutely incorporated with milk and spices, of which we eat heartily, 
and thought it excellent cookery. There were also abundance of dates, 
and dried apricots, with the infusion of rice, by way of liquor for the 
table. The door of our room not shutting very closely, a keen frosty 
air found entrance by it, which soon drew from us, wishes for a fire. 
Our attendants, the Lama’s people, flew with eagerness to make one of 
dried cowdung and slips of fir, which latter, abounding much with 
turpentine, burn like a torch, and form, therefore, an excellent foun¬ 
dation ; but, the instant the blaze subsided, it was succeeded by so 
