Washington telegraph., 1852-03-17
Ragbar0SEs and DiabOEfca1 Cerc-
EeseysIes OF E4agssaEaisEa.

The following is an extract from NJ.
Hue's Travels in Tartary, Thibet, and
China,' lately published in Paris. It is
painfully interesting:
On the fifteenth day of the new moon,
we came upon numerous caravans follow
inc. Ike ourselves the direction from east
to west. The road was filed with men,
women, and children, riding on cameis or
oxen. They were all repairing, they said,
to the Lamasery of Rache-Tchurin When
they had asked whether our journey had
the same object they were surprised at re-
ceivinc an answer in the negative. These
numerous pilgrims, the astonishment they
showed upon hearing that we were not going
to the Lamasery Of Rache-Tchurin, ex-
cited our curiosity. At the turn Of defle,
we overlook an old Lama, who, laden with
y, heavy pack, seemed to make his way
With great labor and pain. Brother"
sqll we, ''you are old; your black hairs are
not so numerous as the gray. Doubtless
yourStigiie must be extreme. Place your
burdel upon one of our camels; that will
relieve YOU little" Upon hearing these
words, tae old man prostrated himself be-
fore Us, N order to express his gratitude.
We made acamel kneel, and Samdadchiem-
ha added to cur baggage that OF the Lama.
SO soon as the pilgrim was relieved from
the weight which had oppressed him, his
walk became more elastic and an express
sion Of satisfaction was diifused over his
countenanqe. Brother" said we, eve are
from the West, and the affairs Of your coun-
try not being well known to us, we are
astonished at finding so many pilgrims here
in the desert" ''We are all going to
Rache-Tchprin, " replied he, in accents full
of emotion Doubtless, - said we, "some
grand solemnity calls you together??'' Eyes,
tomorrow viii be great day; Lama Bokte
will manifest his power; kill himself, yet
not die We at once understood what
solemnity it was that thus attracted the
Ortous Tartars. A Lama was to cut HIM
self open, take out his entrails and place
them before him, and then resume his pre-
vious condition This spectacle, 50 cruel
and disgusting, is very common IN the
Lamaseries of Tartary. The Bokte who
is to manifest his power, as the Mongols
phrase it, prepares himself for the formida,
Bile operation by many days fasting and
prayer, pending which he must abstain from
all communication whatever with mankind,
and observe the most absolute silence
When the appointed day is come, the null
titude of pilgrims assemble in the great
court of the Lamasery, where an altar is
raised in front of the temple-gate. At
length the Bokte appears. He advances
gravely amid the acclamations of the crowd,
seats himself upon the altar, and takes
from his girdle a large knife, which he
places upon his knees. At his feet nume
rous Lamas, ranged in circle, commence
the terrible invocations of this frightful
ceremony As the recitation of the prayers
proceeds, you see the Bokte trembling in
every limb, and gradually working himself
up into phrenetic convulsion. The Lamas
themselves become excited; their voices are
raised; their song observes no order, and at
last becomes mere confusion Of yelling and
outcry. Then the Bokte suddenly throws
aside the scarf which envelopes him, un-
fastens his girdle, and seizing the sacred
knife, Sits open his stomach, in one long cut
While the blood flows in every direction,
the multitude PROSTATE themselves before
the terrible spectacle, and the enthusiast IS
interrogated about all sorts of hidden things,
as to future events, as to the destiny OF
certain personages. The replies OF the
Bokte to all these questions are regarded
by everybody as oracles.
When the devout curiosity Of the nume-