, 1881-03-06
assurcdly novel. They are new to me, and
they must be to you who are some 5000 or

v.0O0 miles away.
The native name is Bod or Bodyul, the land
of Bod; Tibet or Thibet is the European
name. The country covers an area OF ooo.ooo
or 500, 600 square miles, and has population
(estimated). Of some 5000, 900. Nearly me
the Government is, to some extent in the
hands Of the Buddhist hierarchy, the chief
priest being called Dalai-lama, and the sec.
ond priest Bogdo-lama. These are temporal
aud spiritual Princes, and Eoid H.; Sway sway
soldiers are stationed in all the principal
towns, and not long since their number was
computed to be from &C, 900 to 10.O00. Inc hign-
est officers Of the army are all Chinese, anu con-
tro! It entirely, as well as the most t.nporta.e
IS directed by the Government, anu IS closely
guarded, the entrance of the main passes
being garrisoned and watched by Chinese
troops. ,-,.,
airy. The first King, represented to have
tiourished 1n.re than 100 years before the
Christian era, escaped from copper box in
which he had been inclosed. and was found
swimming in the Ganges. AZ the beginning
OF the fifth century Buddhist missionary NJ!
Try and introduced here his religious doc
trines. Three hundred years later Tibet
was forced to pay tribute to China, and has
done so ever since to MOre or less eSteh1-
During the tenth century King 81 Dharina aaoRt-
,,ted and then Buddhism was retstabllslied::
Subsequently the land was split into several
States, and its power rapidly dllnlnlstea.
Between 1900 and 1400 the Chinese began to
conquer the eastern parts Of the country,
which did not, however, become wholly
tributary to Pekin till ITO, when they were
politically regulated as they are ut present
Western Tibet las been more eXnoseu 70 the
illroads of the Turkish tribes than to those
rAts. lts,ff fT,irI- RI
BY Aurungzebe, the last Of the great Moguis;
aid then MoIlammcdanism was introduced
agail That quarter of the territory was
Joined to tile Skill Empire of Runject Singh
early in the Seventeenth century, anl 1t now
for,ns part Of the Mallarajah OF Cashmere,
Only within comparatively recent date
has Tibet been known save from the ac-
counts OF Marco Polo, and the Jesuit mis-
siullaries Of the seventeenth century. IN
this country it has been partially explored Dy
uits, Hnc, and Cabot and the brothers Sall-
agintwtt; but the country is still as UNI
known to tile mass Of travellers as tile lllte-
rior of Patagonia
The prevailing creed III Hudah!sm' OF
rather Ialnaisli, which is buddhism cor
rupted by Siyaisn and Shananisll, or spirit
worship As ancient Buddhism comprises
only worship Of saints, and none OF Gol,
Lainasm does the same, and co1npreflends
the essence Of sacredness uMHer Tue name
thr.,a NV, ,ost ~, nrHcio,'s jewals-the Budla
laval the doctrine level. and the priesthood
}eweIEIuoked UPON as a sort OF Trinity,
and representing, as III Christianity, an es-
scntial unity. The first pe1sun Of this
srrinitv Is the 3ui(ha. who is not, however,
tho craator or sn1,rce of the Universe. but
maraIv tI,e tnunlIer Of tile DOCTRINE, and the
i,;ghnst Saint. although endowed With all
tile attributes of Supreme wisdom. The sec
ond Jewel is the law, or religion-effectually
he Incarnation Of Buddha-his actual eX-
istenre aftcr he had disappeared i'll the
Nirynna The third level is Tie cOngrcga-
tion of the saints, including the entire clergy
tha anruata and nnn-carliatt, cxDpnents of
thc hnliest souis. Inferior in rank to these
arc The ends and spirits, Of whom the highest
nro Jndro. rod of the armament; IanlA, god
ri tl,ath aud the Internal regions; Ianlan-
TAXA. rod Of revenge, and Vaisrayan;t, god
Worshil, of these gods and saints mainly
consists Of reciting prayers and sacred texts,
intouaflo,, Of hy,ills, accompanied b.; Il cha
otic, dcafenil1g, and most discorelant sound
"f drums. horns, tru,lpets, and lnisceilane
t,ccurs thrice, u tav, in tho presence Of the
cftsr~v scnir;l. according to their rank, in
t,xoEr,nore rnyss On spccial holidays the
aitars and TEMPLES are decorated with sylll-
i,'i ini'. tiaures | Of hideous Kind, and offerings
or op'' nsin M m by " the Iaity Of milk butter lea,
lna' ni's M Ianais,n % has three Ereat festivals tie
I 10 o Ssnr ur festival Of the new year. in
T.i7vi,ry. whicI, marks the commencement
~ warntj, ,,,t oyer darkness and cold. This lasts
ffteen DAYS: is a series Of ftasts. dances,
ltmMi,atiuls, and pro,nscuous mcrry-lnak~
inc. and is to this strange land what the Car
@ nivai Tx Is. or Of rather has been to Roman Cath
oiic countries The second festival com
,nrtnorates the conception or incarnation Of
| the lsuddlla. and denotes the opening of sum-
mer Tile third is the water-feast, and, held