The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-03-25
/ QUEER COUNTRY.
Takes From the Land Of the
Big Pyramids.
TsherstSss pvsssasy EsgAss ~ Spiritual
ssm-HnAAhsst Priests by ths
Theussna.


The greatest institution OF fts kind hi th<
woYfd---has rscently received most i'm
portaut addition 10 rs curiositles Ia fn<
shape OF . collection Of articles brosgh'
from Thibet BIZ Ljsufsuant Woodviiia
gockhiil. ssys ths 81 Lou1s Gio5e-Demeevaf
soms Of these strange things 81 present
gathered within the compass OF two large
cas<x, arc Of . character both weird and
grim For Instance. there Is on view
trumpet used by the priests 10 scare away
devils. which ID made OF human thigh
hone followed Qua To the trumpet = a.
sached at ore end . long plated whip
lazh Of human skin In the performance
OF rites for exercising demons, the
priest aiterr ateiy toots upon this extra
ordinary instrument, and. while taking
fresh breath lashes about him with the
attachment 10 beat away the spiritual
enemy. At the same time drum Is used
10 frighten the fiends, which Is made from
two human skuii-caps placed top-tc-iop
and secured in that position with human
skin stretched across the skull cavity At the
top and bottom. to serve the same purpose
~ ordinary drum-hesds are employed for
With u. Apparently. the Thibetsn runs
10 the CHASTITY in his religion, for the rosa
ries OF prayer-bead. are usually made OF
small disks of bone cut from human skulls
and strung together, lis In q string.
Fortunately. however. the inhabitants OF
Thibet al large do not need to- indulge IN
any religion on their own account The
priests attend to that business altogether,
and perform IL very satisfactorily. Nor is
there any reason why they should not, In
49,. s..< <.ff ne
entire population OF the connsrs. There
are, in fact. no less than 200.00 OF them
among people which does not numtwr
more than 900 0oo souls IN all. Ii Is their
duty to do all the praying. and par
fieuIarly 20 perform that most inn
portant 81 all religious Offices. which con-
sisis In keeping oil the devils. IL II were
not for the 5000 iamas In Thibet, the
country would simply be swsrming with
siiaholieai agents, and it would not be long
before everything would be turned topsy-
furvy. As II l.. the priests keep the devils
well In hand. and all they require In re-
turn for this service Is that all the power.
a. well as all the property OF the nation,
pretty nearly, shall be given into their
hands. Thibet might be regarded ss the
beau ideal Of a priestridden land. and yet.
50 long - the Inhabitants are happy, what
il the odds, forsootnl But. before speak
ing any further Of them IL would be ~ well
to tell OF some OF the other things which
are found In Lieutenant Rockhiil's colIec-
ton. which il just noU attracting consid-
cradle attention from visitors TO the mu-
scum.
SOME SINGULAR GODS.
Among the queerest of them are the
gods. Of which the lieutenant managed 10
collect few. Like most Oriental deities,
they are remarkably ugly. most of them
bcing provided with = surprising number
Of arms--obviously. the more arms the
greater the power-but the funniest thing
about them In that they all have clothes ex-
prcssiy made for them. 1t Is considered
moro diguifed. dent you see. that q sii-
vinity should b clad than that he should
sppeas naked TO the vulgar gaze Even
the gold jar, with It's top ornamented BY
peacock's feathers, which Is used as q re-
ceptaclc for holy water. has clothing
wrapped about IL The music for religious
ceremonials Is written ON long scroll. the
notes making up the chant being
indicated in curious fashion by
waving horizontal line. which goes
down . certain space 70 n low note and as
cends to a high one. Such q scroll the
priests have before them as they sing.
Also. there are silver charm boxes OF the
sort that are hung about peoples necks.
with things In them commonly employed
for charms-such as prayers written on
paper, scraps OF garments once worn by
saints. scrubbed remarks calculated TO
brighten away disease or devils. and even
scraps Of food. Silver bells and thunder
bolts, used by the ismss in . manner to be
presently described. are shown. Concern
ing these Iafnss there are plenty of things
most interesting TO he told. 80 much that
is erroneous has been written concerning
Thihet. particularly as to the priesthood
which controls the country. that il would
seem well worth while To communicate 10
the readers OF your paper something real y
accurate on The subject SAYS Lieutenant
Ro.khlIl.
PRIESTS NJ THE THOUSANDS.
THE au.ooH Buddhist priests, or lamas
in Tibet NAV be roughly divided into two
classes those who dwell in lamaseries, on
monssseries as they Nigh, be called. and
those who lead hermit life in caves and
ttRtFs 81 ek1t fttt@ W tue HtBUNi&1ft~s ne
latter are asectses, who are professionally
aEsortsed In the contemplation of things di.
vine. Withdrawing themselves from the so
ciety OF other men and covering themselves
oniy with rags, Eat the majority of the
lamas resilern what might I've termed ecels.
sssstscsi settlements, usually surrounded
Ivy high wall. gathered about one or more
temples. These temples always have red
swslls. and their roofs are frequently GOV.
cred with thick plates az pure gold. Inside
the ianAsevy temple presents the aspect al
. great hall dsmis lighted. its roof sup
ported by many pillars. which are covered
with gold and silver, or with rich CARPETS
wrapped about them. There is also a loae
altar. behind which are placed statues @,
the gods. When engaged in invocation,
the priest holds in ore hand silver bell,
and in the other . queer shaped piece oi
metal representing shundeshait and ID,
words he pzoneunees. reinforced hy these
wearons aud a volume OF sacred writing.
from which he reads. are calculated Il
teEroFsEs any number nf demons who NAV
~ lurking around with evil Intentions
inasmuch aS Buddhism Is eco year.
older than Christianity. you msy peEhaa,
surnisc the source from which the eoru
rArstiyeiy modern custom Of exercising
wicked spirits wiih bell and book vas de
rived. From the same origin came "a.
shunderholt, which Jupiter is represented
~ holding In his hand ready TO launch.
xHx rAsE nANA.
The Tale Lama Is the head Of IN.
Endahist religion. He resides IS Lhs<a
Oh shc top al tire mountain PtAlA liz /,
always she proper thing. yea know. for
divinity 20 dweii upon = heirhs. fren