New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-18

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periwinlles lay on the Scps in rose-hued heap'
and garlands.
Midway I'D a large pagoda appeared; the vines
and stones had concealed il. 1t was at the en-"
Of a silent courtyard in sort of gloomy niue
valley The pink periwnkles had invaded 'ne
pavement Of this courtyard TOO. The paHo''
fairly hristcd with horns claws. horrible things
in all kinds of vague. startling shapes Ages h"d
rossed over it. II looked like a scpulchrc, an
enchanted abode built by gcni
| asked Lcc-Ioo gorgeous in his green and
orange robes, Is this the ragoda W. came TO
sec9"
Iee-Ioo smiled.
NO. it is higher up. But look inside through
this hole"
Within, tie sanctuary was still pcopled with
its idols sitting at the end in the darkness GIT
tcring with gold and gems.
lyon must first call the head bouze' said
Lcc-I.oo. his house j. here 1t seemed that
the mountain was inhabited by solitary bo'I2eS
This was surprise. | had thought the only
living creatures were the Ourang-OItangS.
The bou7cs house really did stand in another
little valley branching off at one side II was
very old and its heavy red wooden pillars gave
it a scmblance Of IIinloo architecture In the
narhc-paved courtyard peacocks were displaying
their superb pumaec, and two whit" eats lay
asleep
The old bouzc. r0bcd in white. came to meet
us: an Asian ascctc. cnaciated bv ponderng
over strange lore. Children. also clad in White,
followed him, and dogs dashed forward to attack
us. The pcacoolls flew heavily TO the roofs.
The paved courtyard where this scene occurred
was gloomy place. masses OF marble overhung
it everywhere: it was as deep as well ana
seemed the portal to the abode of the dead. The
bou7c's house was dark the heavy loSts dlmly
outlined monstrous forms. Everything was cor
rodrd bv age and dust-but the precious idols,
clothed in fine gold. gittcrcd radiantv as they
sat with down"ast eyes and mystic smiles. Below
the golden idols lay dusty gongs, silver bells TO
summon the spirits, musical instruments and
Instruments OF torture.
The bouzcs are the mcndicant monks. the guar
dams of precious things, who live wre'chcdly
on the aims of travellers. Sitting before their
splendid idols they eat roots and rice from
earthen dishes.
We went higher mp the marble staircase. ever
and anon obtaining glimpses of the vast dcsolate
plain at our feet. the region Of barren sand or
pasture lands where herds Of bufralocs Craze. In
the distance, looking westward. could see the
mountains of Anam, half lost IN the clouds.
Eastward was the sea. whose dull roar reached
rs through the silence the c,rr-surging Chinese
sea; under the cloudy sky it looked like sheet
of molten silver
A portal, beneath which the road passed, APP
peared before us; it like the vision of
dream. il had horns and claws-it seemed like
q mystery in tangible form. s. many ages had
passed over it that il had become similar 10 the
mountain itself: all the other pinnaclcs which
rose around it were of the same age-the on
trance 70 strange regions that Lad no desire TO
be visited.
"Lcc-Ioo, is this tic gate Of the pasoda we
have come TO sce?"
Lee-Loo smiled.
Eyes the mountain is the pagoda The noun
tain belongs to the spirits the mountain is en-
chantcd We must drink; drink some more sam
chou"
Again he filled our little cups. carried by
yeow-skinned servant with rice brandy.
After passing through this portal two roads
opened before rs One led downward. the other
upward both vanished in mysterious wndnCs
among the gray rocks Both were cut in the
living marble and ovcrgrown with rare and mag
nifcent plants: both displayed the same grayish
hucs their steps were carpctcd with the same
masses Of pink pcriwinkles.
Lpe-Loo seemed to hesitate then turning to-
ward the right he took the path which Jed down
ward
In truth. the mountain the pagoda
whole nation Of terrible idols inhabited the cav
ems; the bowels Of the mountain were haunted
All the n"arnations Of Buddha-and others still
older, whose meaning even the bouzcs no longer
know. Gods in human form stood glitterng with
gold with huge, fierce eyes: or else reclincd
drowsily their eyes half closed. and their faces
wearing perpetual smile. There We're single
ones-which startled ms by their unexpected APP
pcarance at some dark corner Others in
numerous company seated under marble "an1pcs
in the green dusk OF the caverns, appeared 10
he holding a council. All wore the same red silk
head covering, which fell so low over the eyes
Of some that Nothing could be save their
perpetual smile.
The gliding, the Chinese cOlors Of the
tunes had preserved certain degree Of fresh.
ness; but they were very old, the silk
eaten. They were mummies marycllously pre-.
served.
The walls Of their temples were the primitive
marble rocks wreathcd with staactitcs. excavatcd
haphazard by the moisture oOzng through the
mountain
And below. far below. in the caves beneath,
were other gods, which no longer had any tingc
Of color, whose very names were forgotten. which
had saactites hanging from their boards. and
masks OF satpctre They were as old the
world they existed when orr Western world was
still the cold virgin forest Of the great bear
and the reindeer The Inscriptions around them
longer Chinese; they were traced by
the hands Of the first men before any known
cra-antcdiluvian gods, surrounded by incomprc
hensible things. The bouzes still rcvcrnd them,
and their cave was fragrant with incense.
The great solemn mystery Of this mountain
was that ever since tho world contained beings
who could think it had been coDsc"ratcd TO the
gods. filed with alteration. Who were the
people who had fashioned those idols? Wcre
they like ourselves? Did those first men, around
whom the world young. live in darkness
more than we do? Or rather. did they not
God more clearly, at shorter distance. than
we with orr dull eyes, Then, having cmanatci