Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-12-26

that they dwell in strangely built
houses or mat sheds near a group of
/ temples known as the Monasterlies of
the Heavenly Clouds. This is only
few hours ride from Pekin, and the
trip is well worth taking.
The country is great Improvement
upon the city. All around lie pictur-
esque hills and slopes with powders
Enthusiastically piled one upon the other.
The huge stocks thickly covered by the
bright lichen are in vivid but beautiful
contrast to the green trees and shrubs
which grow among them. The road
side grasses are in full bloom at this
season, and with the many wild flow
ers and the deep sapphire blue sky
travelling is made delightful to the eye.
The western hills, where rise the
joss houses, or the temples, in
Oriental magniticence, are considered
sacred to the natives. The beauty of
the scenery here is greatly increased
when the monsoon season is on; then
the torrent beds are filled with water
and thousands of tiny cascades and
waterfalls are discovered refreshing the
air and tho vegetation. The hill in
habitants are given over heart and soul
to religion, and you are lulled to sleep
by the chanting of the attendant priests.
and the vigorous slamming of drums,
tattooing Of tom toms, and changing of
bells.
There are numherless small temples
clustered about tho larger and more
important ones. which are dedicated to
many outlandish gods. The one erected
to Manjoosero has a hall from sixty to
100 feet in length and thirty to fifty in
breadth, at tho end of which stands u
large figure of the favopite god. The
floors are raised about three feet and
are bricked. The ornamental roof over
the center of the building is raised
higher than the covering Of the sides
and brackets are placed in the inter-
vening space containing 10000 like
nesses of Manjoosere.
This temple is quite famous for its
scented holy water. which the spirits
of Manjoosere are supposed to breathe
upon after midnight. The precious
liquid is kept in curious utensils. One
will be the skin of tiger fitted about
a perfect tigers body of clay, SO that
when you purchase gill Of the holy
water the priest quietly pulls what
was originally the tigers tail and out
comes the water spouting from his
mouth. The dried skins of birds,
snakes, frogs and rabbits are used and
decorated in the most scientific manner
after natures handiwork. The new
Chang Temple is another popular house
of worship in the group. 1t reminds
one of the curious nest of boxes which
are manufactured only in the Dragon
Empire. There are i'll it's inclosure
temples within temples First, there
is the largest one, perfectly fitted up
and adorned; then from the center of
this rises second. and from the CEN
ter or altar of the second third good
sized joss-house. You wonder if the
lays of Aladdin and his wonderful
lamp are returning, when your attend
ant bonze, with an accompanying torch,
lighted from the everlasting Buddhistio
lamp, pushes aside door and ushers
you into the last of the trio of temples.
Probably the greatest of them all is
the honorary temple dedicated to Budd-
ha, where are collected over 10. 900
statues of the great religious teacher.
These are arranged on short and tall
pedestals, and in reality take up almost
all the room in the great hall. Differ
ent wreaths of flowers decorate the
statues during the seasonable months.
One small division of the temple is
called the Sacred Room of the Holy
Locust Flower" and only the most
pious of followers are allowed to enter
here. This room is considered divine,
because of its contents. Within glass
and golden cases are two teeth, a lock
of hair, and finger nail, all of which
were once Buddhas own. The tour
through the various other temples is
filled with interesting and fascinating
adventures. The walls Of nearly all
are covered with rough frescoes, bold
in design and not without character
These are the work of the monks from
the Kyoning or royal monastery
Margherita Arlina Hamm, in Inter-
Ocean.