Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-09-13
AT BUDDHA'S SHRINE.
Tommy Atkins Camps Tn Shad-
 ow of Lama's Palace.
LAssA's MYSTERIES REVEALED.

The flight of the dalai lama and the signing in his palace at Lassa of an AngloTibetan treaty mark the elfmi- nation of the last vestige of Russian influence and the firm establishment of British control in Tibet. They mark also the end of the remarkable exclusive ness which has been preserved for so many centuries by the mysterious in habitants of ''the roof of the world"
 The veil has been lifted from the magic city of Lassa, the "seat of the gods," and today Tommy Atkins, 650 strong, camps beside the palace of the dalai lama, while General Macdonald tramps through the streets of the lama's capital.
 Above the heads of the British sol diers rear the massive gold covered roofs of Potala, the famous "Red pal ace,' as it is called, and of the Jovo Khang, or temple of the Lord Bud dha," of the Kunduhng or residence of the regent or king of Tibet and the massive buildings of the upper and lower schools of mysticism.
 Seven miles in circumference is Las sa, in the form of great oval, but the densely populated part of the town is comparatively small, and its golden roofs and minarets cluster thickly to- gether.
 The reports from the British forces all agree that the first view of the town In approaching 1t from the west is remarkable. On the left is conical hill, on which is situated the dalai lama's residence, with its lofty build ings and its roof of gold, between which and the town winds broad avenue of ancient trees.
 To the right is Changpa hill, sur mounted by the medical college, an immense structure over quarter of mile long and several stories high. Between these two regal hills, crowned by their wonderful structures, the wis., itor to Lassa catches sight of the For bidden City. 1t appears closely packed mass of we'll built, white houses, surmounted by roofs of blue, glazed tiles, with here and there the glittering minarets and spires thrust ing upward toward the cold, clear sky overhead and over all the dominating presence of temples and palaces.
 The most striking feature of the city is undoubtedly Potala, the palace of the dalai lama, Buddha's vice regent on earth The palace is an ag- gregation of several temples, the mid dle one, which dominates the rest, be- ing the Red palace, containing the great audience hall, where the dalai lama, clad in yellow and seated on throne supported by carved lions, was wont to receive pilgrims. The Red palace is crowned by 8 dome covered entirely with plates of gold, and from this roof at the great festi- vals the dalai lama contemplated his worshipers as they advanced along the plain and prostrated themselves at the | foot of the sacred mountain:
 Three-quarters of a mile to the southwest is Norbu Ling, the summer palace of the dalai lama, situated In the midst of beautiful garden, in which the British force is now en- camped.
 l The Jovo Khang, or Temple of the I Lord Buddha, is an immense building with three Chinese roofs covered with l gold, the upper stories of the edifice being supported by great wooden pill l lars ten feet in diameter. Here is an 1 exquisitely modelled image of Buddha, said by the priests to have been made l during the life of the great teacher. 1 Around this are placed many golden lamps, which are kept burning con stantly, supplied with melted butter.
 North of this temple stands the house of the astrologer royal and his hundred retainers, with an enormous golden cupola which is visible for many miles.
 There is enough gold in Lassa to pay the national debt of Great Britain and the United States If the rumor con stantly repeated be true, and some. | thing of the truth of this statement is inferred from the massive plates ot gold which . cover the roofs of the buildings
 On the southern side of the city flows the Kyichu river, while canal diverted from the river flows to the north, inclosing the city entirely by water. Across the canal is the huge stone bridge over which crossed the British forces.
 j AS yet no accurate idea of the popu. lation of Lassa has been obtained II is the home of the very heart of Bud. dhism, and every tenth person is a priest of Buddha.
 Those who are not priests are more or less intimately connected with the administration of the religious govern ment of Tibet either as the servants ot the priests or laborers in the temples or as subordinate lay officials of the priesthood government.
 Human life is held so cheaply thai the slightest offense, the most trivial infraction of the rules of the order o1 Buddha, is punished by death and usu ally death by torture. The people o1 Lassa are temperate, drinking nothing but tea, but the priests, it is said. are immoral given to drunkenness on bar ley wine and leading lives within theil monasteries which are hardly 1t fol publication.
 Lassa is constantly in the throes oi some form of religious ceremony. The
 oFTyaS.