The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1904-11-29
iThe Tlbetans are the strangest peo-


BE- ss -...-------T-= -----,--.-s.,s.--
The Tibetans are the strangest peo-
pie on earth. 8aN
TO hold life sacred and benefit the
creatures are the laws of Buddhai
which they are supposed to obey most
scriIpulousfy And as they think they
may be reborn intany shape of animal,
bird or fish, they are kind to Living
things
During the morning service a pray
err is repeated by the lamas for the
minute insects which they have swal-
lowed inadverten tiysin theif'meat and
drink, and the formula insures therrer.
birth OF these microbes in heaven.
Sometimes, when lafna's life is de-
SPARED of, the monks will ransom a.
yak or a bullock from the shambles
and keep him pensionef in their
monastery, praying the good Buddhal
to spare the sick mans life for the lire
ransomed. Yet they eat meat freely
all save the. Gelug pa, or reformed
church, and square their conscience
with their appetite by the pretext that
the sim rests with the outeast assassin,
the public butcher, who will be born
in the next incarnation as some tan
talizedl spirit or agonized demon.
That, however, is his own affair. -
But it is when Tibetan dies that
his charity tosthe creatures becomes
really practical. Then, by his own
tacit consent when living, his body is
given as feast to the. dogs and vula.
lures. This is no casual or careless
gift to avoid the trouble of burial or
cremation. All creatures who have
taste for. these things. are invited to
the ceremony, and the corpse is carved
TO their liking by an expert, who de-
votes his life to the practice, E.isz.s
When a Tibetan dies he is left three
days,in his chamber, and slit is made
in his skull toilet his soul pass out.t
Then he is rolled into a ball. wrapped
( In aasaek, or silk if he is. rich, packed
into a jar or casket, and carried along
to the music of conch shells to the GER
emorial store. Here a lama takes
The corpse out Of ITS vessel and wrap.
pings and slagssit face downward on
large fiat slab, and the pensioners
prowl or hop round waiting for their
dole. They are quite tame. TheIamas
stand a little way apart and see that
strict etiquette is observed during the
entertainment THE carver begins at
the ankle and cuts upward. throwing
little strips of flesh Ito. the guests;
the bones he throws to a second at.
tendant, who pounds them up with a.
heavy stone. 49, -,..
| passed the place to-day as | rode
in from reconnaissance. The slab
lies q stones throw to the left of the
great northern road to Tengri Nor and
Mongolia, about two miles from the
city. rxra.6 gps
A group Of stolid vultures, too de-
moralized to range In search of car.
rion, stood motiorless on a rock above
waiting the next dispenser OF charity
e A few ravens hoped about sadly
they, too, were evidently pauperized.
One magpie was prying around IN
suspicious proximity and dogs, COM
scious OF shame, skunk about without
"a bark TO them, and nosed the ground
diligently. They were always there,
waiting. .Aa
There was hardly a stain on. the
slab, SO quick and eager are the appIi-
cants for charity. Only. few rags
lay around too poor TO- be carried
away.
"a have not seen the ceremony, and
have no mind to. MY companion this
nr'nw hardened young subaltern,