Rock Island Argus., 1906-12-22

piety of life, and many of them are
bad. There are morning and evening
prayers. when the priests put on their
ceremonial robes, and standing before
the great idols Cthe chief one here as
elsewhere on the mountain, is the
daughter OF Buddha, and called the
All Virtuous') they pound on hol-
low wooden fish, drums, and occasion.
ally bell At the same time the pray
ers are chanted. and often the sound is
very pleasing when heard from u little
distance thing rarely heard in the
temples in the city. There is a cur
ious story told about the origin of the
wooden fish. which is in all Buddhist
temples. 1t is a sort of Seven League
boots affair and too long to write here
Will tell about it some other time.
Every year there are thousands of
pilgrims, who come to pay vows and to
burn incense. They come singly or in
groups, and often as a "hwei' or band.
under a leader. The large hweis usu-
ally have musicians in white uniform,
with embroidered red decorations, and
red tasseled white hats. Banners and
symbols. and the heaven and earth tab
let. before which incense is burning,
add to the pomp of the procession. WO-
men and men, and boys and girls come
to burn incense The girls are few,
Of course, but the number of women,
especially old women. is large. 1t must
cause great suffering for them to walk
so much with their feet bound as they
are. but they think there is merit in
it. so they plod along On the way to-
the top we passed newly made grave
of one who had died there.
Produce Peculiar Wax.
Mount Omei is noted for other than
its; temples. The fine white wax from
which dolls and fine French tapers are
made. is raised here. Ii is said 10 be
worth its weight in silver. The wax
is produced by a small insect, the eggs
of which are imported from Yunnan
province. nearly a months journey
from here. as that is the only place
where tney can be obtained The eggs
are suspended in little sacks from the
branches of the wax tree, and when
the luSCClS hdlCl Oul. liiCy plOObOC q
soft white wax on the under side of the |
in appearance like fleecy |
snow, only it is on the wrong side. AT |
ter Il few months the branches are cut |
down and the wax stripped off and |
melted down. 1t is then sent to mark |
et. This years crop is very good. |
Three years ago the priest lost several |
hundred dollars worth of eggs on ac-
count of the cold weather The trees |
bear only once in three years.
Ferns abound. about 30 varieties. in |
sizes from one half inch in length to
seven feet three inches, as | measured |
yesterday. Such gorgeous dragons and
and in such variety, l never
Jaw. One young man collected 116 diff
'erent kinds of butterflies. There are
some very peculiar endogenOus trees.
This would make a most interesting
ield for the study of natural science.
There are also creatures of larger type,
such as wild cats, leOpards. wild boars,
etc. We have abundant
evidence of these things, for there are
low two people here under doctors
are who have been bitten by the first
ldIneu- ana some nave Deen kllltu anu
,aten by the beasts. On the hills near
his temple the wild boars make havoc
n the corn fields. but the animals are
vary enough to elude capture, for
hree hunting expeditions have failed
o bring TO light anything more than
heir tracks, leading to the haunts
where it is impossible to penetrate.
Numerous paths lead to the hills
round. from the tops giving fine view
# the Golden summit and the valleys
nd plain. Going down a long hill to a
evel five hundred feet below this place
We come to the Flying Bridges. where
wo swift streams merge into nat
Iral swimming pool, after roaring
through the narrow gorges 40 feet be
Ow the bridges. A prettier spot can
lot be found on the mountain. Fol ,
owing the larger of the two streams
ID about a mile. we come to the Black
Dragon gorge. 10 feet wide and sheer
90 feet high, with a plank bridge ex-
ending along Is feet above the water
Beyond this gorge the water comes
ushing down over the boulders with
deafening roar. The small road to