his son should kill the man who had stolen his secret from
him: but when he saw that his son brought back to him a strap, he cried
"The West triumphs; 'tis the will of heaven!" He then told the shepherds
to flee with their cattle and sheep in all haste, unless they desired to
be swallowed up by the waters. As to himself, he prostrated himself in
the centre of his tent and there resignedly awaited death.

Day had scarce dawned when there was heard underground a rumbling but
majestic sound, similar to the tumult of torrents rolling their waves
over the mountain sides. The sound advanced with fearful rapidity, and
the water of the pond, beside which the old man lived, was seen to be in
great commotion: then the earth opened with terrible shocks, and the
subterranean waters rose impetuously, and spread, like a vast sea, over
the plain, destroying infinite numbers of men and beasts who had not time
to escape. The old man was the first who perished beneath the waves.

The Lama, who bore the secret of this great catastrophe, upon arriving in
the kingdom of Oui, found his countrymen in utter consternation at
fearful sounds they had heard beneath them in the valley, and the nature
and cause of which no one could explain. He related the story of the
blind old man, and all immediately comprehended that the uproar which had
so alarmed them had been occasioned by the subterranean sea, on its
removal to the East. They resumed, with enthusiasm, the labours of
construction they had abandoned, and raised a magnificent temple, which
is still standing. An immense number of families settled around the
temple, and, by degrees, there was created a great city, which took the
name of Lha-Ssa (Land of Spirits).

This singular chronicle of the origin of the Blue Sea was first related
to us in Koukou-Noor; it was afterwards repeated to us at Lha-Ssa, in
almost precisely the same terms; but we could nowhere discover traces of
any historical fact with which the singular fable might be supposed to
correspond.

We abode in Koukou-Noor for nearly a month. Continual rumours of the
brigands compelled us to move our encampment five or six times, in order
to follow the Tartar tribes, who, at the least suggestion of approaching
assailants, change their quarters, taking care, however, never to remove
altogether from the rich pastures which border the Blue Sea.

Towards the end of October, the Thibetian embassy arrived, and we joined
the immense