ou nor I may cause the transmigration of this
living being. We must find a layman who knows how to kill sheep. Is it
not so?" and without awaiting an answer, he added, "another thing; from
your appearance, one may easily guess that, you are no great hands at
cutting up sheep and preparing them." "You are not mistaken," we
answered, laughing. "Well, keep the sheep tied to your tent; and for the
rest, rely upon me; I shall he back in a minute." He mounted his horse,
went off at full gallop and disappeared in a bend of the vale.

According to his promise, the Lama soon returned. He went straight to
his tent, tied his horse to a post, took off his saddle, bridle and
halter, gave it a cut with his whip, and so sent it off to pasture. He
went into his tent for a little while, and then appeared with all the
members of his family, that is to say, his old mother and two younger
brothers. They advanced slowly towards our tent, in truly ridiculous
fashion, just as if they were going to remove all their furniture. The
Lama carried on his head a large pot, which covered him as with an
enormous hat. His mother had on her back a large basket, filled with
argols. The two young Mongols followed with a trivet, an iron spoon, and
several other minor kitchen implements. At this sight, Samdadchiemba was
full of joy, for he saw before him a whole day of poetry.

When the entire _batterie de cuisine_ was arranged in open air, the Lama
invited us, in his politeness, to go and repose in our tent for awhile.
He judged from our air, that we could not, without derogation, be present
at the approaching scene of butchering. The suggestion, however, did not
meet our views, and we requested that if we could do so without
inconveniencing them, we might sit down on the grass at a respectful
distance, and with the promise that we would not touch anything. After
some objections, perceiving that we were curious to be spectators, they
dispensed with the etiquette of the matter.

The Lama seemed anxious; he kept looking towards the north of the valley,
as if expecting some one. "All right," he said at last, with an air of
satisfaction, "here he comes." "Who comes? Of whom do you speak?" "I
forgot to tell you that I had been just now to invite a layman to come,
who is very skilful in killing a sheep. There he is." We rose and
perceived, indeed, something moving among the heath of the valley. At
first we could not clearly distinguish what