o far absolutely unknown in the
whole country.

_A Festival in a Gonpa_

Leh, the capital of Ladak, is a little town of 5,000 inhabitants, who
live in white, two-story houses, upon two or three streets, principally.
In its centre is the square of the bazaar, where the merchants of India,
China, Turkestan, Kachmyr and Thibet, come to exchange their products
for the Thibetan gold. Here the natives provide themselves with cloths
for themselves and their monks, and various objects of real necessity.

An old uninhabited palace rises upon a hill which dominates the town.
Fronting the central square is a vast building, two stories in height,
the residence of the governor of Ladak, the Vizier Souradjbal--a very
amiable and universally popular Pendjaban, who has received in London
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

To entertain me, during my sojourn in Leh, the governor arranged, on the
bazaar square, a game of polo--the national sport of the Thibetans,
which the English have adopted and introduced into Europe. In the
evening, after the game, the people executed dances and played games
before the governor's residence. Large bonfires illuminated the scene,
lighting up the throng of inhabitants, who formed a great circle about
the performers. The latter, in considerable numbers, disguised as
animals, devils and sorcerers, jumped and contorted themselves in
rhythmic dances timed to the measure of the monotonous and unpleasing
music made by two long trumpets and a drum.

The infernal racket and shouting of the crowd wearied me. The
performance ended with some graceful dances by Thibetan women, who spun
upon their heels, swaying to and fro, and, in passing before the
spectators in the windows of the residence, greeted us by the clashing
together of the copper and ivory bracelets on their crossed wrists.

The next day, at an early hour, I repaired to the great Himis convent,
which, a little distance from Leh, is elevated upon the top of a great
rock, on a picturesque site, commanding the valley of the Indies. It is
one of the principal monasteries of the country, and is maintained by
the gifts of the people and the subsidies it receives from Lhassa. On
the road leading to it, beyond the bridge crossing the Indus, and in the
vicinity of the villages lining the way, one finds heaps of stones
bearing engraved inscriptions, such as have already been described, and
_t'horthenes_. At these places, our guides were very carefu