An Embassy to the Court of the Teshoo Lama in Tibet - Prajna Quest

27 4 TIBET.These Tartars came from a place which they said was situated uponthe river Sullum, no less than fifty-two days journey from hence.Thisplace, therefore, according to the common computation of twenty milesto a day's journey, must be one thousand and forty miles distant.Thefollowins I understood to be their route, on their return from hencetowards home: from Teshoo Loomboo to Lassa, twelve days ; fromLassa to Daum, ten days ;from Daum to Sullum, thirty days.My next interview with the Regent, was in a chamber upon thesame floor with my own, separated only by a long narrow hall, orrather gallery, into which we were first conducted, and where I foundan unexpected amusement, in examining avast multitude of diminutiveimages, the representatives of their dewtas and heroes, who had herefixed their abode.The gallery, as I conjecture, was about forty feet in length ;having itsaspect towards the south-east.A balcony projecting from the centre,fenced with a slight railing, and sheltered from the weather by curtainsof mohair, served for the admission of light;opposite to the balcony^in the most conspicuous part of the gallery, theimages were rangedin regular order, upon benches rising one behind the other, from thefloor, almost to the roof of the room.They were enclosed by a piece ofstrong iron net-work stretched before them. Some of these imageswere composed of that metallic mixture, which in appearance resemblesWedgewood's black ware ;but the greater part were of brass, or coppergilt. They were by no means ill flishioned, exhibiting an infinitevariety of figures and attitudes, and adorned with such symbolicalrepresentations, as are appropriate to the respective dewtas and heroes