The Figures In These
Had Only Been Furnished With Flesh-Coloured Spots Where Their Faces
Were To Be, And The Foreign "Pigtail" Was Employed, Seated On A High
Platform, In Furnishing Them With Features And Casts Of Expression
In Accordance With The Spirit Of The Scenes Which They Helped
To Compose.
This he did certainly with very great skill, and the
operation was a most interesting one to watch.
The floor was covered
with pigments, and materials of all kinds, and the little community,
in the midst of the surrounding apparent solitude, were working away
like a hive of bees. They appeared to have a hive-like dislike also
of the approach of a stranger, and one old Lama, with a twisted mat
of hair erected on the top of his head - a drone of the hive -
took a particular dislike to me, and scowled savagely as I quietly
examined the curious designs upon the walls.
The eternal "Um mani panee" formed a very large part of the decoration,
being painted over the walls in every variety of coloured letters. In
the inner part of the temple was a large coloured statue, with eight
arms, and two-and-twenty heads.
The heads were placed in threes, looking every way, in the shape of
a pyramid, a single head crowning the whole.[29] One of the hands
held a bow, but the implements contained in the others were entirely
Buddhist in character, and to me unknown.
Behind this figure was a star, with innumerable radiating arms from
the centre, while from the points of the fingers were five other
rows of hands, continuing the star-like circle. These were in half
relief on the wall, the figure itself standing out some feet, as
if to receive and appropriate the offerings of corn, flowers, oil,
&c., which already began to be laid at its feet. Among the litter
I remarked several tame partridges and "chickore" walking about,
probably sacred to the newly installed divinities.
The whole scene was a very curious one, and not the less so from being
entirely unexpected, and occurring in such an apparently deserted
spot. One might have explored the place a dozen times without hitting
upon the hive of workmen, and, even when discovered, the excellence
of the designs and workmanship in so uncivilized a region, was in
itself remarkable.
Some of the paintings were of rather startling a character to find
occupying places in the order of church decoration, or indeed any
other, but they were not perhaps more unsuitable than many I have
seen in more avowedly civilized temples of worship.
AUGUST 27. - We found it very hard, in spite of our day of rest,
to turn out early again this morning. The wind was sharp and cold,
and the temperature altogether decidedly changed from that we had
been having. The head of the cooking department being still sick,
proceeded on a pony, and, having a certain air of the Sepoy about him,
very grand and imposing he looked. The road being long and up hill,
we breakfasted at a tomb in the pass of Fotoola, reaching Khurboo
about three P.M.
In the evening, the comptroller of the household made his appearance
upon the cook's pony, having from want of tobacco, and other causes,
become done up on the road. The bhistie alone holds out, and seems,
as far as servants go, the only hope of the expedition. To-day's
march has again spoiled F.'s and my own lately amending complexions,
the icy wind and the burning sun together completely blistering our
faces. In the evening we enjoyed a lovely sunset, which tinted the
magnificent range of mountains we had crossed with the most beautiful
hues imaginable.
AUGUST 28. - Another bitterly cold morning. Got away well considering,
and arrived at Waka in time for a late breakfast in the little
native serai, where we had before halted. Mr. Rajoo and the cook
came in with an air of great magnificence. They were each mounted,
and each pony was provided with a well-grown foal, so that the two
departments may be said to have performed their march with four horses.
AUGUST 29. - Descended the Waka Valley, leaving Shergol to our left,
and thereby saving about a kos and a half of already explored road.
Breakfasted under a shady grove of pollards, at the little village
of Lotzum, a cold refreshing bathe in a snow torrent enabling us
to do full justice to our cook's very excellent performances in
this line. That dignitary was upon his legs again to-day, and Rajoo
convalescent once more. Arriving about three P.M. at our old ground
at Pushkoom, we found the peaceful, quiet-looking little spot we
had left, a scene of the greatest noise and bustle imaginable. We
were now received in due form by the Kardar, and Thanadar of Kurgil,
not to mention the Wuzeer, or Vizier of Pushkoom. This dignitary had
formerly been its Rajah, but during Gulab Singh's time was reduced
to the post of Vizier, or Prime Minister to nobody in particular,
with a salary of some thirty rupees per annum. Where our last camp
was pitched, we found a circle of natives congregated, some standing,
some sitting on their haunches, but all accompanying to the full extent
of their voices - at the same time clapping time with their hands -
the efforts of a band of six or seven artists on the pipe and tabor,
who kept up a quavering strain of what they doubtless believed to be
music. To the united melody thus produced, a string of a dozen or so
of ladies, in their full war paint, were decorously going through the
monotonous evolutions of a popular dance, waving their arms about,
gesticulating, and at the same time lingering, as it were, over the
ground, and comporting themselves in that staid, yet fitfully lively
way, which seems to be the general style of Eastern dancing. They
were attired most picturesquely, and evidently in their very fullest
ball costume, so that we were fortunate in hitting upon such a good
opportunity of seeing their gala manners and customs.
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