they die without leaving any closely related heirs. A number of rooms are said to be full of saddles and other things that the lamasery has inherited from Kalmuks, and stores without end. In the upper storey of the temple I saw a pile of old, useless rifles that had belonged to Kalmuks, since deceased. The temple is built in the manner often seen in China. A main building with two detached smaller wings at right angles to it. Two towers at their corners. Behind the temple is a building similar to the wings. In the centre in front of it a building that serves as an entrance from an outer courtyard, also provided with a similar gateway opposite the former. Beyond this outer court there are two high poles with four-cornered baskets fastened at »half-mast» to enable the visiting gods to tie up their horses. All the buildings have the Chinese tiled roofs with their gracefully curved corners and richly decorated roof-timber. At the corners of the buildings cast-iron bells are hung here and there with strips of tin attached to their tongues which produce a charming peal in the wind. The main building contains a large, square temple. A double row of red wooden pillars leads from the entrance to the altar. About a dozen images of Buddha are placed on the altar, enveloped in pieces of pink muslin, so that only part of the face is visible. Above the altar hang large coloured pictures painted in bright colours on banners of cloth. In front of it are bowls with grain and water; a flame burns under a metal shade. Metal plates, drums, trumpets of various sizes, some of them enormous, are among the objects that attract attention in front and at the sides of the altar. On the left of the
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