peace, and the mercy of the Lord. O God, abandon us not; of all heirs thou art the most valuable." The Imam concludes this prayer with the Fatihha, the firft chapter

of the Cour'ann.

"The fame prayer ferves fometimes for the interment of feveral bodies at once, as in time of war and of the plague, when the Imams cannot bury with that celerity which the law requires: in thefe cafes only it is allowable to ufe for feveral perfons the fame funeral ceremony.

"As the law forbids not only interment, but also the funeral pray er, in the mofques, the bodies are always carried immediately from the houses to the pu lic buryinggrounds: thefe are beyond the limits of the cities, and most of them have the appearance of parks; they are planted with linden-trees, elms, oaks, but particularly with cyprefs, which is a favourite tree with the Mahometans The principal bury ing grounds of Conftantinople are, 1. thofe of Eyub, on account of the body of that faint, one of the firft Mahometan apofties, who is buried in the fuburb which bears his name; z. those of Aiwan-Seraih, where are depofited the remains of the twenty-fix other difciples of the prophet, who died under the walls of Conftantino; le, in the firft attempts of the Mahonietans againft that city, under the Khaliphat of Muawiye I. and, 3. thofe of Scutaria in Afia, a fuburb feparated from Conftantinople by the Thracian Lofpho: us Almost all the Culemas, nobles, and principal citizens, chufe to be interred in the buring grounds of Scutary, as making part of the continent on which are fituated the two facred. Arabian cities. This pious prevailing opinion is founded on a belief that

Afia is the only true country of the Mahometans; that it is the chofen continent referved for Iflamifm by the fpecial favour of Providence; and that the remains of Muffulmen reft there in much greater fecurity than in European ground, where, with more religion than policy, they confider the Othoman power as lefs durable than in the Afiatic countries.

"All the graves are, in general, covered with carth, and raifed above the ground to prevent any one from walking over the bodies of Muffulmen. There is no marble plate or monument whatever over the grave; it is covered with flowers, or with the apples of myrtle, yew, box, &c. Thofe of the conimon people have only two flat or oval ftones, placed vertically, at the extremities of the grave. Those of the opulent citizens, and of perfons of a certain rank, are diftinguifhed by pieces of fine marble, of which that at the head is crowned with a marble turban. The form of this fhews the rank and condition of the deceased, because the different claffes of citizens are diftinguished as much by the turban as by the reft of their drefs. The tombs of the women differ from thofe of the men only in having the two focles uni form, flat, and terminated in a point.

"On each epitaphs are engraved in golden characters: they exprefs in general only the name of the deceased, his rank, the day of his death, and an exhortation to paffengers to recite the Fatihha. Some of them exhibit diftichs, quatrains, and ftanzas of different length. Some defcribe the fragility of the world, the duration of eternity, and exprefs withes for the eternal felicity of the ecceafed. They are as follows: M: y the Almighty dign to wrap his foui in a cloud of mercy

and

and gladnefs, and cover his tomb with the fplendour of unceafing light! others reprefent death as the limit of human miferies in this fhort and tranfitory life, congratulate the deceased upon his happinefs, and compare his foul to a nightingale in paradife, Djennethbulbuly. Others mention his virtues and his attachment to religion, and exhort those who pafs by to pray for the repofe of his foul, that he may better deferve, on the day of judgment, the interceffion of the prophet at the throne of the Almighty. Sometimes they confift only of two verfes, This world is tranfitory, it has no continuance; to-day for me, tomorrow for thee. Upon thofe of children of both fexes, the grief of their parents is commonly expreffed by lamentations against fate, which has had the cruelty it is faid, to pluck the rofe from the garden of delight and beauty, to tear a tender fhrub from the bofom of its mother, and to caft its unfortunate parents into the flaming furnace of grief and defpair.

"The tombs of perfons of rank in the different orders of the state, are much more diftinguifhed. They are furrounded with marble in the form of a cheft, that part which is at

the head and feet being always most elevated."

"Thofe of the principal Mahometan Saints are a kind of citadels, erected by the piety of monarchs or of opulent individuals. Houses of diftinction, particularly those of the Oulemas, have vaults which ferve for the interment of their families : they call them Turbe, which means a fepulchral chapel. They have nearly the fame form as those of the Sultans, fuperb edifices which are built round the imperial mofques. A defcription of them will be afterward given, in the chapter which mentions the Mahometan temples.

"These mausoleums are, in general, the only monuments deftined to perpetuate the glory of monarchs, and that of the principal perfonages in the empire. Statues, marble trophies, fymbolical figures, thofe pieces of fculpture which adorn most of the European cities and churches, are unknown to Muffulmen. This is a natural confequence of their extending that prohibition which forbids the painting of men and animals; a circumftance which will be explained in the moral part of the present work."

66

fion of the affumption of his office. Dalia Lama and the viceroy of Laffa, accompanied by all the court, one of the Chinese generals ftationed at Laffa with a part of the troops under his command, two of the four magiftrates of the city,

the

the heads of every monaftery throughout Tibet, and the emperor's ambaffadors, appeared at Teefhoo Loomboo to celebrate this epo cha in their theological inftitutions. The 28th day of the seventh moon, correfponding nearly, as their year commences with the vernal equinox, to the middle of October 1784, was chofen as the moft aufpicious for the ceremony of inauguration: a few days previous to which the Lama was conducted from Terpaling, the monaftery in which he had paffed his infancy, with every mark of pomp and homage that could be paid by an enthufiaftic people. So great a concourfe as affembled either from curiofity or devotion was never feen before, for not a perfon of any condition in Tibet was abfent who could join the fuite. The proceffion was hence neceffarily contrained to move fo flow, that tho' Terpaling is fituated at the distance of twenty miles only from Tefhoo Loomboo, three days expired in the performance of this fhort march. The firft halt was made at Tfondue; the second at Summaar; about fix miles off, whence the moft fplendid parade was reserved for the Lama's entry on the third day; the account of which is given me by a perfon who was prefent in the proceffion. The road, he fays, was previoufly prepared by being whitened with a wash, and having piles of ftones heaped up, with fmall intervals between on either fide. The retinue paffed between a double row of priests, who formed a street extending all the way from Summaar to the gates of the palace. Some of the priests held lighted rods of a perfumed compofition, that burn like decayed wood, and emit an aromatic smoke; the reft were furnished with the different mufical inftruments they ufe at their devo

tions, fuch as the gong, the cymbal, hautboy, trumpets, drums, and feafhells, which were all founded in union with the hymn they chanted. The croud of fpectators were kept without the street, and none admitted on the high road but fuch as properly belonged to or had a prefcribed place in the proceffion, which was arranged in the following order.

"The van was led by three military commandants or governors of diftricts at the head of 6 or 7000 horsemen armed with quivers, bows, and matchlocks. In their rear followed the ambaffador, with his fuite, carrying his diploma, as is the cuf tom of China, made up in the form of a large tube, and fastened on his back. Next the Chinese general advanced with the troops under his command, mounted and accoutred after their way with fire-arms and fabres; then came a very numerous group bearing the various ftandards and infignia of ftate; next to them moved a full band of wind and other fonorous inftruments; after which were led two horfes richly caparifoned, each carrying two large circular stoves difpofed like pan. niers across the horfe's back and filled with burning aromatic woods. Thefe were followed by a fenior prieft, called a Lama, who bore a box containing books of their form of prayer and fome favourite idols. Next nine fumptuary horfes were led loaded with the Lama's apparel; after which came the pricits immedi ately attached to the Lama's perfon for the performance of daily offices in the temple, amounting to about 700; following them were two men each carrying on his fhoulder a large cylindrical gold infignium embossed with emblematical figures, (a gift from the Emperor of China). The Duhunniers and Soopoons, whơ

were

were employed in communicating addreffes and diftributing alms, immediately preceded the Lama's bier, which was covered with a gaudy canopy and borne by eight of the fix teen Chinese appointed for this fervice. On one fide of the bier attended the regent, on the other the Lama's father. It was followed by the heads of the different monafte ries, and as the proceffion advanced, the priests who formed the street fell in the rear and brought up the fuite, which moved at an extremely flow pace, and about noon was received within the confines of the monastery amidst an amazing difplay of colours, the acclamations of the croud, folemn mufic, and the chanting of their priests.

The Lam being fafely lodged in the palace, the Regent and Soopoon Choomboo went out, as is a cuftomary complimer.t paid to vifitors of high rank on their near approach, to meet and conduct Dalai Lama and the Viceroy of Lafla who were on the way to Teefhoo Loomboo. Their retinues encountered the following morning at the foot of Painom caftle, and the next day together entered the Monaftery of Teefhoo Loomboo, in which both Dalai Lama and the Viceroy were accommodated during their stay.

The following morning, which was the third after Teefhoo Lama's arrival, he was carried to the great temple, and about noon feated upon the throne of his progenitors; At which time the emperor's ambassador delivered his diploma, and placed the prefents with which he had been charged at the Lama's feet.

The three next enfuing days, Dalai Lama met Teethoo Lama in the temple, where they were affifted by all the priests in the invocation and public worship of their

Gods. The rites then performed completed, as I understand, the bufinefs of inauguration. During this interval all who were at the capi tal, were entertained at the public expence, and alms were diftributed without referve. In conformity likewife to previous notice circulated every where for the fame space of time, univerfal rejoicings prevailed throughout Tibet. Banners were unfurled on all their fortresses, the peafantry filled up the day with mufic and feftivity, and the night was celebrated by general illuminations. A long period was afterwards employed in making presents and public entertainments to the newly inducted Lama, who at the time of his acceffion to the Mufnud, or if I may ufe the term, pontificate, of Teefhoo Loomboo, was not three years of age. The cercmony was begun by Dalai Lama, whofe offerings are faid to have amounted to a greater value, and his public entertainments to have been more fplendid, than the rest. The fecond day was dedicated to the Viceroy of Lafla. The third to the Chinefe General. Then followed the Culloong or Magiftrates of Laffa, and the rest of the principal perfons who had accompanied Dalai Lama. After which the Regent of Teefhoo Loomboo, and all that were dependent on that government, were feverally admitted, according to pre-eminence of rank, to pay their tributes of obeifance and refpect. As foon as the acknow ledgements of all those were received who were admiffible to the privilege, Teefhoo Lama made, in the fame order, fuitable returns to each, and the confummation lafted forty days.

Many importunities were ufed with Dalai Lama to prolong his ftay at Teehoo Loomboo, but he excufed

himfelf