Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 1 (1876).djvu/227

 The next day our intention of penetrating still deeper into these mountains was thwarted by an accident which detained us unexpectedly in the same place. At ten in the morning a thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rain burst over our heads, and having carelessly pitched our tent in the dry bed of a mountain torrent fed by two ravines, in a few minutes streams of water were pouring straight down upon our humble dwelling. We were inundated by the torrent, and in a few moments some of our lighter articles might be seen floating down stream. By good luck half the tent stood on higher ground, to which the water did not immediately rise. Hither we carried some of our soaking things, damming the water out of the tent with felt to protect our baggage. Fortunately our disagreeable situation only lasted half an hour; as soon as the storm had passed and the rain ceased, the torrent speedily subsided and dried up, and the only traces left of the catastrophe were our damp things hung up to dry. The day after this occurrence we marched a short distance (ten miles) to the temple of Bathar Sheilun, called Udan-chau by the Chinese, picturesquely situated in the midst of wild, rocky scenery, and regarded as one of the most important in South-eastern Mongolia. The gorgeous shrine is four stories high, and surrounded by a cluster of houses inhabited by 2,000 lamas, whose numbers are increased in summer by the numerous pilgrims who visit the temple to 7,000, many coming from great distances. We ourselves saw, near Lake