Page:Mongolia, the Tangut country, and the solitudes of northern Tibet vol 2 (1876).djvu/179

Rh might pick up some valuable hints were he to turn his attention seriously to the Tibetan and Mongolian practice.

(from a Photograph lent by Baron Osten Sacken).

In former times 7,000 lamas lived at Kumbum, but their number is much diminished since the temple was despoiled by the Dungans, who, however, spared the principal shrine with the sacred tree. Such is the fame of the place that it will doubtless soon be restored.

On leaving our camp to the north-west of Koko-nor our route lay first along the northern and then along the western shore of the lake. After fording a few small streams, we soon approached the largest of its affluents—the Pouhain-gol, which, as the