Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 5 1887.djvu/290

282 six or seven marches (or days) of Leh, the capital of Ladakh, that we come amongst a Buddhist population; the first monastery of any importance is at Lama Yuru.

Beyond turning a prayer-wheel when they see one, the people of that country seem to perform no acts of religion, but the Lamas (or monks) hold regular services several times a day in their monasteries at stated hours. The monks are said to form about one quarter of the whole population.

At their feasts or fairs (which occur pretty frequently in the various villages), besides the game of polo, which is said to have originated in Tibet, religious and secular dances are performed on such occasions, the former by Lamas only, the secular dances by men and women together, or by each sex separately; the women are also occasionally led by one man. The principal street of the native bazaar at Leh is long and narrow; nearly all the houses are two-storied. Before the game or the dancing begins all the merchants close their shops, and select the best points of observation from their upper rooms. Polo as played in Tibet differs considerably from our English game of the same name. There are six or eight players on each side; the one who has the ball puts his horse into a full gallop, and when he has ridden half the length of the course he throws up the ball with his left hand, and hits it in its descent with the stick in his right, a feat which must require considerable dexterity. As neither side wears distinctive colours or costume it is not easy for the uninitiated spectator to understand the ins and outs of the game. The space being narrow and confined the whole scene speedily becomes a confused medley of men and horses seen through a veil of dust. Secular dances follow the polo; those who take part in them sometimes form themselves into two long lines. Each dancer then holds on to the one in front of him, as in the game of fox and goose. The two strings of dancers wind in and out, occasionally they divide and dance opposite to each other, advancing and receding with a slow undulating movement, which gradually becomes more energetic as they warm to their work. An adjournment is then made to the court-yard of a private house behind the bazaar. Mock sword-fights take place there between two combatants, also sword-dances with two crossed weapons laid on the ground, and pre-