The sources of the Oakboeizangbo-tau, or the Clear River of Gakbo, are situated in 81' 80' N. 1st, on the frontiers of the provinces of K'ham and of Wei. Its upper course has the name of Sang-chu, or Dziangbo-taiti. Its direction is at first south-east. The great road from China to L'Haziaa crosses this river some distance east of the celebrated temple of H'Lari. Dzangbo-tsu then enters the country of Oskbo, where it receives a considerable river called Bo-dzangbo, which enters it on the left or eastern side. After having entered the country of Inaba, it probably takes a southern direction as it enters the Chinese province of .Yunnan, and there receives the name of Lung chuau-kiang. The Om-tau is formed by the junction of three rivers— the Ser-sumbu, or Ser-teu, in the east, the Uir-chu in the west, and the Kiini-us-su, the largest of the three, in the middle. It has a south-east course, through a very deep and narrow valley, inclosed by steep rocks of an immense height, whence it flows into the province of Yunnan in China, where it receives the Chinese name Nu-kiang, that 'the river of the barbarians: The Langasang-kiang traverses almost the whole extent of Eastern Tibet from north-west to south east. Two rivers, the Om-chu in the west and the Dzo-chu in the east, the sources of which are situated north of the upper part of the Om ten, in the province of K'ham, join at Teiamdo, and thus form the Lang-tsang-kinng, the direction of which is from north-west to south east. This river is also called La-chou and Lo-tsu. After having traversed Yunnan, it enters Lao, forms the frontier between Siam and Cochin-China, and flows into the Chinese Sea in 10' N. lat., after a course of more than 1700 miles. The sources of the Kincha-kiang, or Yang-tse-klang, which traverses China from west to east, are situated between 37° and 38° N. lat., 89' and 92° E. long., on the table-land towards the north-western frontiers of Eastern Tibet. Its upper part is called Murti-us-su by the nomadic Mongols of that country; its middle part has the Tibetan name of Bourentsu, and it is only in China that it is called Kincha-kiang. Its direction is east as far as E. long.; from this point to Batang the direction is south-east and south ; from Batang to its junction with the Litchou (the o/11 frontier of Tibet), it Is again south-east. This latter part of the Kincha-kiang forms a part of the present frontier between Tibet and China. The Ya-long-kiang is an important tributary of the Kincha-kiang. Ito sources arc in the Bayau-Khara Mountains. Its direction is generally south-east. The Hoang-ho, or Yellow River, has its sources north of the Bayan-Khara, in the province of Sifan. [lioassu-no.] The country between the upper part of the Hoang-ho in the north-west, the Ya long-kiang in the south-west, and the frontier of China in the east, or the eastern parts of Sifan and Khteishu-nor, is traversed by ranges of high mountains covered with perpetual snow. Very little is known about it in Europe, Tengri-nor, the largest lake of Tibet, is nine days' journey north of ti'Lassa. The Chinese call it Thian-chhi, or tho Celestial Lake. This lake appears to be surrounded by high moun tains and rocks covered with snow and ice. It receives the Tarku dzangbo, a river which comes from the west. The Lake of Palte, which is situated south-west of H'Lassa, in the valley of the Dzangbo, resembles a large ditch surrounding an extensive island which fills up the middle of the lake. On the Tibetan maps it has the name of Bhaldi-Yumtso, and the Chinese call it Yar-brok-Yumtao. It is said that north of this lako there is a high mountain called Kambala, from the summit of which extensive high snowy ranges may be seen to the north. In the extreme north of Tibet is situated the Lake Khu-khu nor, or /Coke-nor, that is, the Blue or the Celestial Lake, which name has been given to all the surrounding country.
is known in India and China as a country of hunger and misery. The climate of the valleys, and especially of the valley of the Dzangbo, is hot. From March to September the weather is fair. In H'Lassa the trees bud at the end of April and in the begin ning of May Tho harvest is reaped in August and September. Dew falls in the summer nights; it hails often ; the snow is not deep in winter. On the high table-lands the climate is very different. From
May to October the sky is always clear, and the sun shines with uncommon brightness. From October to May there are violent gales.
The surface of the weather-beaten rocks breaks in pieces, which the air dissolves into fragments as small as dust; and clouds of this dust, raised by whirlwinds, are driven from the plain to the summits of tho mountains, and from the mountains down to the houses of the inhabit. ants. The air ie excessively dry, and its effects resemble those of the dry heat of the Sahara. The cold in winter is intense. The mouu tains and table-lands are characterised by cold and barrenness.
the minerals there are gold, silver, copper, tin, salt, corundum stone, lapis lazuli, turquois, and agate. Besides a great number of grasses which aro common in Europe, Tibet pro duces a kind of gray barley, grapes, assafmtida, rhubarb, madder, safflower, apples, nuts, apricots, peaches, pomegranates, and figs io the valleys. The cedar grows io Tibet. Among the animals, there are wild oxen with long hair, buffaloes, yaks, goats with a very firm fleece, goats with long fine hair, silk-worms, wild cats, tigers, leopards, lynxes, argali with horns of one hundred pounds weight, pigs, white eagles, and mane. All our domestic animals are known in Tibet. Fish are abundant in the rivers, but they are not eaten, being prohibited by the religion of Buddha.
Political Dirisions.—l. The territory of the Dalai-Lama contains the eastern and north-eastern parts of Tibet. The capital, IP Lassa or Lassa, is situated in a beautiful plain on the banks of the Dzang-teu, about 12 leagues above its junction with the Dzangbo. It is a populous and very commercial town, and distinguished by many fine public buildings, especially Buddhist convents and temples. There are a smallpox hospital, a printing-office, and several schools. The town has walls and five fortified gates. In the neighbourhood of the town are four magnificent convents, the largest among the 3000 convents of Tibet. The residence of the Dalai-Lama is in the convent of Pobrang Marbu (the Red Tows)), on Mount Betels, north-west of H'Lassa. It is said that the principal building of this residence is 367 feet high, and that it contains 10,000 rooms. Yiga-gunglhar, a town inhabited by 20,000 families, Is situated east of li'Lassa, on the Dzingbo.
2. The territory of the Teshu-Lama contains the provinces of Dzang and Ngari, and perhaps also the countries of Khor and of Katchi.
Ilia residence is at the palace of Teshu-IPLumbn, in 29' 4' N. 1st., 89' 7' E. long. It was founded in 1447, op a small plain surrounded by lofty mountains ; but as this plain is a part of the high table-land, the environs are cold and desert. Teshu-IPLumbn lies almost opposite to a pass across the Himalaya of Bootan, which is defended by the fortress of Dzigndze-Jeung. Tealm-li'Lumbu, or, more correctly, lachieli'Lumbo, contains from 300 to 400 houses, convents, temples, and palaces, which are surrounded by a wall, and all communicate with each other. The chief bnilding, where the Lama resides, has the name of Lapranga. The greater part of the country between Tesbu-H'Lumbu and H'Laesa is a fertile and beautiful tract, which extends along the river Dzangbo from west to east. At one day's journey east of Teshu-II'Lumbn is Pine (Bainsm), a small town with a fortified castle. Paldi, or Deli, another small town, lies on the northern bank of Lake Peitz.
Inhabitants and History.— The first accounts of the history of Tibet are in the annals of the Mongols and of the Chinese. The Tibetans belong to the Mongol race ; they were at first divided into many independent tribes which led a nomadic life. The first king of Tibet was Seger-Sandilitu-Khaghan-Ttil-Esen, who was exposed by his father, and afterwards found in a copper box swimming on the river Gangs. He became king in rae. 313, and united the four great tribes of Ngari, of Dzang. of K'bam, and of 'Massa or Wei. One of his descendants was Illatotari, who was born in ? D. 348, and wbo became king in 367. In the fortieth year of his reign (407) Buddhism was introduced into Tibet. Srongdeen-Gembo, who ascended the throne an. 629, founded the town of ii'Lasen, where he held his residence.