By some other
aperture, such as a window, or the smokehole in the roof, or a hole in the
wall dug expressly for the purpose. Or a wooden frame is made, fitting
into the doorway, and the body is then carried through; it being
considered that by this contrivance the evil consequences are escaped that
might ensue, were it carried through the ordinary, and, so to say,
undisguised house-door! Here, in Lahaul and the neighbouring countries,
we have not heard of such a custom."
(Duhalde, quoted by Marsden; Semedo, p. 175; Mr. Sala in N. and
Q., 2nd S. XI. 322; Lubbock, p. 500; Sonnerat I. 86; Liebrecht's
Gervasius of Tilbury, Hanover, 1856, p. 224; Mag. Asiat. II. 93.)
[1] M. Bonin visited in 1899 these caves which he calls "Grottoes of
Thousand Buddhas" (Tsien Fo tung). (La Geographie, 15th March,
1901, p. 171.) He found a stele dated 1348, bearing a Buddhist prayer
in six different scripts like the inscription at Kiu Yung Kwan. (Rev.
Hist. des Religions, 1901, p. 393.) - H. C.
CHAPTER XLI.
OF THE PROVINCE OF CAMUL.
Camul is a province which in former days was a kingdom. It contains
numerous towns and villages, but the chief city bears the name of CAMUL.
The province lies between the two deserts; for on the one side is the
Great Desert of Lop, and on the other side is a small desert of three
days' journey in extent.[NOTE 1] The people are all Idolaters, and have a
peculiar language. They live by the fruits of the earth, which they have
in plenty, and dispose of to travellers. They are a people who take things
very easily, for they mind nothing but playing and singing, and dancing
and enjoying themselves.[NOTE 2]
And it is the truth that if a foreigner comes to the house of one of these
people to lodge, the host is delighted, and desires his wife to put
herself entirely at the guest's disposal, whilst he himself gets out of
the way, and comes back no more until the stranger shall have taken his
departure. The guest may stay and enjoy the wife's society as long as he
lists, whilst the husband has no shame in the matter, but indeed considers
it an honour. And all the men of this province are made wittols of by
their wives in this way.[NOTE 3] The women themselves are fair and wanton.
Now it came to pass during the reign of MANGU KAAN, that as lord of this
province he came to hear of this custom, and he sent forth an order
commanding them under grievous penalties to do so no more [but to provide
public hostelries for travellers]. And when they heard this order they
were much vexed thereat.
