in wild disorder, swelling into richly-wooded knolls, or rising in cliffs and beetling crags. As the day declined the hills seemed to melt and merge into the fiery clouds; deep shadows shot across the path, swallowing up the woody chasms and warning us that night was near at hand. Darkness had already set in before we arrived at our destination. "Spot", my dog, had proceeded on, and his appearance had brought out a venerable bonze, who, almost without question, suspended the evening reckoning of his sins on his rosary, and lit us to our quarters in a large block of buildings behind. The apartment assigned to us was a plastered, white-washed chamber built out of pine wood, and containing a magnificent hardwood bed. After intimating that foreign wine was much better than any of his country's liquors, our old guide took his leave. We were not long, however, in finding our way to the kitchen for ourselves, and there the boys kindled a fire, while 1 smoked with the monks. The monastery of the "Snowy Crevice" reposes far from the haunts of men and the tumult of cities, in a broad, fertile valley, part of the imperial patrimony upon which its members subsist. It has of course a miraculous history, and, like many similar establishments, is popularly supposed to be extremely ancient. One of the stories connected with the place is that, in 1264 A.D., the Emperor Li-tang dreamed a dream about the temple, and named it accordingly "The famous Hall of Dreams. " This formed one of the most important events in its annals, for the dream was followed by substantial gifts. There is another legend which tells us of an anchorite, and of an Emperor who essayed in vain to slay the Holy Man. At last the monarch fell down and worshipped the priest, for he had never before come across a being whom he could not slay. This Emperor was distinguished for his wise rule, and had just put
