76            VOYAGE DOWN THE AMOOR.
front of the chief's box. Tea, confectionery, and dried fruit were served to us during the performance of the play. The crowd of spectators swayed to and fro like the surges of the ocean. The united breath of the multitude ascended like steam from a boiling caldron, the temperature being at 12° of Fahrenheit.
After some time spent here we visited the great pagoda. By this time night had set in, and the illumination by lanterns had commenced in good earnest. Passing through a court immediately in front of the theatre, we were conducted by the Zar-gots-tschay into the temple. On tables in front of the different idols a great variety of dishes were spread, with whole carcasses of sheep, as a repast for the gods. At night these dishes are taken by the priests and eaten in the recesses of the temple. The sheep, I suppose, go the way of all flesh, and serve for the priestly dinner next day.
From the temple we returned to the dining-room, where a party of Russian ladies from Kyachta and Irkutsk had been invited to meet us to take tea, and then to partake with us of the "Feast of Lanterns."  They soon arrived. Tea, confectionery, and fruits were served. Some children that were along were loaded with sweet things by the good-hearted old chief. We were now very soon on our way to see and partake of the " Feast of Lanterns." But how shall I describe the indescribable ! Led on by the Zar-gots-tschay, preceded by the whole band of musicians, actors, and mountebanks, with two special lantern-bearers carrying great round lanterns immediately in front of the chief, and followed and pressed on all sides by a motley crowd of Tartars, we commenced the promenade of the evening.