ABSTRACT
I Now come to the city of Lhasá, in the province of Uù, capital of the Kingdom and residence of the Grand Lamá and of the King of Thibet. Lhasá is densely populated, not only by natives, but by a large number of foreigners of divers nations, such as Tartars, Chinese, Muscovites, Armenians, people from Cascimir, Hindustan and Nepal, all established there as merchants, and who have made large fortunes. The houses are generally large and spacious, built of stone and three storeys high. Many families inhabit the ground and first floors, while the owner lives in the upper part. The rooms are well planned, many are large and there are spacious halls with balconies. In most of these houses the floors of the principal rooms are very fine, made of tiny stones of various colours, well arranged and cemented with resin of pine trees and other ingredients; these are beaten for many days until the floor becomes one homogeneous mass like porphyry, quite smooth and shining, so that when washed it is like a looking-glass. There is usually a chapel in every house, called Cioö-Khang [Chö-khang], with carved and gilt cupboards in which are kept statuettes of their Idols and some religious books. In front of these cupboards are shelves on which burn small lamps, and brass vases stand containing offerings of water, barley, flour, fruits, and such like things. Incense is also burnt. 23 Thibettan houses are the same all over the Kingdom, only some are built of earth. It is true the earth is very adhesive and is mixed with small pebbles. It is kneaded in moulds or boxes into a solid mass and then pressed until quite hard. Of these bricks (so to speak) the houses are built and they are so solid that I have seen repeated blows given by a pickaxe before they could be demolished. 24
