Near Pechaburi is a cavern, or series of small caves, called the Cave of Idols. One or two small openings in the ceiling permit the light to enter. Rows of gilt Buddhas line its sides, and a huge reclining image of Buddha lies at one end of the halls. Just outside of the cave, and at the bottom of the hill, is a temple containing another immense reclining Buddha. This is built of brick and mortar, covered with thick gold-leaf. It is clothed with yellow garments, such as the Siamese and Burmese Buddhist priests wear. Its head rests upon the right hand and presses upon a gayly-ornamented pillow. The idol is 135 feet high. We notice that very many of these immense reclining idols of Buddha are found in Siam alone. There are 3,000,000 of Chinese in Siam, who are Buddhists and have their own temples. The largest of these is in Bangkok, and contains a brass Buddha, sitting cross-legged, and about fifty feet high, and forty feet wide at the knees. The immense temple roof is 100 feet from the ground. In a smaller temple, in the same inclosure, is another brass Buddha, seated upon a rock, with a copper elephant on one side and a leaden monkey on the other, looking up, in reverence, at the idol Buddha. When the King of Siam dies, the funeral ceremonies are participated in by the nation. During about four months, 300 or 400 men are engaged in building the funeral temple. The funeral pile, on which the body is to be burned, is placed in the centre, and the temple built around and above it. Its style is similar to other Siamese temples. The trunks of teak trees, not less than 170 feet high, are placed upright so as to form a square about thirty feet each way. On this is built an octagonal, sixty-foot spire, covered with gold-leaf. Around this central building poles are erected, on which are hung peculiar ornaments covered with crimson cloth. Around the interior are grouped pictures of the gods and of the Buddhist’s heaven, with lakes, groves and gardens. All around the temple is a screen of woven bamboo work, and the ground is covered with the same. The whole exterior of the temple is decorated with objects of glass, porcelain, alabaster and silver, with artificial flowers and images of birds, beasts, men and angels. Splendid chandeliers are suspended from the ceiling. Under the central tower is a pyramidal pile, on which the body is to be burned. Thousands of priests are engaged in prayers during the service. The scene and service at such a time is impressive beyond the power of description. CHAPTER XXXII. THIBET.