thrilling memories as are excited by the breviary of the brigand priest,
and the portrait of the brigand's bride.




THE SISTERS OF THIBET.


It is now nearly twenty-seven years ago--long before the Theosophical
Society was founded, or Esoteric Buddhism was known to exist in the form
recently revealed to us by Mr Sinnett{81}--that I became the _chela_, or
pupil, of an adept of Buddhist occultism in Khatmandhu. At that time
Englishmen, unless attached to the Residency, were not permitted to
reside in that picturesque Nepaulese town. Indeed I do not think that
they are now; but I had had an opportunity during the Indian Mutiny, when
I was attached to the Nepaulese contingent, of forming an intimacy with a
"Guru" connected with the force. It was not until our acquaintance had
ripened into a warm friendship that I gradually made the discovery that
this interesting man held views which differed so widely from the popular
conception of Buddhism as I had known it in Ceylon--where I had resided
for some years--that my curiosity was roused,--the more especially as he
was in the habit of sinking off gradually, even while I was speaking to
him, into trance-conditions, which would last sometimes for a week,
during which time he would remain without food; and upon more than one
occasion I missed even his material body from my side, under
circumstances which appeared to me at the time unaccountable. The
Nepaulese troops were not very often engaged with the rebels during the
Indian Mutiny; but when they were, the Guru was always to be seen under
the hottest fire, and it was generally supposed by the army that his