They
were attired most picturesquely, and evidently in their very fullest
ball costume, so that we were fortunate in hitting upon such a good
opportunity of seeing their gala manners and customs. They all wore
caps of some kind, either of a small, close-fitting pattern, like a
fez, or in the shape of a large, and very ultra Scotch cap, black,
and very baggy; these were hung round with little silver ornaments,
something in the shape of wine labels for decanters, but studded
with turquoises; some of them, also, wore brooches, generally formed
of three cornelians, or turquoises, in a row. The broad bands of
turquoise, worn usually on the forehead, were for the time disrated
from their post of honour, and were suspended instead from the nape of
the neck, over a square piece of stiff cloth, embroidered with strings
of red beads. Round the shoulders, and hanging low, in order to show
off the turquoises, lumps of amber, and other family jewels, were
the sheepskin cloaks, inseparable from Thibetian female costume; they
were, however, of larger size than those of every day life, and were
gorgeously decorated outside in red and blue, the FUR merely appearing
at the edges.
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