In the chief court, surrounded by the temple buildings, there is a huge granite boulder lying in an ornamental pond.

It is connected by marble approaches, and is surmounted by a handsome monument of marble, which is faced on all sides with memorial tablets.

This boulder was carried to its present position by the goddess herself, the monument and bridges were built to detain it where it lay, and the temple afterwards erected to commemorate an event of such happy augury for the beautiful valley.
[Illustration: MEMORIAL IN THE TEMPLE OF THE GODDESS OF MERCY, NEAR TALIFU.] But the temple has not always witnessed only scenes of mercy.

Two years ago a tragedy was enacted here of strange interest.

At a religious festival held here in April, 1892, and attended by all the high officials and by a crowd of sightseers, a thief, taking advantage of the crush, tried to snatch a bracelet from the wrist of a young woman, and, when she resisted, he stabbed her.