Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-11-11
rHE ExcHAsGK.

in California In front Of this ghostly
record lamps are kept burning night and
day.
TIE ExCHAxGK
The furniture Of all the apartments on
ths first feor ic Of the pIaineat descrip-
ton. On the second floor is the com
penys business room, or exchange,
where the President or Sing Song, whose
nameis Wing Ga, and his head man.
agsr, All Wee, sit and smoke and talk,
receive visitors, preside over meetings
OF the company, and direct its ordinary
concerns, relieving the tedium of these
occupations with an occasional tune on
some of these thrilling two-ssringed in
stument for which Chinadom 10 so ia.
nous. Tbs apartment is supplied with
chairs and tables made OF g very hard
and black wood, that All Wee assures
bis American friends will break the edge
of a steel implement The walls are pa
pered and partly hung with oblong
tapestries Of crimson and yellow silk or
satin, eiaborately ambroidsred in gold
and high colors, and heavily fringed
All Wee says this cost $50 yard, and
vas presented to to the company By
some Of its friends.
The Fittings Of the Tsmple.
Bat the wonder Of the whole building
IS the tample in the third story. The
first glance st it reveals only a confused
heap Of gilt, crimson and blue cabinets,
crimson hangings and gaudy signs,
while the air is laden with warm and
sickening odors L more careful sur
yey extracts something wonderful and
systematic from this BleiaRge Of barbarie
tinsil and fHruitnre. The walls and
ceilings are nearly hid with the huge
crimson, blus add gilt signs, each bear
ing four letters-supposed to be q motto
OF some sort-and some an inscription
in smaller characters on the end. These
are said 70 be presents from other com
panies, and from friends here and in
Chins. Across the centre OF the room
are placed three cabinets, each about
tee feet long by two wide, aud four feet
high, made Of exceeding dark and heavy
wood, and the front carved in high re-
lief 10 the most grotesque and elaborate
manner. Some Of the carvings repre-
sent the interior OF houses, with the ig.
| ures of men, beasts, birds aud insects
in strange luxsaposition; while others
consist OF trees, vines sad scroll work
all gilded, the back ground being the
original dark color Of the wood.
On the top OF these massive cabinets
are hFge braziers filled with incense. or
containing live Goals, in which sticks of
sandal wood are slowly burning; fantaa-
tic wax iapers sticks OF puak tree 6ye
feet four inches thick lofty vessels of a
metal like tin, whose use is not apparent;
small images peaked yellow fags pyr-
amids Of ian shaped bunehss Of artifi-
cial flowers, peacock tails, aud insects,
mixed with tinsel ornaments; blazing
lamps; carved aud gilt sticks of sandal
wood, BE Along the sides Of the room,
a. the ends OF these cabinets, are ban.
ners OF embroidered silk, round and
| square, and fringed; drums; brass en-
blsma-military and civil--ani weapons
Of war. Much of the furniture and
tFumpery described was presented 10 the
company.
Tbs front eabinst--whiah Ah Wee
says cost $500 ia China, whsre wages
are i~ss shan "a cent dzy Ia some dis
triets-was gifl from ths Chinese en-
ploysd at the Mission Wolisn Mills In
the rear Of ali this splender stands the
altar OF Josh--lhs wooden God Of the
almoRd-eyed idolators Thisi square
aieoVs ofcarYed asd dgiIded wood 10 which
sits the awful Josh himself--a biz
[ paunched ChinamAn with q brisk red
I face, long strips Of red cloth flowing from
each side Of bis head, three long tails Of
black horse hair sprouiing out Of his
chin and the corners Of his mouth,
and his person bedizened with blus,
/ green, crimson, yellow and gilt car
/ yisgs, studded with bits OF glass,
to S9present his small cloles, and high
above his head brass sun, as If this ee-
lessiAl superstition had mixed with il q
bit Of Parseeism.
TRADITIONS AND OFFERINGS.
We were asked to believe while ia bis
awful presence that Josh, when alive on
earth, stood fifteen feet IN his bare feet,
welded battle-axe that weighed a ton,
and one day killed thirty thousand OF
his fees In proof Of this story, we are
shown by Ah-Wee, in a manner that ad.
mitted OF no controversy, q wooden bat
tls-axe, highly carved and gilded, which
is the exact representation Of the one
that Josh swung wilh such fateful fury.
Under J0sks august nose blazed several
oil-lsmPs; aud sticks Of burning sandal
wood and punk, and braxiers Of incense
powder, sent up wreashs Of smoke, ell.
ing the room with an odor that was
rather pleasant after 3 while. Before
this altar the heads Of the companies
clad in long i1ue robes and black skull
caps, appear iaify during the festival
bowing, kissir the floor, and chanting
while the Som Yem and Good Kim ar,
twanged and drums are beat in horriC
dissonanee.
Hither are brought offerings Of baket
and raw meats--whols sheep and hogs
A record Of these is kept, but with th,
exception Of the left hindquarters ofth,
baked animEls they are taken ava,
again By those who bring them. This i
an economical form Of sacrifice, ant
probably does Josh as much good q
. though his votas eS did not save thei
bacon so carefully. The religious esre
monies ara soon ever (aud that is An
other wise economy though during tn
! current festival hey ara frequently re
J peated
: 1t Is a curious fact that the Chimes
do not resent or apparently object to th
r presence of Americans during thes
rites. Perhaps they ere willing 70 Civ
as every opportunity to be converted
and desire to set rs an example Of libsr
atty which we will be long in following