The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-02-14
Death of Japanese in New York.

a New York paper gives the following IN
terestinS account of the death and obsequtes
OF one of the japanese troupe now perform
ing in that city:
The various troupes of Japanese iugglers
and performers that have visited this Country
lately have been SIM ulariy unlor. .unate, and
the last troupe Is not an exception. Its chief
Hah yah ta-kee. who had been sick for seyc.ai
weeks, died at his residence, 20 l}leecker
street, at 10 o'c.ock on Saturday night. The
body was washed. dressed, and laid out on a
mattress placed on the floor. At the head,
two lights and three cups, one containing
rice, one water, al d the third crackers, were
placed together, with paper containing the
name of the departed chiet. Sunday the body
was covered with white linen, on which we're
laid The pa sport and other papers OF the de-
ce ised. Late in the afternoon the body was
placed in bask rosewood coffin, lined with
white satin and having silver clasps. The
name, age, &c, of deceased were engraved on
the coffin plate. All his best silk clothing
was laid ON the coffin, and all will be deposit
ed in the grave together. He is the first jap
anese that ever died in this CITY.
The japanese believe in the transmigration
of souls, and that the souls of tho sc who die
the death of the righteous will lake possession
Of human body, while the souls OF those
who die after a lite OF wickedness will be con-
demned to reside in the bodies OF inferior an
imals and the worse the life the worse the
animal. The companions Of the deceased,
numbering twenty tour, feel his loss severely
and refuse 10 be comiJrted and to eat. They
SIT on tue floor praying and mourning, and
swayins thesr bodies to and fro, not speaking
above whisper, Tor lear OF disturbing the re-
pose OF the deceased. The most to be pitied
among the number is the blind and aged
mother OF the deceased, who was compelled
by the laws of Japan to accompany her son,
he being her only support. His vile and two
children have been LETT widow and orphans
IN strange land. They believe that his soul
W II remain among them TORS day 5 before
it is consigned to its future abode, and they
will not cease to mourn his loss for iorty-two
days. Hah-y ah-ta kee was wellto do in jap
an, and was the proprietor of some houses
q Il land.
The body was taken to Greenwood Gene
terry Sunday forenoon for temporary inter-
ment in the Strangers Receiving Tomb. No
funeral ceremonies, except the prayer and
monotOnous chanting OF the relatives took
place, owing to the TACT that no minister OF
their talta is in this country. AS the body
was removed from the house an old japanese
woman went before it, sweeping " ith broom
"a japanese custom that signifies waiting { 10
soul OF the dead TO the spirit land. At the
grave prayer was said and a hymn sung,
when each one OF the japanese picked up &
handful OF clay and dropped 1t IN the grave.
Their religion requi, es them to speed month
in prayers and funeral ceremonies out of re-
spect to the memory of the dead and no per-
torrance will therefore be given at prest Mt.
On the return OF the troupe to their own
country the body will be taken with them.