Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-04-06
n,.... Rs,., Of ,hn Deud-Curlou. Cere-

Chinese Feast Of tho Deud-Curlous Cere-
monies at Lone Mountain Cemetery.
The annual Feast of the Dead, lasting
some three or four days, during which
time the believers in the Buddhist iaith
among which may DO classcd the
whole Of the Chinese population-pny
visits to the graves Of their dead friends,
bearing testimonials Of their affectionatc
remembrance, commenced this morning,
and all day long the road leading 70
Lone Mountain has been thronged with
carriages filled with Celestial visitors
and Caucasian novelty.seekers. Riding
out to the Chinese quarter OF the Gene
terry this morning, we found the ceremo-
mics in honor Of tho dead in full blast,
and the place swarming with Celestials,
with a fair sprinkling Of mule and f-
male visitors Of our W race. The GER
emonies did not appear to partake in
any marked degree Of II religious char
acter, but seemed more like q friendly
visit, lunch and familiar chit.chat with
the dear departed. Sticks of prepared
incense, or "Joss sticks" and red wax
candles with sticks to hold them up
above tho sand, were burning by the
head Of nearly every grave and in and
around tho open brick enclosure or
temple, and its wooden counterpart on
the hill above. Nearly every party, on
driving on the ground, would let of n
feu de joie Of fire-crnckers by way Of an
nouncing to their friends in the Spirit
Land that they were on hnHd and pre-
pared for business. Then the roast
pig, oranges, bananas, pieces Of fresh
sugar cane, and many other tooth
some d~elicacies prepared for the occa-
sion, would be unloaded from the wag-
ous, and a nico spread. or lay out, would
be arranged at each grave or i'll the
noudoscript enclosures, which, for want
Of u better name, we call temples. AT
ter the spread had been arranged, rows
of tiny porcelain cups would be set
down on the sand and poured full Of
sham-shoo, or other alcoholic or vinous
liquor. After a few minutes n fire would
be kiudled, and baskets full Of square,
yaricelored paper would be burned, the
eatables would be packed up again aud
put back in the wagons, tho liqnor
would be turned on the fire or on the
ground, and the Joss sticks lighted ana
left burning. Then " woman would
take up a handiul OF pare s!t." coloreu
squares Of paper, each with q bit Of
gold foil fastened on the centre, and
| twirliug them d"xtrously in her hand so
as to arrange them III inc .orm OF u
Catherine wneel, Us o"acns'"e sp1''
Will sometimes arrange " uecS VI earus,
fling them into the AIR, seodinS them
iuttering away on the WIND Tor many
rods. The whole cemetery nil around
the Chinese quarter is full OF these ht-
tie squares OF paper, and whatever
virtue thoy may possess will be largely
shared by the occupants oil the pot'ers
Field OF our race, whose graves nre
strewn with them rs tue ground IN " Ior-
est is strewn with autumn leaves ihe
visitors would then a around Tor II
short time, chat, laugh anu exchange
congratulations with their iiringiriends
and then ride away to the city appa-
rently in the best OF hnmor WIN them,
selves ana the rest Of manAlhu: All
the ceiestiais o'n anu 30 IN .".ri"eSs,
the riGn merchants IN .ne cos','es' naeAs
70 DO hireu ~ Tue rI"h'' "u' ~ ro
classes IN humole s'yie' Du' MI III 'en'-
eles OF some Kiho. IN naeh u."wn W
two line grays, WIN si.'er mounteu n'r-
ness, you woald see our opuient mer'
chants In their SUNDAY pest slhoh'
ing cigars anu evideht'y nJoy'n mem
selves thoroughly, ana next 70 them
would come an express wagon, 'osueu
with common i"oorers, VINO eiuooeu TO-
gether, and oy rldIuS a Iozen In one
conveyance manageu 70 AesP III. .A,
pense wisnin the,t means, "ns'o 'a,"
would be hiied Win women Oh 'ne pun.
lie class only, And the oner,ngs they
brought to please their dead friends
were Of like diverse character. behind
the carriages Of the rich, even, would
come a wagon loaded with dellcacIes OF
the costliest description-hogs roasted
entire. and provisions by wholesale,
while the poor cigar-lnaker, washernian'
or the peddler OF fruit ana vegetables