The New York herald., 1868-02-11
A JAPANESE FUNERAL.

A JAPANESE FUNERAL.
Obseauies Of Ha-yah-ta-kee, tho Japauess
Author and JuHGIer-A Novel Ritual COu-
Quoted by N0u1l People.
scene novel to most New Yorkers was enacted yes
terday morning a. No 20 Bsecker street, the quarters
Of the Japanese juggling troupe which recently made
sensation ct the Academy OF Music The demise sf
Hah- -yaha-kes the foremost figure Of the group whs
have so often fumigated. with opium and tobacco.
burned in srange-shapsd pipes the premises at No -
Blsscker street, has Mresdy besn recorded ~
having occurred ON Saturday evening Tho de-
ceased, accompanied by his coadjuton In tho deg
ferrous art. was brought to this country BY Sshor
De Rosa, who has since acted interpreter and 10
extent business for the Dickens Of Japan
Ha-yah. .ta-kee s said to have been cousin oe The
Tycoon, though this assertion 10 apocrypha and was
parsonage both Of distinction and Of condition In hs
native country He the author Of several japanese
Dramas which have been enacted with success before
the assembled nobility Of Japan and had won the
reputation Of eminent scholar, story. writer aad
essayist in the literature Of his native land, which
renders his death q matter Of importance 70
his countrymen. Famous as gymnass aad
juggler--a profession Of far more honorable
in spso this sn country
SINCE accompanied by effective organization for OK
hibition purposes, and was yesterday committed to
the ritual OF his native land In the last stages Of heart
disease and holding but brief lease OF life even at tho
best misapprehsnsion at first existed In regard to
DEATH report having been circulated to the effect
that his end was fastened BY violent dispute upon
tion which oozed forth from uncertain and faisfying
sources, provess however, to have been utterly
unfounded and as matter OF justice to oil
parties it is proper that the Misrepresentation should
be corrected Ha-yah-a-kee had been i'll for week or
more, and quite seriously So during which time he re-
ceived every attention. Senor De Rosa personally super
intending the manufacture Of beef tea and the provision
OF decaces needed or desired by the invalid. Nothing
was neglected which could n any way contribute to his
comfort hasten bis recovery. The attending physi
clan alleges furthermore that In his opinion the natural
crisis and termination OF his disease had arrived and
that the deceased could not have outived Saturday
night judging from the extreme severity OF the symp-
manifested in his last visltan allegation which
may be taken as deciding the question and nsgativing
the whisper Of vague gossip
Deceased was about forty years Of age and leaves
wife, three little ones sister and aged and infrn
mother In this land or strangers These were committed
to the and guardianship of Seuor De Rosa as ono
OF the last bequests Of the dying gymnast.
The funeral, according to Japanese custom, was 10
have place at eight o'clock on the morning OF the
second day after the demise (yesterday but owing 70
circumstances necessarily beyond the control Of tho
until hafpast ten At eight O'Clock, in fact, there was
scarcely an indication OF stir at the quarters OF tho
troupe and 1t not until nine that the hearsemaA
stopped in front OF No. 20. In the course OF tns
half hour, the nearss was joined by the several
OF the mourners, and in tho meantime singular
was being enacted within by motley assemblage
ems Ascending to the second door Of No 20 and drop
ping through side door ut the left OF the staircase
tho spectator found himself ushersd into rather cold
and somewhat dismal room filled with people Of every
nationality. BY the s,ove sat several women, upon
whose faces the red rash OF tho cold had broken
the table near by had been erected a pyramid Of
boiled rice, which was pan of half prepared pota
and there about the room disposed groups
of men in twos and threes, some convsrsng in low,
eager tones and others leisurely smokng and then
q member Of the press, eager to turn penny ~
funeral propoundsd some pertinent question to sehor
ra poaa. audp md han I'd tha
clatering OF pair Japanese sandals, and swarhy
daughter OF the Orient gided s,sathy into me
apartment through the long passage way which led 10
the interior Threading this passage way the spectator
found himself sort OF second interior. wanting The
the frst Hero the sprinkling OF Japanese in the
general papou,Ti OF humanity thckensd By the
stove sat in bent attitudes, as IL half doubled
up with the cold, the relatives of tho deceased
and the various members Of the troupe: and
over all things resksd . stealtby odor Of mingled opium
and Japanese tobacco, which Infatuated itself quIetiy
but surely ones nostrs and into ones clothes and
into everything with which 1t came In contact The
relatives Of the dead and the members OF troupe
grouped hereabout we're in mprovissd mournng tho
uddcnnes OF the occasion having prevented any oxten
s S $ "a: 81 rs. q any
Passing through side door at the loft aud into what
ordinarily would be termed hall bedroom tho specta-
The body had been enclosed In rosewood coffin,
dered with silver-hsaded nails and surmounted with
Dckenses- Ia kee'-in Japanese Iettera On
the right OF the coffin seated the cslebran OF the
OCCASION swayng with all The rhythmlcal sxactnsss Of
pendulum 10 and fr0 TO and fro. 10 his own mono
tonous and uninterrupted mutering OF the dead song
Tho eyes wsirdy upturusd, the head being slightly
depressed and the lips moving with sort OF strange
regularity and precision Of time - II they had been but
the lips Of mask OF groteaqus or OF an automaton
On the left OF the conn we're seated couple OF WEIRD
cronsike 6gures by whom not word was spoken, not
. motion made and not sound permitted 70 break in
upon the sngvar wsrdnsss Of the spectacle II
n the swaynH figure the mouthpieoe OF the three
an0ss II In was concentrated the moaning that might
have been triply uttered.
Presently however, the spell broken, and at bali
past ten A. N. the comm was borne 70 the hearss.
Sobs and tears followed 1t from rather irregulary
moving procession Of swarthy faces and bare and ssm
shaver heads, and tho remains conveyed 10 the
hsarps the followers thereof being assisted ssv
cral carriages The hearse drove OF the carriages
on the masks at the window OF No. 22 grinned more
horribly and showed their great white teeth mena-
cingly as the ahasty procession disappeared.
The remains were conveyed TO Greenwood 10 be de-
posted for short time in the receiving tombGroen
woods Castle Garden OF the dead