Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-06-30
BURNING A DEAD KING.

sing uihr Ccremohy IN Sfam.-The
Corpse OF the Late Monarch Reduce ed
to Ashes I'm the Presence OF the Court.
Prom Galignani's Messenger, Nay o.
The Courier de Saigon contains report
from Lieutenant Richer, commander OF
the French eunboat Couleuvre. describing
the cremation of the late King of Siam, 10
which ceremony he had been sent 10 attend
officially. After narrating his arrival he
says: .-.-...
During the afternoon Of the 9th March,
accompanied by the French Consul
and the Chancellor Of the Consulate,
visited the Meme, or monument
which contained the funeral pile
This construction was raised in three
months, the entire population contributing
to the labor, bnt the pieces of timber
which support it Were nearly year in
arriving at Bangkok, and were the tallest
trees in the Kingdom. The edifice was
nearly three hundred feet high, and covered
with gliding; in the centre, under the dome,
was q raised structure decorated with gold
and precious stones, and on which the
body was to be placed. The monument
had four openings, and at each angle We're
raised smaller edifices, built in the same
style as the Meme, and correspond
ing with the four cardinal points. A COW
cred gallery around the building served for
the lodging OF the numerous priests who
had come from all parts for the ceremony,
The princes and mandarins attended daily
to hear them perform divine service, and
make them presents OF betel-root, cigars,
&c. The Meme was to be taken down after
the body was burned, but the wood of
which it was constructed could only be en-
ployed in erecting temples The avenues
open to the crowd were marked ont by tall
masts bearing the seven royal parasols;
theatres had been raised on all sides
by the great dignitaries of the crown,
and public games and spectacles
were going on day and night. The King
almost every morning came out in state
and visited the part of the building reserve
ed for the sovereign. A line of soldier
surrounded that portion to which only tbs
mandarins were admitted. His Majesty on
those occasions took his seat on a lofty
throne, while near him were ranged the
second King, the Regent and his children,
the princes, mandariDs, &c., according to
their grade The people Frustrated them
selves ON the passage OF the King who threw
to them citrons containing money, the
value of which increased daily until the
accomplishment of the ceremony. On the
18th the remains of the late King were re-
I'll the 18th. GA that day all the vessels in
that harbor had their flags half-mast high.
A tent for the Europeans invited to be
present was raised on the way. and in it We
were received by the Minister OF Foreign
Affairs. The march was opened 10y troops
cavalry, artillery and infantry; the King
followed In a rich palanquin barehealed.
completely shaved. and in mourning; next
came successfully the second King aud his
troops. the regent, princes, mobiles armed
with sabres, elephants and other animals
Enthusiastically caparisoned, and bearing the
ashes of the deceased King: then followed
the chief of the BONES. heading his priests
and behind them the funeral car, which
Was accompanied 10y the two younger
brothers of the King, placed on less eie
waited carriages. they were msgDifcently
dressed, and wore on their heads Siamese
crowns, to the top of which band of silk
was attached, the other end being made
fast to the golden vessel contain
ing the deceased Kings body. We
Joined In the procession to the Meme
where the religious ceremony took place
and We're afterwards invited TO "A repast
served in the European style; the regent
came to us ut the close of the entertain
ment 10 invite us to be present at the la
part of the ceremony. The Meme from
that moment Was accessible to all the SIAM
csc who came TO offer their prayers before
the body. On the 18th the King sent for
us to deliver TO us the usual presents in re-
membrance of tie occasion. Early on the
18th the final pre-. arations com laenced; the
construction supporting the aale tenn
porarily Strlpped OF ilsD rmlFKls; the gold
en- vessel was changed orone 81 e.. per plac-
ed on grating covered with psr5tsnes, and
beneath was pIaceda heap Of ig6grant wood
eight feet high About in tho evening
the entire company was assembled around,
and the King set fire to the mass, without
leaving his throne, by means OF a train 90
ing from his feet to the centre of the mass.
According to tradition the fire from heaven
which burnt the palace of the Kings grand
father, and which has been piously pre-
served, was that used The people were
then allowed TO press forward and throw on
the Are flowers of sandal wood which they
had brought; when the flames began to rise
high tho Processes surrounded the buru-
ing Mass and uttered lamentations. The
time employed for the cremation was scar
cely an hour. and the ire7died out before
the bones were entirely reduced 10 ashes;
those which remained being deposited in
small urn of gold set with precious stones.
The ashes were gathered mp ON piece of
flne white stuff, which Was placed on
golden dish aud conveyed, with great cere-
mony, 10y the Processes in mourning In
boat, to consecrated point of the river.
To be thrown into the water. After the
cremation the fetes continued for three DAYS,
and were terminated by the removal of the
urn containing the relics of the sanctuary
of the Kings of Siam"
DEATH or AN OLD SETTLER. -Iraneis
Gammtl, of MENDOZA. died last week. He
was one OF the oldest settlers of Minneso-
Ia lie WAS "a Canadian by birth, and came
here In 1928, settling at or near Mendoza,
where he. resided with !. Il. Faribault for
a number OF years. In 1852 he lived at
LIE Claire's settlement, now known as
"Pig's Eye" where he had small farm.
Gammel was married To a Dakota woman.
In July OF thai year, war party of Chip
pewas numbering about 100, came down
the Mississippi. for the purpose probably
OF attacking the Sioux village at Kapo-
sla, ju-t opposite. Finding Gammels wife
at work in the garden, aud recognizing her
AS a Dakota, they killed and scalped her,
and also another Dakota female, who had
an infant with her. The head of the lat
ter was cut of. The Sioux at Kaposia get
ting the alarm, attacked their enemies, but
the latter, from their ambush, got the adj
vantage, and Is of the Dakotas Tell In the
attack.
MIR. CANNED afterwards removed to Men,
dota, and remained. He has had several
children. Some of his sons fought brave
iy In our Minnesota troOps and a married