The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-06
The Emperor's Visit to the Royal Tomb
and His Return.

few days ago it was generally reported that,
when the Emperor was leaving the capital to visit
the deserted streets in which every door and win
dow was closed, where all the people were He was
told BY his attendant Ministers that the eyes OF the
vulgar had never been honored to gaze on the face
OF his now beatifed imperial ancest0rs, to which
the SOLITARY Man" replied somewhat irreverently
that he did not see why the people should not
him." The hint was considered sufficient to war
rant the issuing OF orders against his return that
the streets were not to be cleared OF people when
the imperial cOrtege passed along them, and the
fact that these orders were carried out gives con-
nrmation to the original rumors.
the Emperor's re-entry into Pekin 1.-THE Sth April
in company with some other foreigners, sought q
likely place OF observation Proceeding along the
expected line OF procession, we found the streets
crowded with an unusual cOncourse Of mandarins
and soldiers, and At length the head OF the impe-
eacn wS wSas be p%acSocH
across his back covered with yellow cloth. Behind
came an umbrella Of yellow silk frinssd with gold
short interval came q calvacade OF q dozen or SO,
carrying spears tinted into the all pervading impe-
son-dyed hair, fastened to which tigers tsil hung
dOwn-the intention being, no doubt, to suggest
To- Gonsa s9s
Then came mandarins to the number OF about
lty nearly all OF the crystal or blue button grade
OF rank. These were armed with bows and arrows,
and rode IN most promiscuOus style; and with
the preceding tigers tails transformed the whole
Immediately behind this mob of officials, so
sadly representative Of the state OF things over
which he has begun to preside, came the Emperor,
eight bearers, wearing the usual crimson uniform
dotted over with yellow patches, their turOans
s3t mer w@ yellow s tasses
enable the chair coolies to be relieved by others,
who had come along on horseback. This gave US
the opportunity OF having deliberate look at the
Emperor. His Majesty was asleep. He looked
much older than he really Is, going the length
OF saying he looked like man OF forty. His face
Ia long and pointed and n , .
in fact. one OF our party said he has dissipated
look. But, OF course, man does not look his best
ney. But II His Majesty really wished to see and
be seen by his people, hts sumbers were unseason-
able.
Daring the pause occasioned by the change OF
chair coolies a man who had some grievance made
a rush to get near the Emperors chair to present
beaten and then carried or 10 prison.
After the imperial chair body Of cavalry closed
this section OF the procession.
THE EMPRESS DOwAGER AND EMPRESS MOTHER
TIGER's-TAILED sPEARAEN-COUkT MORALS AND A
MOURNFUL CAvALCADE.
along carried in yellow chair, followed by tho
Empress Mother, whose chair was green, both hav-
ing eight bearers and being escorted by the same
attendance OF bOw-and-arrOw mandarins and
tgers-talled spearmen as His Majesty
At short interval came long array OF eighteen
yelow-csvered CARTS said to contain the cOncu-
bines OF the late and present Emperors though
some people said the carts were empty and that
the concuslnes had been sent round to q different
administration and misery had those eighteen
yellow carts to tell Eight days before these wagons
had left the city bright and new and we'll appointed
now they passed along broken and battered
despatched over with mud, and tugged slowly
along by an inadequate number OF wretched,
starved ponies. The explanation given was that
large numbers OF the ponies had starved on the
way, and villagers and soldiers had to be employed
to assist those that remained to drag the wagons
back into the city. We saw some of the carts with
only one wretched mule attached to 1t, its lack OF
traction power being made up by coolies, whose
dirty clothes, and trousers rolled up over their
thighs, aud legs plcntifully daubed with dried
The Chinese say that 10000 horses were collected
by the authorities and left Pekin for the tOmbs but
cOmmisSariat arrangements were so defective that
this immense cavalcade speedily exhausted all sup
plies on the route and then large numbers died OF
starvation. To add to the wretchedness, the frost
broke up and the ram came down day or two
after they started and the road became one con-
tihOus quagmire.
Perhaps it is just as wen that the youthful mon
arch should have, perforce, learned little OF
things as they are.