Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-06-26
The Fire.WOrshipl,ers.

An interesting letter from India to
the Syracuse Courier, correspondent,
signing the initials IN. F, G." says ::
"You have all heard Of 56la Plrsccs.
They are the Jews of Bombay. They
are a race that was excluded from
Persia as the Jews have been from many
countries. Here they located.
They are very industrious, and
are a peculiar people. They are
tho traders. They buy and sell the
cotton. They are the brokers, the
money-lenders, and sLavers. They
never mlngle with others. They have
their own schools, and in their way are
highly educated. They take care of
their own poor. They have great
wealth, and have elegant villas on
Malober Hill, the most fashionable
part of the city. They drive splendid
horses and ride IN elegant carriages.
If the ladies or children appear on the
street, they are dressed in silk. I never
saw children so elegantly dressed any
where else. Many of the young ladies
are very beautiful but are
never allowed to receive visits from
any but those of their own race. They
are fond of amusements, and have a
theatre of their own. They are fire
worshippers. When the labors of the
day are over they are seen along the
shores of the sea, facing the setting
sun, with their hands claspcd, repeat
ing their prayers. They have very
peculiar notions Of life, but their
cemetery is more peculiar still. 1t is
different from all others. We made a
visit to their cemetery, not knowing at
the time that no one was admitted. 1t
is large tract Oh the best of Malobor
Hill. It is very valuable now, but it
was purchased many years ago. We
made application at the gate for ad-
mission, and were refused. We APP
pealed to a young Parsee, who happen
ed to be passing. He was dressed in
silk and very gentiemanly in his
appearance. He said that no Euro
peans were admitted. We told
him that we were not Europeans,
but Americans. He said he would
be very happy to oblige Ameri-
cans, but could not, but did not re
fuse that we should 60 up the road
outside the inner wall, and have view
of the city and bay. The sentinel took
us along the winding road, and i. rupee
given to him acted like a charm. II
opened all the gates and passed the
police. There were no Parsces in sight
to stand in our way, and We entered the
prohibited enclosures. These grounds
are surrounded Ivy Il wall twenty feet
high, anil have been used for great
number of years by this strange people.
There are no monuments in the Gene
terry. There are three round towers
about fifty feet in diameter, and fifty
to sixty feet high. On the top of these
towers there is an iron crate. The dead
are brought to the gate and delivered
to the priests, and the friends depart.
The priests prepare the corpse
and lay it on the CRATE, and
it is devoured by the vultures, and
the bones drop through the CRATE
into the charmed house below. These
towers are called the "Towcrs of Sile
ma" We saw hundreds of vulturc'
sitting Oh these towers, and the sentis
mel told lis that they would take all tho
flesh from the bones of corpse in III
hour. We asked why these towers
The sentinel, pointing to ono, said
Parsco with plenty of money put
there ;" to another, s. Parsee with bu'
little money put there" and the other
Parsee with 10 money put there.
The. sentinel said when u corpse i:
placed on the crate, the strife and
Noise Of the vultures is frightful, ant
could be heard for II long distance. W.
saw those "Towers of Silena,' and d<
not care over to be any nearer.