Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-02-24
-. shrine or Buddha's To0th-The
parodss and Their Treasures.

Il was my fortune to obtain a second
- ~ Ruddha's tooth under somewhat
E,,lar circumstances. Some years
sLns Then the funds Of the temple be-
az, Tow and it was necessary To raise
ca rev for the crowd of priests who live
candy. the tooth WAS exposed to the
-. az pilgrims for three weeks, and a
VA round sum was obtained. Those
80 gave much enjoyed prolonged
IRE. smaller donors were allowed to
~ and move on, while the rest, whose
ssssr;nes were insignificant, but who were
limited on She old principle, "mony
roirkie makes muckle," were buried
80 II has been expected that the tooth
rid be exhibited now for a similarly
M period, and the faithful in the coun-
- xsre gathering up their skirts and
.,a;ng themselves for a pilgrimage to
E.ndy, when suddenly the Device Nile
- kind of Dean of the Temple, issued
.rusice that the relic would be put away,
81 the same time invited me TO wit
80 is restoration to its place / had
segs imagined that the room to which
"A, Prince of Wales had been admitted
rss the ordinary shrine of the relic, and
:, first hesitated to obey the summons
bft iCSullCd III Cudukt VI
iu,ention, and / repaired to the temple.
To reach the room to which was told the
rslic had been conveyed, 1t was necessary
% 20 to the side OF the temple, and thence
by narrow and dimly- lighted stone
staircase, jealousy guarded by priests,
into small, square ante-room. As /
entered the deor OF the apartment noticed
that it was covered with beaten gold,
.ha. the posts were composed of an outer
sripof finely-carved wood, then strip of
ebony, next q strip of carved ivory, and
after that one of embossed silver, the in
ner strip OF all, namely, that next the
door, being of gold. Passing under a
curtain which was now lifted, | entered
the room and found myself in the com
pany Of about twenty priests, all
guarding very jealousy the inner
apartment of all. II was clear that
I had arrived at the resting place of
the relic, else what could mean the slid
ing iron barred gate, which, being drawn
back, showed golden door with orna-
mental posts, exactly like those | have
already mentionedy A heavy curtain,
however, prevented my looking through
the doorway, and three or four stout Gin.
galese prevented my further progress. 1t
was possible that might have 70 turn
back after all, for the priests gave me
looks that could not be called affection.
ate, and muttered in their unpleasant Ian
guage remarks the reverse of compliment
ary | was wondering whether the pur-
chase of piateful of flowers which stood
at table would be of service, whether /
should drop some money into an iron
grating close to the door, evidently the re-
ceptacle OF offerings, and SO try the effect
of benevolence, or whether / should re.
treat when the Device Nilemee's face APP
peared in the doorway, and l was admit
ted into the sacred chamber. The room |
was now in was scarcely more than seven
feet square and nine feet high. The CELL
ing was heavily hung with what had
once been yellow silk, now discolored
and almost black The walls were bare
There were two other doors--On the right
and on the left--both fastened, and
could discover no window and no means
of ventilation whatever. Facing the door
on the step of which stood was square
iron cage, raised three feet from the
ground, and reaching to the ceiling. The
floor OF the cage was of beaten silver. In
the center Of the floor was a huge silver
gilt, bell-like. structure, beautifully EN-
Dossed, more than four feet high, and at
the base nearly three feet in diameter. On
a silver table in front OF this cage
were all the jewels we had seen
exhibited on Friday night TO the
Prince, with some balf-dozen golden pa
godas; the receptacles for these
treasures were there also, and nine
priests were preparing under the super
vision of the Device Nilemee To put all
away There lay, also, the sacred tooth
on the golden lotus leaf, ready to be
placed in the largest pagoda OF all. Eight
or ten lighted wax candles, some in stands
and some in the hands OF the priests,
added to the almost unbearable heat OF the
apartments in which thirteen or fourteen
people were crowded together. With
great ceremony the little golden casket
containing the tooth was closed by the
high priest, his brethren of the golden
robe raising their hands in pious attitude
the while The largest pagoda was then
opened, and all the inner cases had pre-
viously seen were taken out and opened.
One by one they received the relic, only
now each was wrapped In muslin as 1t
was placed In the next largest case.
There seemed occasionally to be especial
S2tc Va "IuukC iuc huSbh ia SNie"ah
way. Everything was clearly done ac-
cording to rule, and those shaver, yellow
robed priests were determined TO do their
work well. A curious sight IL was to see
them bending over the relic, the gutlering
candles in their hands, while the Device
Silemee jealously watched the gradual
swathing OF the treasure. Case after case
received il, more muslin was handed up
whenever wanted, till ut last II was ready
tor the golden pagoda. Then II finally
disappeared from view, a golden key was
prodnced, tie pagoda was locked, and for
The present placed on one side. j wish J
could fully describe that pagoda. Unjust
be OF great value, for II Is Of pure gold,
isyery heavy and nearly two feet high.
From the umbrella or topmost story
Of the pagoda hang chains which
support splendid Jewels, cats-eyes
nearly gan inch in diameter, sapphire
quite as large, besides diamonds
and rnbies.A Bat only an actual sketch i'm
bright colors can convey to the eye an ade-
quate idea OF its beauty. The next treas
ure 70 be similarly wrapped in muslin
and put away WAS the emerald Buddha,
which was also placed in a pagoda some
what smaller though quite M pretty.
There were the anklet and one piece OF
open gold filagree work, heavily set with
diamonds and other stones, TO go into an