Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-11-22
cREMA TloN or A PRINCESS.
THE FUNERAL PILE SET on FIRE by HIS
nIGnsrss, Tue REGENT OF SIAN,


lFeo@ hs Alta Ca'yo,aia.l
In accordance with the Siamcsc Gus
tom, in the case OF persons Of exalted
rank, the body Of the late Princess, al
ter being prepared in manner some
what similar TO the process of cmbalm
ing, lay in state for upward of two
months in coffin placed in Buddhist
temple. The ceremony OF the erema,
tior took place at about three O'Clock
i, iIs assssik,:..,, y. er.s, ssxa " -sss,,
hour His Highness the Regent, attend
cd by his sons and tho officers of State
az. ,a~U.IgIcd 20 represent their Majesties,
the fist and second king, arrived al
the pavilion that had been construct
cd for the occasion This was a large
bamboo building capable oi containing
about oro hundred persons, and open
at one side like u race course stand.
In front stood the altar, also construct.
ed OF green bamboo, surmounted by a
canopy OF the same material, about
forty feet in height, tastcfully dccora-
ted with flowers. Flowers were also
profuscly strewn on the iagots and
round about.
AT tho foot OF the altar were seated
about twenty men, producing on native
lnatruments the most weird and I'M
earthly music, and close to was Chi.
nesc open-air fantoccini exhibition,
which was keeping vast crowd Of
both Chinese and Siamcse in state Of
uproarous laughter The ceremony
lasted until sunset.
After the ceremony the Regent con.
Quoted bis guests TO the Pavilion, and
there, with his sons and other MON.
bers Of his family, took up position
on the steps of the altar The musi-
clans, with their tom-toms, horns, and
reed instruments, rcdoublcd their ei.
forts, aud amid the wild blast of bar
barous music the coffin was borne in
aud placed upon the funeral pyre,
which was composed Of iagots, all
neatly shaped to uniform size, and
each one tipped with gold.Icaf, the
whole being saturated with turpentine
and innamablo oil. The Regent (who
like all the Siamesc present, was dress
cd entirely in white, the national
mourning color, was then presented
by II knecling slave with lighted
torch, with which he first fired the
pile Each OF his sons, in the order of
their seniority, then did the same, fol.
lowed by all the other relatives, these
in turn being succeeded by the old
gentleman's concubines, numbering
some five and twenty. The guests
were then invited to assist, and after
they had done so, the general public
were admitted without reserve; and
in short time the altar with its can
opy and floral decorations was com
plctely cnyelopcd in flames
The roses and other flowers wither-
ed in the scorching heat, the bamboo
pillars cracked and sputtered, the at
tondants stimulated the fierce fire,
threw upon il spices and essences which
filed the air with strange odors the
music become faster and moro wildly
furious, and soon the costly coffin with
its contents became merely n heap of
ashes. Presently the columns support.
ing the canopy were burnt through, and
the whitc structurc fell with crash on
the fire, which soon found its way
again and bazed with fresh fury,
sending dense cloud of smoke far
above the tops of the sago palms and
cocoanut trees. Soon after this we all
took leave of the Regent and his iami-
ly, each of us receiving as souvenir a
pure gold mourning ring, made in the
palace by the royal goldsmith.