Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-10-18

novel and Interesting Ceremonies.

AsO <tEt4ltAtHts
A novel and interesting ceremony.
connected with the last rites bestowed
on a defunct Celestial. took rlacs in
Chinatown yesterday afternoon, ana
attracted a large crowd of outside bar
barians, who watched with curious
eyes the heatLen obsequies. The de-
ceased was a partner Of Fat Sam Kee,
and a distinguished member Of the
Chinese community, hence the honors
bestowed on his remains. The coffin,
an elegant metallic casket, In which
Chong Yet tthe depar;ed) was deposit
ed, occupied one OF the shanties on
Monroe street. The mourners, four
women, rObed in white, and their
heads banded with drapery of the
same color, stood around the coffin,
each holding a number of lighted
tapers, that I'VE forth a villainous
and s~uffocating odor, aud appealed
sensibly to the oliactOry organs of all
visitors. We understand that they
were hired Tor the occasion, and their
m%ournful bowls, although not genuine
VI rel iilurts HUH IlGlT
vehemeDce and inspired anguish, have
given satisfaction to their employers.
Outside of the tenement "A mat had
been spread in the street, and here Tie
lighted tapers abouuded in lavish
profusion. The master of ceremonies,
a COnfucian divine, knelt pi0usly on
the aforesaid mat, reeling of a monot
oDous discourse, highly laudatory of
the eminent virtues OF the deceased,
pausing occasionally to burn a written
prayer addressed to the evil spirits.
b are supposed to be lowering
around the cold corpus. This, we were
informed, was the object of all the Jar
gon and a very necessary part of the
rites, as by the means adopted, the
devil and his cohorts were prOpitiated,
allowing The q u to travel on its way
to glory in peace and quietness. The
most Interesting feature to an outside
barbarian, was the row OF tables front
ing the house, on which were spread a
feast of good things, funeral baked
meats as II were,) comprising a roasted
porker, a baked sheep, rice and various
other delicscies peculiar To the Chinese
cuisine. The viands were demolished
by the crowd OF mourners at the con-
clusion of the ceremony, much TO the
disappointment of a throng of hungry
Piu'es, who supposed 1t would be
place. on the grave, as is the usual
custom that obtains in ordinary fun
erals. This. however, was an excep
ton, as the late lamented was sent to
California on this mornings train,
where he will be transferred to ship
board, and finally deposited in the
earth or his " native Flowery
Land. We believe that it is only dis
tlngnished moguls, men of rank and
standing, who are made the subject of
the above unique proceedings. Ordln-
airy deceased Cinnamon are temrOrarI.
~ buried ia the ground set apart for
them on The hill, and when there is a
sufficient accumulation Of bones. they
are shipped back to China at the ex-
pense of the company to which they
belonged. 1t is a terrible mixing up
process, and If The resurrection was one
of their religious beliefs. would be pro-
ductive of n b~ewildering confusion on
that day. As IA tenet does mo- ob-
tain in their theology, the budding to-
gether of tho remains of their frail ien-
einenis is "a matter of Indifference, the
only thing necessary to insure their
future welfare being the return of their
bones to the land OF their nativity.