The New York herald., 1877-09-14
A MYSTERY AT THE TOWERS OF
SILENCE.
From tho London Globe. I

tFrom tho London Globcl
sensation has been caused IN The Parsee commu-
nifty by the disclosure OF rumors which been cir
cuating in Bombay for the past three wocks, with
gard to certain mysterious circumstances that took
place at the Towers OF silence juno %. Early
tho morning OF the 23d Parsce died. three nours
aftorward his body exposed TO tho vuItures in
Tower No. l, locally known Napis Knao's Dolhmd
"a tower) In tho afternoon another body was taken
10 tho towers aud 1t decided 10 expose 1t In Kapis
khao's tower also. Tho funeral PROCESSION proceeded
thtner and had taken the formal farewell OF tho dead
which Is customary, whilo the corpse bearers (nassasa
lar were opening the iron doors of tho towers. Tho
nassasaars pushed the door open, looked TO- saw
something unusual and then closed the door again
Descending the steps they told the mourncrs that The
body could not be exposed there but must DO carried
TO another tower. They were questioned about thor
singular proceedings, but chose only to give
ana rude answers The procession was formed again
and moved on with the body 10 Tower M ,. whore It
that all not right, and he went TO the Sigreo or
prayer house ana watched the corpse bearers Ho
Tor about half an hour The suspicion dawnod upon
the watchers that the corpse bearers had observed
some one alive. presumably Inc Parsee who
had been exposed that morning) IN Tower No. l.
and had returned thither to murder him, In acoord
anGe with a we'll known Zoroastran superstition that
no one should 10 allowed To return into the world from
Tower VI Silence, otherwise hc Will DO cause OF
dreadful plaques. lIe communicated his suspicious to
number Of people, u lodge OF tho affair
spread throughout the P.rsec community. Although
II was exciting the Parscos to tho vory CORE whole
sections believing that the hussasaars had committed
tue dreadinl crimo OF which they suspected sin
guarly enough the native prcss studiousy observed
silence upon the subject, and It was not until tho gist
Of anonylnou letters which bad reached Bombay
paper were put into shape that The conduct OF til
nassasaars was openly discussed.
A RxpLASATlON
1t has been pointed Out ON behalf of tho Panchayot
hve individuals who the recognized heads Of Tho
farsee community that the whole story has arisen
the OF the corpse bearers refusing to
give prompt explanation ot tho why they
opened No Tower aud Then shut 1t up again. Had
they said at first that body had fallen against tho
door, and they did not like push open tho
door further cst tho nourncrs should DO
shocked oy seeing tho mniatcd corpse, the
excitement that has since would Tho
Panchayct believe, never have taken place This ex-
PLANTATION plcases some OF parsco community, aud
merely exccs tho ridcule OF others, who wlIl have II
that Tho story told by the corpscbearers only
atcrthought invented 70 save them from the
Qucnces OF their guilt. The panchayet have pointed
out that chains hung round tho inside o
to enable persons who may come 10 lfo again TO
hut all tho same, young aad enlightened parsce-
ism, distinguished from orthodox Zoroastrlanaui,
believe that tho corpse bearers s haye instructlons
TO lot one escape alive from the Towers Of silence