Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-13
lhs Daily a,ress and Datstsiau
vANkToN DAKOTA
thursday Evening, Nov. 10, 1879.
HeAIHEN FUNERAL CEREMONIES.
Buryt"x . Dead Chinaman--A Fantastic
Procession.

Buryinx . Dead Chinaman-~A Fantastic
Procession. +
Deadwood Times.
Yesterday We attended the funeral of the
Chtnalnan whose death we have mentioned.
An immense crowd had gathered consisting
OF almost everybody In town, and TOR 90
hour and q half it was almost ,mpossible 10
yet through the street in that part OF town.
The side hills and house tops were covered
With men and boys who took these elevated
positions in order TO see everything that
was going on below. The deceased vas q
member OF the Masonic lodge, or something
like 1t that his countrymen seem all of them
10 belong to. In the deceased's home We
found Q large number of women, all of them
dressed In white, and at intervals all of them
singing. and when tired out the mourners
would strike In, and ofall the wailing 1t was
there we heard it. The Corpse was In q
magnificent casket at the foot of which
were. placed joss sticks of many kinds and
colors, al Of them burning. The room was
decorated With q thousand and one different
kinds of Chinese trinkets and papers cut
and colored, and ornamented in all kinds of
ways. This singing and wsiling was kept
up all the forenoon and until one or two
o'clock, at which time the corpse was re-
moved from the residence and carried out
doors and placed on a platform prepared
At this pace all Of their ceremonies took
place. Ten or twelve of the order were
dressed in long white robes that reached TO
the ground, with white bands around their
heads, q black band on the right arm and a
red one on the left. Two or three tables had
been provided, which we're covered
with different articles. A hog
roasted whole, that had been split
open OF the belly and head, aud then
pressed. unit. 1t was as fiat rs u pancake,
graced one of the tables. fsnked with diff
terent kinds Of bread and cakes, tea In cups,
sweet meats, peacock feathers. joss sticks
10 innumerable quantities, wax candles,
aud many other things. Mats we're spread
on the ground at equal distances apart,
and when al: was ready, four women dress
ed IN white. kneeling on mats by the side
of the coffin, chanted one of their peculiar
hymns. the members of the order dressed 10
white robes. arranged themselves in two
lines, the head man stepped out from the
rest, and read from q paper In hand, and
the grandeywalk around commenced. 1t
consisted of kneeling and bowling the head
to the ground, first at one of the mats, and
then at another. After each one of them
had had a benefit Of this part OF the cere-
nonY, cups of tea were handed to each one,
who raised it in his hand, spilled some. OF
it, and then passed 1t back. Cannons were
fired at stated intervals, q thousand burn.
ing joss sticks filled the cir with their stink
ing fragrance, which, added to the babel of
voices gave the scene q charm that was
peculiarly Asiatic. The coffin was placed
in the hearse at the conclusion OF the cere
monies by the white robed brethren and
the procession moved up Main street, LED
by the Deadwood brass band. The order
followed on foot, with the exception of two
men on horse back on each side OF The
hearse. All Of them carried banners o
different sizes, shapes and colors, aud il
the distance the procession looked like
George Ri,z's fantasies. Nearly all of the
Cinnamon and women, were in the pro
%cession. in carriages and hacks, and it made
a long procession. The brass band dis
coursed fine music, and hat was the only
part of II we could understand and appre
ciate.