The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-11-02
A Chinese Burial In BROOKLYN,

FUNERAL cortege that passed up Broad
way, in Brooklyn, towards evergreen
Cemetary, was regarded with curiosity
and interest by hundreds of people on tho
sidewalk, and many Of the gamins were
overheard irreverently addressing the occu-
pants of the vehicles. The faces seen at
the carriage windows were those OF China
men. A cousumptive Mongolian sat upon
the hearse. throwing slips Of rice paper into
the street. The handsome walnut coffin
seen through the glass doors of the hearse
bore the name Lee Wan upon silver plate.
The deceased was dealerin Chinese groce-
lies, native of the Flowery Kingdom, but
OF late years tenant at No. 4 Mott street.
He died on Tuesday, Of heart disease. The
procession, after turning through an avenue
OF beer saloons and marble-yards, entered
Evergreens Cemetery at the same rapid pace
that had been preserved all tho way from
The Broadway ferry, The grave was in
what might be termed the German uuater of
the cemetery. After the Cinnamon had
alighted and gathered about the, narrow
pit several stalwart Hibernian drivers re-.
moved the coffin from the hcarse and laid
1t upon the trestle over the grave, after
which two German sections lowered it.
Some of the mourners then advanced and
tossed In few handfuls Of earth, lust as
Christians do. Then began the curious
part of the ceremony. Fagots of slow
matches were bound together and planted
In basin Of ashes and loose earth at the
foot of the grave. On being ignited they
sent upa fragrant smoke. Red cand !es
richly decorated with figures in gold, blue
and green were placed in a row near the
fagots. and quickly burned down to the
little sucks, on the end of which they
were fastened. The dead mans clothes,
including whito shirt, somewhat the
worse for wear, a freshly laundcred collar
and handkerchief, blue silk blonse and
straw hat were then rolled into a bundle
and cremated near the grave, and the bright
colored and gildcd wrappings of the can
dies and slow matches were added to tue
burning heap. A cocoanut mat was then
unrolled beside the grave, and the China
men, coming up one after another, took a
formal leave Of the departed. This was
done by clasping the hands, lifting them to
the chin, and letting them drop, repeating
the operation three times. After this the
mourners dropped upon their hands
and knees upon the mat, and made q
triple salaanl, bowling their foreheads close
to the earth. Tea was poured from q
quaint little pot of blue and white porce-
lain into rlinute cups of egg shell china,
and each man, as he bade farewell to the
dead, sprinkled a spoonful of the tea upon
the ground. Three pans of rice, boiled
chicken and plate of mutton were al
lowed to stand before the grave for some
time, that the dead man might refresh
himself and prepare for his long journey.
1t is customary to leave these dishes beside
the grave, but just before the cortege re-
turned Chinaman, whom opium had
blcached, bleared and sallowcd into the
the resemblance of corpse, gave a sus-
picious glance at certain of the small boys
who gathered about the place. and shuttled
them back into tea box whence he had
taken them. Cigars were passed around,
and then the yellow faces were once more
shut up in the the carriages, the drivers
mounted to their Seats cracked their whips
and the procession disappeared rapidly in
the dust.