Connecticut western news., 1882-05-03
A MONGOLIAN FUNERAL.
Solemn and Prayerful Ceremonies at the Burial of Bud dhist Ritual and Fantastic Pro- cession to the Grave.
From the New York Herald.]

From the NeW 1Ork deralu.I
 The emaciated remains of Cha Afuch, a middle aged Chinaman, lay in simple pine coffin Monday at his home in Division street, and the friends of the dead man had assembled to pay the last tokens of respect to his memory and perform the mortuary rights of the Buddhist creed. Full twenty-fv bare- headed and fearful Mongols sat in the room in strangely embroidered "sues," black pantaloons and shoes of marvel. ous design. At the foot of the cofiu a roasted pig savored the air, and all around it were strewn fragments of gold and silver paper that reflected the flames of a score of brightly burning wax candles. A few 'joss" sticks protruded from among the fimsy emblems of tenn poral riches, and bright strips of colored silk were pendant from the walls. In the midst of all this lowly splenlor lay the dead Mongol, with ghastly, upturned face and folded arms.
 A few minutes of complete silence passed and three Chinamen entered the room. They were assuming the duties belonging to the Buddhist priests and each wore soft black felt hat bound with strip of white crape. The cen- tral one of the three began to chant a i prayer in the gutteral Cantonese dialect and at every pause he made his two assistants chanted 8 response. Some times they reverently kneeled, but they stood during most of the ceremony, always facing the corpse. It was strange sight, this Buddhist ritual in the heart of Christian city, but never for moment did the prayerful voices flag and never for moment did the mourn CTS remove their eyes from the face of their departed oomrade. There was, perhaps, one of the assemblage who did cast greedy eyes at the roasted pig, but it is said he was converted to Christian ity two years ago.
 After the prayers to Joss had been duly rendered and the prayer sticks were lighted, the coffin was borne out of the house and deposited in @ hearse, The deceased was member of the Loon Ye Tong, or United Chinese Brethren, and the hearse was driven to the rooms of the society at IS Mott street. Here German brass band was drawn up on the sidewalk and as the little cortege filed into the Chinese colony the musi- clans played the dead march from
 "Saul." Then the members of the Loon Ye Tong walked two and two from the club rooms and formed in pro- cession behind the hearse. Each one was dressed in native costume and wore white silk apron, upon which, in black velvet, was worked square and com pass-the symbol of the order. The first section of the mourners carried 8 serge flag, trimmed with white, which bore in white Chinese characters the name, age, time of birth and time of death of Cha Afuch. Behind there came two black banners, on which were embossed white hieroglyphics, which freely translated were, "Rest in Peace and "We Mourn Our Loss." The body | WdS pT6CSucN OJ Q AAhO OA PoAASSA@S~A and the noisy brass band. When the march began there were fully thousand persons attracted to the scene, and it
 was with difficulty that the procession
 could make any progress through the
 crowd. The remains were taken to the
 Grand street ferry and here the police
 escort departed. When the funeral line was formed in Williamsburg number of rowdies created a disgraceful clamor ] but some sensible citizens drove then away, and the hearse and its followers reached the Evergreens Cemetery with out further incident. The coffin wal then lowered into the grave, handfu 3 of earth was thrown on the cover b, 3 each mourner, the mound was quickl. raised and sodded, the company dis B persed and with three flags floating ove |. him and about twenty prayer sticks , his head, Cha Afuch awaits the coming ], of Buddha and the resurrection.