Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-06-04
BURNING THE DEAD.
The Methods OF Cremation Practiced I'm
Various Countries.
From the Pail Mall Gazette

AAS -H~suossS VI NTemattOn PraCtiCe0 I'm
Various Countries.
From the Pail Mall Gazette
As much interest is being evinced lust now in
the cremation question. the following account
OF some methods of burning the dead are apropos.
CREMATION IN SIAM.
Here Is an account OF a cremation ceremony
which took place in Siam. where only those are
buried who cannot pay the fees. To be cremated
in Siam must be pleasure. When the time for
the funeral arrives the body is laid in recepta-
Gle on the summit of a stately pyramid. the
form and material of which indicate the wealth
and position OF the de ceased. Ii is thickiy GID
ed and the receptacle lined with plates of solid
gold when the body has belonged to one OF
royal lineage and well-filled Golfers. The last is
quite as essential as the first TO a gorgeous
Oriental funeral, since for rank without money
an East Indian has ever the most profound con-
tempt. Both requisites We're fortunately united
In the person of the Queen mother of King Pra-
Nang- kau. At the funeral of this aged queen
there was such display of Oriental magnihcence
as rarely falls to the lot OF western eyes to wit
ness. The embalmed body Law in state under a
golden canopy for eight months the myrrh,
franklnscence and aromatic oils used in its pre-
paration cost upward of f1,0Oo, and the golden
pyre above 10000. The hanCinCs were OF the
NShNSs Guns Ntlftls. lIluliDSQ With
fringe and costly lace, and the wrappings of.
the body of pure white silk. embroidered with
pearls and precious stones. Incredible quanti-
ties OF massive jewelry decked the shrunken
corpse, and a dadem of gtteriug gems cast
its prismatic radiance over the withered feat
ures. Tiny golden lamps, fed with perfumed
OIL, burned day and night around the pyre,
While every portion of the vast saloon was dec
Grated with rare and beautiful flowers arranged
In all the various forms of crowns sceptres.
ran r1a LTD, ~, ,,I
arches. till Flora, herself might have wondered
at the boundless resources of her domain. Day
and night musical Instruments were played,
dirges walled forth. and prostrations perpetu-
ally performed: while twice every day the king,
attended 10y his whole court. made offerings to
the departed spirit beat his breast, tore his hair
and declared life utterly uncomfortable without
the beloved one."
CREMATION on THE COLORADO RIVER.
Here is an account of a cremation among the
North American Indians, the Cocopa tribe, on
the Colorado river: A short distance from the
collection Of matched huts which composed the
village shallow ditch had been dug in the
desert, in which were laid logs of the mesquite
Cprosopis and strombocarpus). hard and dense
wood, which makes, as all western campaigners
know, very hot fire with little fame or smoke.
After short time the body was brought from
the village. surrounded by the family and other
Inhabitants, and laid on the logs in the trench.
The relatives, as Is usual with Indians had their
faces disfgured with black paint and the females,
as Is the custom with other savages. made very
loud EXPLANATIONS Of grief mingled with what
might be supposed to be funeral songs Some
smaller fagots were then placed on top. few
personal effects Of the dead man added, and
nre applied. After time q dense mass of
dark-colored smoke arose. and the burning of
the body, which was much annotated, pro-
ceeded rapidly. (says the eye-witness) began
to be rather tired OF the spectacle, and was
about to 60 away, when one OF the Indians,
In few words of Spanish, told me to remain.
as there was something yet to be seen. An old
man then advanced from the assemblage with q
long pointed stick in his hand. Going near to
the burning body he removed the eyes, holding
them successfully In the direction of the sun,
with his face turned toward that luminary. re-
peatlng at the same time some words which
understood from our guide were a PRAYER for
the happiness Of the soul OF the deceased.
After this more fagOts were heaped on the fire,
which was kept up for perhaps three or four
hours longer. L did not remain, as there was
nothing more of interest, but learned on in
qulry that after the fire was burned out 1t was
the custom to collect the fragments OF bone
which remained and put them in a terra-cotta
vase, which was kept up under the care of the
family.
CCRI0SITIEs IN BURIAL.
The modes Of disposing of the dead are
many and curious. The Hindoos, for instance,
expose their dead on the banks of the Ganges
and the Hooghly to be carried away by alliga-
tors. The Parsees expose their bodies upon
high gratlngs to feed the birds Of prey. Vertz
advocates burial at sea, and pictures the ''dead
ship daily departing from the strand with its
lifeless burden, and reverently and prayerfully
committing the bodies to the deep" The only
people, 1t appears, who practice sea burial are
10 49,. - -
fisherman there departs this life they put a
baited rod in his hand. and after flashing
him fast In boat, send him adrift to sea. Ac-
cording to Mr.. cassie, a method of petrfaction
has been preached. but has met with no success
The system pursued by the ancient Peruvians
was ingenious and apparently effective. 1t con-
sisted In piling up collins Of plaster in pyramid
fashion. One, carefully examined measured
over 8, 500 900 Of cubic feet and was one mass Of
mummi1ed bodies. OF burial In the earth the
most persistent practicers are the Chinese. Then
there Is embalmment, and an analogous process
which consists OF drying up the body and then
interring it. tribe In South Australia place
their deceased in sitting posture near the top
Of the hut. and keep up the fire until it is dry,
when they proceed to bandage it, eventually
hiding it away in the branches Of trees
THE BRAHMIN BURIAL SERVICE.
The following compilation from a burial SER
vice Of the Brahmins, who are the priests Of all
the other castles of Hndoos that burn their dead,
may prove interesting to the reader. 1t is ex-
tracted from the Sacred Anthology"
o Earth! to thee we commend our brother; of
thee he was formed, by thee he was sustained,
and unto thee he now returns.
o Fire! thou hadst claim on our brother dur
ing lfe he subsisted by thy influence in nature;
to thee we commit his body. thou emblem of
purity; may his spirit be purified on entering
new state of existence
0 dir! while the breath Of life continued our
brother respired by thee; his last breath is now
departed; to thee we yield him.
q Water! thou dldst contribute to the life Of
our brother; thou vert one of his sustaining ele-
ments; his remains are now dispersed; receive
thy share Of him who has now taken an ever
lasting flight.
The Fate Of a Fast Young Man.
Written in the Illinois State Prison.