The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-07-04
Burning Of the Dead.

As much interest is being evinced
Just now in the cremation question, the
following account of some methods of
Turning the dead are apropos:
Here is an account of a cremation
ceremony which took place in Siam,
where only those are buried who can
not paw the fees. To be cremated in
Siam must be pleasure. When the
time for the funeral arrives the body is
laid in receptacle on the summit of a
sta ely pyramid. the form and material
of which indicate the wealth and posi-
ton of the deceas d. 1t is thickiy gild-
ed. and receptacle lined with plates of
solid gold when the body has belonged
to one of royal lineage and well-niled
Golfers, The last is quite as essential
as the first TO a gor- eous Oriental
funeral since for rank without money
an East Indian has ever the most p;o-
found contempt. 10th re ui>ites were
fortunately united in the person of the
queen mother of King Pra-Nang- klau.
At the funeral of this aged Queen there
was such display OF Oriental ma nil
cence as rarely falls to the lot of we t.
ern eyes to witness. The embalmed
body lay in state under a golden canopy
for eight months: the myrrh, franklin
cense and aromatic oils used IN Its prepa-
retion cost onward of fI.O00, and the
golden pyre above f20,O0l. The hang
ings We're of the richest silks and vel
vets, trimmed with bullion fringe and
costly lace. and the wrappings of the
BODY of pure white silk, embroidered
with pearls and precious stones. In
credible quantities of massive iewelry
decked the shrunken corpse, and dia-
dem of glitter,ng gems cast its pris-
matte radiance over the withered fea-
lures. Tiny golden lamps, fed with
perfumed oil, burned day and night
around the pyre, while every portion of
the vast saloon WAS decorated with rare
and beautiful flowers, arranged in all
the various forms of crowns, scepters,
temples. angels, birds, lanterns,
wreaths and arches, TIL Flora herself
might have wondered at the boundless
resources of her domain. Day and
night musical instruments were played.
dlrgeS walled forth and prostrations
perpetually performed: while twice
avery day the hing, attended by his
whole court, made offerings TO the de-
parted spirit, beat his breast, tone his
hair and declared life '.utt rly unendur-
able without the beloved one"
Here is an account of q cremation
among The North American Indians.
the Coeopa tribe, on the Colorado River:
4 short distance from the collection of
matched huts which composed the VII
lage sha low ditch has been dug in
the desert, in which We're laid logs of
the mes imte tprosopis and strombo-
carpus) hard and dense wood, which
makes, As all western campaigners
know, very hot fire with little name
or smoke. After q short tine the body
was brought from the village. sur
rounded by the family and other in
habitants, and laid on the logs in the
trench. The relatives, as is usual with
the Indians. ha their faces disfigured
with black paint. and the females. a is
the custom with other savages. made
very loud EXPLANATIONS of grief, min
eled with what is supposed to be fu
neral songs. Some smaller fagots were
then placed on top. few personal eff
fees of the dead man added. and fire
applied After tine dense mass of
dark-col red smoke arose. and the
burning of the body, which was not
proceeded rapidly. | (savs
the eye-witneSs) began to be rather
tired of the spectacle, and was
about to go away. when one of
the Indians, in few words of
spanish. TO me to remain, as there
was something Yet TO be seen. An old
nan then advanced from the assem-
blsge with a long pointed stick in his
hand Going near to the burning body,
he removed the eyes. holding them sue
sessigely in the direction of the sun,
with his face turned toward that lumin-
", repeating at ssthe same time some
words which l understood from our
guide were PRAYER for the happiness
# the soul of the deceased. After this |
aore fagots were heaped on the FIRE,
mich was kept up for perhaps three or !