Morning journal and courier., 1885-03-04

~ arGlsts, designers and a host of laborers
mad been preparing ever since the celebra-
t1on of Mardi Gras last year. The first
procession marched Monday night and was
devoted to the 'Krewe of Proteus" Those
who have looked upon this carnival as a
coarse public demonstration, without wit
OF wisdom, would have been confounded
could they have witnessed any one of these
street parades. The subjects treated of in
these parades differ with each succeeding
year. but are always more or less instruc-
| tive. Monday evenings procession was a
| study IN the myths and worships of China
| mere were eighteen principal cars designed
| by Oriental scholars to illustrate the reli-
gloIs traditions OF the Celestial empire.
snail barely have room in the present arti-
| Gle for mere mention of the names of
| these cars. The first was purely introduc-
tory, representing mammoth Chinese Ian
tern astride an elephant. The second rep-
resented the summit of Mt Vou-Vai, the
famed Chinese mountain of crystal, gold.
49, ~ and precious stones The apex of
tna ;5aas,=.. :" was occupied by the peacock
iiEe PboariS J5,,n Proteus astride of the jew
eled bra in the g1ffse OF r,... DE, the youth
ful emperor os China, who is es,.-emed the
true Lord of the world. Phe hexs car rep
resented the Chinese idea of tfIa cfe&tfo1.
Resting upon confused mass, that typi6ed
chaos, a leviathan broken eggshells with
a sefnb1ance OF the sun at enc of the upper
y
had been niads to represent the earth, and
astride of which sat Peuarl-Kon, the Chinese
first man. who was created $4,000 years be-
fore Christ.
Then followed a car representing the Tow
er of Fokien, nifiS-stofied octagonal pago-
da, before which Celestial wofslsippers were
piously kotowing Next came FLas and AS
suri, which represented the struggle of the
good and evil spirits of Buddhism in the
twenty-six heavens located i'll the center of
Mt. Mienno, thirty thousand miles above
the EARTH.
The MausoIsun4 of q Tartar King, showing
the royal corpse in the midst of vast edifce
adorned with statues of lions, tigers, ele-
phants &c. Around the funeral dais, hol3r
ing offerings to the dead in the shape Of
pleasant tfEt,tts5 royal robes, boiled rice, &c,
stood the slain attendants OF the king, to-
gether with beautiful children of both sexes
who had previously been stuffed to SUI
location with mercury in order to preserve
the appearance of life.
Next came n cavern with dazzling stalac-
tite roof supported by crystal columns. In
the center sat the successor OF the Buddhist
dragons. The palace of the Grand Lama of
Thibet followed, Respondent with gilded
peristyle and gorgeous appointments The
eighth car depicted the birth of Confucius.
Oman alfaf Icy ths infant philosopher, pro-
tected by dragon en- either side, while in
front legislators and genii, pefsvuifyiIg the
sun, moon and principal stars, offered their
''humb!e oblations." A Chinese junk now
glided along, representing the great feast of
lanterns: Paper lanterns hung everywhere,
being even safGsed from the deck by the
gaily apparelled crefTi Rifite discharges of
fireworks were limited at the pyrotechnic
features of the great festival. The legend of
Fohi receiving the sacred book of the
changes from the back of great dragon in
the Hoarg Ho or Yellow river was next il
lustrated Fishes of all sorts appeared to be
swimming about in the great tank. The
eleventh car depicted ancestral worship in an
elegant ancestral hall, very much as have |
seen the very institution itself.
The twelfth tableau Represented the Chi
nese god-of-war in his chariot upon the
clouds, showering invisible arrows at the
Eluths during fierce battle between the lat
ter and the Chinese.
The famods eshSpfe OF Fo at Canton came
next with its statues, Ianterns, and gauay
trappings The next chariot Represented the
Gin Hoang, who reigned over the world 40,
900 years o. mounted on illuminated clouds, |
and drawn by span of peacocks through the |
air The translation of Min Va was then por- |
trayed. Tbis benign goddess appeared en-
veloped in halo Of golden clouds and driv |
ing her winged unicorn up to heaven, where |
she is royalty met at the "Gates of Intelli- |
gence" Next came the magnificent judg
ment chamber of Ii Can and the kings of |
darkness, wherein the good and evil deeds |
of the dead were being weighed over against |
each other in great balance. The Paradise !
of Buddha was next in order-a palace, sur |
rounded with papier Tnache trees loaded with |
luscious fruits and tinkling bells, bright |
birds, and glowing flowers.
Lastly came Giehya, the Chinese hell. |
The first part represented the division where /
the punishment is excess of heat, and the |
second where it is extreme cold. The figures
Il b., &l,.A
hhile those surrounded by ice
bergs, and themselves adorned with icycles,
shivered pitiably.
The second procession was to have occur
red st 1870 Tuesday morning; but it was
about $3.50 p. IN. before it started.
This procession illustrated Scott's immor-
tai novel Ivanhoe. The first chariots were, |
however, of q more general nature. Mounted |
on spirited steeds, and eaparisoned in the |
rode representatives of the principal coun-
sries in the world to-day Fol-
lowing these came the magnif-
cent car Of Rex himself, (which was received
with the waving 6f handkerehiefs and the
elappine of hands. I ain not equal to the
task of describing his appearance. ] noticed
that his inner habit was of red velvet
enc broidered, while belt studded
with pearls was clasped about his waist by
means of buckle gernmed with diamopds(D. |
His rich v9fvet cloak of azure hue was deco
rated with royal insignia. Asnear as l could
judge, he did not wear masques but had
his face painted a ruddy bronze and wore |
blonde whiskers and wig. His crown was
elaborate in the extreme, while in one hand
he swayed golden q sceptre, richly studded /
with dubious precious stones.
The car upon which he sat was calculated
to zymbolize the industrial nature of the oc-
casion which has brought 80 many visitors
here this winter.
1t represented a cotton press, with large
golden dragons at each corner, and sides of
white groundwork with gilt stars scattered
over Around his majesty's throne of "sil
ver," stood four female figures typifying
agriculture trade, navigation and mining.
The old pelican State" was honored also |
by special car, setting forth the Industries
and resources of louisiana. This car showed /
the waters of the Mississippi, sample piece
of swamp land, tiny orange grove, sugar,
a cotton, and rice plantation, barrels, hogs
heads pelicans, a steamboat, and allegorlcal
female figures handsomely eostulned.
Of the splendid procession proper shall
say nothing because of the technical
or literary character of the tableaux pre-
sented. 1
The great Mardi Gras feature was of course
reserved for the evening-the portrayal of |
the legends Beautiful" by the Knights of
Momus This parade was of much more
popular character, and l shrink from the
task of even limiting at its extraordinary
beauty. AS on the previous evening, New
Orleans was in gala attire. The fronts of
the principal blocks were ablaZe with elabo-
rate gas-jet designs, and, despite the many
who were accommodated on the
broad porch roofs, the streets were dense
mass of eager spectators. percentage of
those who were ON foot Il was surprised to
find it so small a percentage) were arrayed in
wit horns