Huntsville gazette., 1885-02-21
MARDi GRAS.

logy, Witnessed by an Immense Con.
course of People From All Parts Of the
Countrywide Tabieaux.
ENw ORLEANS, La, February 17.-Rex
and his retinue reached this city yester-
day by the Illinois Central Railroad. He
came as King Charles VII. Of France, and
proceeded to the City Hall, where the
Mayor turned over to him the keys of the
city. After the parade through the prin-
cipal streets with his 'courtiers and men
alarms, the party took fifteen large
steamers for the Exposition Grounds,
where one hundred thousand people had
assembled to welcome him. The process
sion proceeded to the Music Hall, where
Rex held royal court and received callers.
Speeches were made by a number of
prominent gentlemen. The Mexican Ma
tional Band furnished the music through
out the day. There were fully one hun
dred and twenty-five thousand people on
the grounds.
The city is full of strangers, the num-
Der being variously estimated at from
$4,000 to 100000. Last night the annual
Mardi Gras pageants were begun by
Proteus, the god of ira nsformation and
his followers. This year Proteus was
Ticn Aze, "The Son of Heaven" and his
pageant illustrated by tableaux the ce.
lestial story of the Chinese, the creation
and the reign of Chinese deities.
The streets along the line were flied to
overfiowing. The usual wait caused no
inconvenience, the crowd being good
natured, and spending their time in ex-
amining the numerous brilliantly illumi-
mated business houses. Shortly after the
appointed time Chinese lantern twenty
feet in height was seen in the distance
slowly approaching. This transparency
was borne on the backs of four white ele-
plants, and was covered with brilliant
lines down its sides, narrating the sub
ject chosen for presentation.
The car of Proteus followed. His
Majesty, dressed as Tien Aze, bestrode
the Tong Hoang, the Chinese Phoenix,
which is familiar to every one as the great
yellow Dragon, made of crystal, gold,
silver and precious stones.
Following ProteuS came the taCleaux
The first car represented the creation of
Ponan Kon, the first being, who was
hatched from the shell of the earth. The
sphere was floating through chaos, and
seated on it was Ponan Kon, dressed in
the prevailing Chinese fashion of 276, 900
years ago, which became the style again
OH Adams day. II If
TABLEAU III,
the Tower of Fo Keip, represented the
burial of Buddha, and gave an excellent
idea of the porcelain to yer, once one Of
the wonders of the world, but which was
razed by the Talpings decade ago. The
tower was eight stories high and built
exclusively OF porcelain. Each story had
gallery from which were suspended
thousands of bells, which rang merrily as
they passed.
TABLEAU III.
The good and evil spirits Of Buddhism
arc the Lai and Asseiri. The first in
habit the score and odd heavens situated
in the center of Mount Mi-En-Mo 10000
miles straight heavcnward, while the
devils are very comfortably housePbe-
meath the Mount. This tableaux was an
excellent illusion.
TABLEAU w.
A representation of the mausoleum of
the Tartar Kings of China, showing the
splendid rites of Chinese scpulture, far
excelling those of the most enlightened
nations.
TABLEAU ".
Here is seen the heaven OF the Chinese,
with the principal deities of their wor-.
ship. Unlike other nations, they locate
their Heaven in a vast cavern, whose roof
is studded with brilliant rYstals.
TABLEAU VI =.
the magnificent palace of
the grand Lama. of Thibet, z the high
priest Of Buddhism. The palace, built
upon rugged mountain, consists of
many temples, the chief of which, over
looking the others, has dome. Here
the representative of Buddha sat sur
rouaded by priests. A y.
rABLEAU VII. st
The birth of Kong Fan Tsin, or Confu-
cius, the Chinese lawgiver and teacher,
was the subject of this tableau.
TABLEAU VIII.
The festival of Lanterns formed the
subject of this tableau. Down the
lAO, IuO biuO 1iNSl, SoAAS q
Junk upon whose Prov, clad in the rich
est vestments, stood Chinese Prince
and Princess and their attendants and
crew.
TABLEAU TX.
The Emperor Fo-Hi, son of the daugh-
ter of Ii, or the Lord, was seen in this
tableau. His body was that of dragon,
and his head that of bull, yet he is rep
as an eminent emperor, elevating
and instructing the Chinese.
TABLEAU Y.
A distinct feature of Chinese relig-
ious worship was shown in this
picture of Ancestral Hall. However old
a man or woman may be, he is subject to
his parents, must reverence them, and
his ancestors. 1t is New Years
Day, and the Emperor was represented
as visiting this hall, attended by all the
monarchs tributary to his rule. r-
TABLEAC XI.
Konan-Ti is the Chinese god OF war.
His chariot, drawn by winged horses in
mid-air was the subject Of this tableau.
was shooting invisible arrows
at the tribe of barbarians found by the
Chinese when they first came to China.
The battle as seen was life-like, the bar
barians seeking to scale the clouds and de-
stroy the martial god, whose aid is given