The Red Cloud chief., 1889-06-07
FOOD FOR VULTURES
lGothodlst Missionary Describes
q Strange Burial Rite.

Methodist Missionary Describes
q Strange Burial Rita
How TIE Parsees Dispose Of tho Bodies q
Their Dssd-Flowsrs for the Earth and
Bones for The Air-Tho House q
Prayer and the Priests.
There recently returned to this city .
Methodist missionary who tw~enty-thrse
years 9 sailed from these shores for
India, says the Philadelphia Press. Tie
pther day he visited Laurel Hill, and therA
among the monuments and graves, he toll
about the sacred burial-place Of the Parsee
cad upon the heights of Malabar Hill, some
distance out Of Bombay.
81 had heard so much about the Towers
kof Silence" he said, "that my curiosity
I s0bn found that it was impossible for one
not . follower Of the great prophet 70.
foaster to ever gain admit.ance inside OF
&hese towers.
"This strange sect, the Parsees," he COD
kinued, "are 50 s~crupulous in their cerep
monials and customs, and q strict in the
e~bservance Of their rites, that you can
readily 80 how reluctant they would DO 70
kaAow a outsider, especially "a who was
Teaching the doctrines Of CArisA . observe
4hs ritual they practice.
~ had been tho means Of RENDERING Q
IfavoI 10 IN intelligent and ~Welleducated
PaFseo gentlemen living n Bombay, b.
tween when and myself there speang up
quite . feeling Of f~fiendshiR WHEN I
AoaaAtI could safely maize ny EequestI
0ade known % him my desire 70 visit ~
sI0Wees.' Ha Sid b would - WhstAsr
- could obtain peFmisotoa ess NJ fEs0 ~
psiosts who guarded he sacred poetals.
1hoso ~ nattse dropped. I did not hsa1
iron hin for some weeks, until o0ed day he
sano . m sayinR that permiasion had
been granted. and that W must b Eeody .
start IL nextm oening.
II sAall mover fbrest,' continued be, ''the
Paok cleudless day that We drove m our
slosely eurtained vehicle, or gharry, out Of
Tho dusty, noisy streets Of Bombay Ia tho
cool and shaded and silent place Of HalAbar
BIN. Tho whole place seemed . veritable
arden Of the dead. here jasmine, crimson
hybiscus and beautiful roses were spread in
k~bewildering profusion about the walks
leading to the entrance. The heavy,
anguid air was filed with the most
fragrant odors and the sweetest per-
fumes. I could hardly believe that I
was in a burying-ground. After alighting
from the gharry we assembled the low, stone
steps. which led to a closed iron gate. My
friend showed our permission to the old and
venerable Parsee, who threw open the gate.
Ind within q few moments we were withi1
the sacred precincts. One of the first things
that / noticed as I gazed around was some
i've or six solid-0oking circular buildings,
perhaps eighteen or twenty feet in height
ne walls Of these structures were built Of
heavy blocks Of stone and covered with Q
kind Of white cement or plaster. The build
tgS themselves stood in q shallow moat
surrounded by tall palm trees, heavy bushes
Of various kinds, and heritage growing wild
Ind uncultivated. These, then, were tho
famous Towers of Silence Truly, they
were well named. Save for the clicking Of
our shoes on the smooth stone, the ftful
swaying to AID fro of the branches Of the
tall palms, and the occasional tapping Of
wings by crows and vultures on the trees,
not . sound was heard In the languid, breath
ess air. The hot tropical sun beat heavily
own on the bare white walls, and every.
Where stiffness and silence reigued SUI
pzeme."
SHOW do the Parsees bury their deadl"
"When you reach the top of the Tower
you will find that the entire circular surface
Is divided into three smaller circles, and be-
tween each circle is a narrow pathway. The
circles are again diyidsdinto a great number
If small, shallow spoces. or receptacles, as
| my friend called them. slso separated by
narrow pathways for the bearers ofthe body
to pass. Tho ton Of the Tower Is sur.
rounded BY a sort of parapet. which hides
the surface from outside view. Now comes
The strange part of the Psrsee burial Gus.
tom. IT WAS tho teaching Of our great
prophet and master, said NV COMPANION.
that the dead should not de6le the earth.
| Accordingly, no dead Psrsee h laid in the
earth, but his body il exposed to all tho
fowls Of the air, TO more quickly return to
the dust and tho elemeuts from which r
came. Here in tho center Of our sTower,
/ you go q deep well. down which wa nut Ia.
9ether tho drv bones Of an ina dead-men.
women and children. rich anal moor. oreat
and small. For the dead there can oniy be
equality,
We next went to what i. known az thu
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