The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-12

sigbt "a the coffin is borne 10 the bury
ing SPOT suspended under poles borne
nnon mems shoulders and followed by
the hired mourners and the music Of one
stringed fiddIes and the cries OF the paid
mourners. They are conveyed to the
Mace OF interment before the grave is
dug, and set upon the ground while with
pick and spade the grave is dug. The
coffin il then lowered into position and
covered with earth, there being no box
or outer covering 10 the coffin, as prsc-
ticed in most countries.
Carved stones are placed at the grave,
il the family can afford it, and the social
rank is indicated by the height and
circumference Of the mound. l once
climbed 10 the summit of a grave which
was 200 hundred feet high. IL Is al
Nankin. and is the tomb Of the last
emperor of the Ming dynasty. 1t Is
mile around the grave at the foot OF the
mound, and it is inclosed in high brick
wall and has a tunnel entrance under
meath the wall. Centuries have passed
since that immense bank Of earth was
thrown over the bones Of the dead EN-
pcror, and scrub oaks and chestnut
trees have long grown over the mound
In front Of the tunnel, under the wall,
which Is of arched masonry, is the ruin
of magnificent porcelain temple, which
was demolished in the siege of Nankin
during the japanese rebellion, in which
Chinese Gordon took part. The broken
porcelain bricks still lie in huge piles
Just as they fell under the blows OF
cannon balls. Leading away in hall
circle for a mile stands an open column
of huge stone statuary. which leads 10
the tomb of the prince, over when
stands an immense stone column, upon
the four sides Of which are chiseled II
Chinese characters the lineage and his
tory Of the long dethroned royal family.
The statuary is in pairs, standine
sixty steps apart, facing each OTHER,
and between them is a paved roao
some twenty feet broad. The figure
represent all the ranks Of Chinese officials
both military and civic, who did the bid
ding of the dead emperor. Also, there
are elephants, camels, horses, bulls, lions
tigers and other large animals, with one
pair Of each standing and one pair crouch
ing.
The figures are mammoth in size and
are carved out Of blue limestone, and the
figures as well as the pedestal upon which
they rest are each Of one solid stone an'
not built in sections.
What labor and expense the building
OF this grave and its surroundings repre-
sents, may be judged when it is said tha
il was all done without the aid OF ma
chinery OF vehicles. 1t is all the record
OF human muscle and perseverance.
The mound was carried there in has
kets on mems shoulders, just as fort
and other earthworks are done at thu
present day, no steam engines or ever
horse carts being employed. The canal
are dug and embankments made by hu
man hands and the earth carried in bas
kets
When the Chinese first began TO carry
their dead back from California the ship
charged the same for each coffin takeh
to China as they did for live Chimes
passenger. Then the cunning heather
cheapened the cost by filling one cofiil
with the bones Of many dead. The ships
agents got on to this, and required thai
each coffin be opened for inspection
Then the ships stood in with San Fran
ciscan undertakers, and required tina
metallic caskets be used, under pretens'
that the health of the passengers anc
crew was endangered by the presence OF
the exhumed bones from California GENE
teries. This sealed casket is now re
quired for the Transmission Of these bones
But the Chinese evade this expensive
ruling by bleaching and cleaning thu
bones Of their dead and packing them II
their trunks with their baggage. TIL
surgeon Of one Of the Pacific mail steam
ers told me that this was common
thing, and it requires personal inspection
Of every parcel Of baggage 10 prevent /
being practiced by returning Cinnamon
All who die during the voyage are en-
balmed and never buried at sea. Tn,
peculiarities Of Bret Harte's "Heathei
Chinee" are not confined to his manner
Of playing poker or the cut Of his coat
but extend in even greater degree int
his treatment Of his dead.
B. N. ToN.