The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1893-03-25


body, loosely wrapped in the folds OF
spotless white shawl of soft material,
but leaving the face exposed, was
stretched out in the middle of the room
on bier. The floor was strewn with
flowers, and the mourners stood around
in a semi-cirolc, with the priest
q tall, handsome man-near the
head of the corpse. Their faces
were grave, while the priest ex-
pressed the hope that ''the soul OF this
dead man would be found worthy to
dwell in the good place and that Ash
man would have no part OF him." A
silent prayer followed, and the bene-
diction, pronounced by the priest with
outstretched hands, closed with these
parting words: "Let now the sun have
his part, and the water its part OF this
form of clayl"
Then the bier was lifted up, the
shroud drawn over the still face, and
the procession moved out The body
| was carried head foremost, and when
passing the threshold the priest opened
| the fold over the mouth tribe, so as
.sto allow the soul to escape"
In front Of the door there was a litter
| drawn by four mules, and the whole
crowd accompanied this to the Guebre
cemetery, the men on donkeys, the
| women in kedchawchs (baslsets hang.
ing from the backs of mules), some
| three miles ont from the Derwazeh
Izfahanee Qspahan gate.) The GENE
terry is on the ridge of mountain
forming part of the Elburz range, ant
Is visible from a long distance by rea
son of the glaringly white color OF the
circular wall surrounding it, standing
It out distinctly against the som Der hut
of the bleak rock. The mountain II
very steep, and it takes some hare
climbing to get up to the cemetery; bu
there we were at last, but stone
throw from the dismal place. A piec
of wall had already been broken ont u
admit the corpse 1.-THE opening alway
2 being closed afterwards so as to proven
intrusion), and through it the "feld o
the dead" could be plainly surveyed
Nothing bnt bleached bones could b
7 seen here and there on the calcareous
! porous soil, but overhead, far up IN tn
sky. the vulturcs were already DRAWN
e their circles, ready to swoop down 500
and begin their CHASTITY feast; for tn
:, dead are in nowise protected here. eth
+ er against the elements or the birds
prey.
These were q few incidents In Parse
life was an eye witness to, but at tn
south of Persia, particularly at Yez'
more of the original ceremonies OF TIL
almost defunct race have survives
There, too, they still have temples
very much as in the days OF Darius {
Kosroes-where Hormazd and his syn
boil, fhe sun, are worshiped with SON
show of splcndor There, too, on Il
holy days consecrated to the sun. Il
rising of the orb is greeted with mus
!. and joyful shouts. As to the "neve
ending fire." however, which used
draw Parsee pilgrims from all over Il
Orient to Balsu, the ancient city by Il
Caspian sea, it has been extinguish'
BY order OF the Russian gorernmer
for Baku to-day forms part OF the czal
Asiatic possessions
No longer docs the noble and simT
creed, of which Zoroaster lin Persia
Zcrdusht) was the ablest exponer
rule in the ancient land of Persia I
Allah, whom Mohammed taught, wi
- slight native notifications, rules
~ stead of the dual divine essence. I
- very name OF their forefather's religi
-. has been blotted out of the memory
mi the modern Persians, and they 10
as upon the Guebres or Parsees purely
lv infidels. as pagans
mr. WOLF Won ScHrERBRAND-