New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-26
4 DRUID FUNERAL.
STRANGE RITES on \ HILLTOP IN WALES

STRANGE RITES on \ HILLTOP IN MALLS
Far away seem he times and the rites OF 'a'
Drnlds: even under the mistlctoc at iueude-'ns
linn. of Youlnr Theirs WAS one Of the most ancient
and primitive Of religions. and Us en-, l. s't"uy
,hropdcd I'm mystery. YET Il /, not altogether deaa
Among the hills o. Wales many strange relies OF t"'
pas remain There may be- no fragments " w
cotton peoples" but there are legends ana ouso"'.
and songs and social and religion, rites preSef'a
UNCHANGED from the day. OF Arthur ana Nefnn az"
r,l,e..in. There arr probably not few seTs wDo'
like GIcndowcr, "can summon spirits from 'he 'asy
deep: though whether not they VIII come
60, , moo,,d olrstion And ~ for the Druids, ther
line IS Vet unlrolen and their weird rites are SUI
celebrated Of old.
The death Ina, just occurred At linrlSsant Oh Ut.
william Price. who held the distinguished o'"'e "
Arch Druid Of Wales. lie wa, something more ''an
ninety years old and might have passed o' one
Of the old-timc bards who persisted In MING bn"d'u
day, - rugged and antique Wa, his appearance 'A
or seven years ago. IL may be- remembered III '"
that had been born TO him in his cd age died. anu
H. hody wa, plblicly crcmatcd by him with Dr'ddesi
ritr. For this ne WAS arrested and brought 10 "'a.
Uut after "A hot contest in court ne WIZ acql'''' NV"
A decree was pronounced from the bench, eS'a"'''""e
IN. entire legality OF thi, form OF funeral Ao'ou'
ingiy. when d. Price himself died. similar ''''
mony was enacted without thought Of lh''ri're"' =.
The ceremony took place the summit o "s
Lin al Cacran the very spot where the BODY u s
Infant had been burned. several hundred u'NS 49,
issued to the friends and former patients oil pr' ~,
emitting hrm to enter the Enclosure ana WINES -
burning. The hour first set WIS noon b"' 80
curiosity rose 10 80 high pitch that. 70 avoia ",
overwhelmed rs a mob of sigisccrN, II was ~ INV h
moment decided 20 change II 10 oc"oH " ~.
morning. 80 in the cray light OF That carry ~" Va
strange procession made its WAY To tAr hilltop "a.
Il. lao. soon
of th, deceased Druid We're atlred IN ne "H"'''
costume, OF the Welsh people. ,,,.sI
TN, body of Dr. Price clothed IN the Ut :,
robe, he had worn In liir and Was then p'''o
a coffin OF perforated sheet iron. On iH' "'' INV holm:
stone walls had been built. iour ir't apart Nv" Il
about ten feet long ana four Zee, man. y """
iron bar, extending from one To the oihrr io'A IN,
rude glatlng between them. some d>' ai'e d" ,,cd
ground and upon these bars the CONN was !sr,d
,h. hr,d being toward the east aud the ite'
I'm, w,,t \ I,rgymiu If IA T., abb IA Il ~" "A m
present and read the ordinary service l9F '' IA a
walsh The vc,tmcnt, Of the Church con'F''', ,n.
STRANGELY with the Drilical glrb worn 10y s." ri,a
attendants, a did the words oi ilIr il"l'' do 10
tho ,r,nlr, Rites some -. -ht changes w'i' " Oh.
IN, service such 10 the body being tolsb"''
namc,.' sn Wa
rn., nnd.r and over and all around the CONN
,ud &, GREAT lo of wood, pcrhap, whole oo'u NV
and to mi, we're added S"Ycial tons al o'''' ,,ly
Gallons OF paraiinc oil were thrown upon IT, ,,ck
~ni,,rafing the entire pile. Then, al ABOUT s,ms
t,yo M the CLOSEST hicEd, of the a'' p' 90 he
forward from The lhrons and apPlea 'o'''' .,om,ut
wood. one AZ each cnd OF the mass ~ liz dared
If was all a raging furnace aud the PHI h''i"' ,hen
nix. a volcano \ brisk breeze WAS p'o"'e' Ia far
,,pn.d ,h. fir. and carried H.. nanIc ana '" oee.
in, tho heavens, For many miles the SLIME sms
,nce wa, cleur, seen, and thousands OF pop' seven
hacking thithcr from all part OF Glaiho' about
or eight thousand OF them gathered !" a a,ch,d it
the pyre, close To II Il, pos'''''' -.
With eager interest All day long. ,, tho flames hsd
some hours after dark that eve'l,ns e Low FROM the
died down and tnerr was oiiy y WI" a'so,d the coma
from the furnace. VIXEN II was nsco',i,' AID whel
be-, lterally ia thr ~ In y any PA N,s sbsolusy
empty without the fantest trace wi,h OF ON n ItAer. ~
the coffin was subsequently convey'S% nosisA Oh tns
couch IN the drc,ascd's residence "he'e
preyiously he had breathed his Ia. -