The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-08-04
FUNERAL OF A DRUID
STRANGE DEATH RITES ON A LOFTY
HILLTOP IN WALES.

Impressive Ceremonies Attending the Final
Leader of the Druids of w~ales-Rather
Mixed Services.
Far away seem the times and the rites
of the Druids; wen under the mistletoe
at yuletide-thc time of Yowling. Theirs
was one of the most ancient and primi-
tive of religions, and its cult is greatly
shroulcd in mystery. Yet it is not alto
gether dead. Among the hills of Wales
many strange relics Of the past remain.
There may be no fragments of forgot
ten peoples" but there are legends and
customs and songs and social aud reli-
gious rites preserved unchanged from the
days of Arthur and Merlin and Talicssin.
There are probably not Il few scers who,
like Glendower, can summon spirits
from the vastly deep though whether or
not they will come is yet II mooted ques-
ton. And as for the Druids, their line is
yet unbroken, and their weird rites are
still celebrated as of old.
The death occurred at Llantrissant Of
DR.. William Price, who held the distin-
SilSiiC'l ollltV vi tI'Litl ~ VI w dlfS,
He was something more than 03 years
old and might have passed for II Of the
old time bards who persisted in King Ed
wards reign, so rugged and antique was
his appearance. Six or seven years ago,
it may be remembered, m infant that
had been born to him in his old age died,
and its body was publicly cremated by
him with Druidical rites. For this he
was arrested and brought to trial. But
after Il hot contest in court he was ac-
quilted, and IL decree was pronounced
from the bench establishing the entire
legality &c this form of funeral. Ac-
cordingly when DR.. Price himself died
Il similar ceremony was enacted without
thought of interference.
The ceremony took place on the SIM
mt of II high hill at Cacrlan, the very
spot where the body Of the infant had
been burned. Several hundred tickets
were issued To the friends and former
patients Of Dr.. Price, emitting them to
enter the inclUsUr3 and witness the burn
Ing. The hour first set was noon. BIT
public curiosity rose TO SO high II pitch
that. TO avoid being ovcrwhelm 4 ir II
mob of SiGhtscorS, it was at the 81 mo-
mrnt decided to change it to ! U'cI ..A'iu
the morning. SO in the gray lirilt If
that early hour the strange PROGRESSION
made IFS way tDthc hilltop. No lOu.ll-
ing %arb WAS to lie seen. The closest
friends of tie dccra.cl Druid were at
tired III the ancient costumes of the
Welsh people.
The body Of Or. Price wa clothed in
the Druidical robes he had worn in HE
and was then placed in II coffin Of lrr-
forated sheet iron. On the hilton two
stone walls had been built, four feet
apart, each being about 10 feet long and
4 feet high. a number Of iron bars cx-
tending from to the other formed Il
rude grating between them, some dis
lance above the ground, and upon these
bars the coffin was placed. the head be
j." toward the east and the feet toward
tir west.
y clergyman Of the Established church
was present aud read the ordinary scry-
ice for the dead in Welsh. The vest
ments Of the church contrasted as
strangely with the Druidical garb worn
by some OF the attendants as did the
words Of the prayer book with the
strange rites. Some slight changes were
made i'll the service, such as the body be-
ing ''consigncd to the tlamcs.'
Then under and over and all around
the coffin WIS piled Il great lot of wood,
perhaps a whole cord of it, and 10 this
We're added several tons Of coal. Many
gallons of p"aratlin oil were thrown upon
it, thoroughly saturating the entire pile.
Then, at about 8 o'clock, two of the
closest friends of the late Druid came
forward from the thronS and applied
torches to the wood, II at each end Of
the mass. In Il moment it was all Il rag
ing furnace, and the hill literally tiared
like u volcano.
\ brisk breeze was blowing, which
famed the fire and carried the flame and
smoke far into the heavens. For many
miles the strange spectacle WAS clearly
seen. and thousands Of people came flock
ing thithcr from Ill PARTS Of Glamor.
ganshirc. Seven "r eight thousand Of
them gathered III Il ring about the pvre,
as close to :; as possible, and watched il
with eager interest i'll day lo"-.
SnIac lyrrs &tt.r Lr}: t!lat evening
the flames Ind died Gown, and there was
only Il duh Glow from C.e "uaia. Then
with long io"i.~ they dragged the coffin
from the furnace. when il was discOv-
cred that ii had been literally burned
through in many places, and when the
lid was uncovered the receptacle was alb
solutcly empty without the faintest trace
within Of the remains. The coffin was
subsequently conveyed Oh a bier, fol-
lowed by an immense crowd, and de-
posted on the couch in the deceased's
residence. where a few days previously
he had breathcd his last.-New York
Tribune.