The age-herald., 1901-11-10

Tn reality, it sufiees to gain q good idea
 or the Parsee burial method, if the de-
 courlng of corpses by carrion birds may i be called burial. Ihe compound, surrounded by hieh
 walls, 1ncloses five round towers of ap-
 ProAlhately the same size which on account of their proportionateIy small
 height, appear rather souattv. Their 1 tops appear flat, and their walls are of l plam masonry. The towers are at A
 snort distance from each other and are
 nal1 hidden behind trees and shrubbery. 1 three or then%serve for general use one 1 Tor the disposal of suicides and the fifth
 has been reserved for the last PRO veara l exclusively for members of the Modi | family. The designs and inner arrange ments of all five towers are alike.
 low door and a stairway lead to the top or the tower and to a round platform slightly inclined toward the center. which is surrounded to a height of about three feet by the outside walls, thereby remain ing invisible to the observer. In the cen- ter of this platform yawns the opening of deep shaft, from the bottom of which subterranean drains lead to several deep Weels. Around the edge of this shaft are three rows of stone slabs intended for the exposure of corpses, wnach are placed here naked and with the faces turned toward heaven. The row of small CT slabs next to tho shaft Is designed for children. the middle one for women and the third one, next to the wall for men. Not more than one or two hours are nec- essa-y for the ever hungry carrion birds to devour a body, and to clean the bones thoroughly from the smallest particles of flesh. after which gun and rain add their share towards the work of rapid and total decomposition.
 When the platform becomes filled and more room has to be made for the silent newcomers, the bleached and brittle bones are swept by the tower guards. who are obliged to take a bath after each funer- al, into the shaft. where they soon are totally decomposed. and finally deposited In the shape of lfme and phosphorus by means of the drains, into the subterran- can wells.
 Raid of the Vultures.
 The funerals take place in the morning before 9 o'clock or before sunset shortly after D. m., and only at this hours are the big birds getting restless in the trees and on the walls of the compound, where during the rest of the day they are sit- ting lazily digesting and motionless, only turning their ugly heads with sleepy wink at the approach of man. As the funeraly processions draw rear life comes Into the colony of these ili-looiting ba1d-headed scavengers. The branches of the trees are moving. and the thick bellied hyenas of the air begin to flap lhSiE poWeTIul wings ana 10 Whet their crooked peaks expectantly. From tree to tree they are fluttering nearer to the towers until they settle in thick rows on the copings. their ugly heads turned to- wards the slowly approaching procession The corpse bearers, walking front de- posit their burden about thirty yards from the tower. The cover is removed from the stretcher. and relatives and | friends step rearer to take in mute sor-
 row a last look at the face of the de- l ceased. Now the two tower guards arc ! approachingi who take hold of the bier ' and carry the same followed only by the 1 fearful glances of the mourners through i she low doc. Into the Tower of Silence. \ There the body is diyoa<f of all cloth | 'is and thus deposited upon core | spending slab of the platform
 | The shrieking of the vultures mean while has grown louder, :hsir impatient Tapping of ,dngE more furious, and hardly have the guards left the platform when the whole noisome flock shoots down on their prey from the copings. And now 8 perfect pandemonium breaks loose. What happens up there no one sees: only ear-splitting noises are audible. and only the liveliest imagination can draw the grewsome pictures of the fighting car iron birds as they ravenously tear their prey to pieces or try to rob each other of a coveted morsei.
 The funeral procession leaves, and soon after single vultures rise heavily from the platform. carrying shreds of flesh or intestines in their bloody beaks, and settle in the nearest tree in order to de- vour their prey in peace. At the end of one hour everything has become quiet once more. and, motionlees. the ugly birds are sitting again upon the copings, in the trees, and on the compound walls patiently awaiting the next meal hour.