New-York tribune., 1901-05-26

THE WEIRD SPECTACLE cor rr IN cEY-
LON FOR THE ENGLISH ROYAL. PARTY.

LON FOR THE ENGLISH KOYAL PARTY.
Ccylon correspondent of The London standard
OF all the spectacles presented To the yes Of
the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York
the strangcst and the Wer!eSt Wrs ta. Pcra-
hara, or procession of elcI hlntS. TIL cNhi-
btions part of the buddhist ritual. and
Ccylon is noted for its plants. sacred Stut
of forty is kept for festivals. the chiefs in tn
neighborhood acting as guardians. II was dat X
Whch lhr performers Sih 10 dSS'i'io'c a. "a .
entrance to tn" pavilion grounds "a long lin" 81
men and animals in fantastic dress. Tke &.r
famed with torches and rceNcd win coc"a2ut
oil. and thousands of natives hl!td the lanes
with a medley of color. Their royal ghnesses.
having dfncd. came out upon the balcony Of the
White HOUSE with the massiy" white pillars.
The gardens shrouded in hltckncss and
silence Suddenly from the distance came The
sound of the tom tom ana In" shrill not. f M
Chettey pipe. There is a subtle samcncsS n all
Eastern music. TFc tom tom and TIN Zip. the
devil dancer We're in my ears as the tCho of
pervish drum and omoh,iha sounding IN charge
At omdurman. The head II 'he pF'crs,i II ap-
pcdrrd. II WAS white cl' phdnt on a cart
drawn hy patient tu.iork 2nd att' nd"d ~ a
headman in Hat round zap. one was naturally
curious To learn Why this very oaV."Cs pr perry
animal should have Tho placs OF honor. SEEING
that SO many magnificent boasts were behind
"l!"causc II Is beautiful s1ii IN" hc2dmHn.
hiding under an air ~ EraNr courtesy ms sur
prise that any should doubt It's claim TO be
lender.
Noisy and SLOWLY the procession unfoldcd
ltsctf. in waves of yellow iEht FROM hundreds
of long torches held iH brown khan CinSa!rs"
m" order ~ their coming MAS after this fashion
First walked a company 'f mtn 90 bose iob IS
oi whit. and rcd or clad only iu camhpy or
waist cloth. thc light cleaning 20 ia ir shining
bodies. E"hrd trem marched three elephants
iu fi.h tr.tIplu-S tho rui,iil- and largest h,N nE
crimson -o'i-cubroider clHth drawn over
his head. leaving only eyes and -irs u",'Ect't
Ou their heels whrlod tn devil ian""rs -ith"
figures. stripped 10 The WAIST. the sweat stream
ng from th"ir dark bodies as ,hry lrapt and
turned and chant-d strange. ''"not'nous
.hant t. NJ Boating .f drum ana ne shriekinE
Of pipe. som" We're chiidr"n. others Fhite-
headed OF solemn couutruduc~ that was
crotcsqurly out of hlrmony with thr'r strange
antics. 50 chief IF any pri and dignity
would dcien to appear in thes, professions Win
out his devil dancers. do not know whether
rank is measured by thr numb or by tho
manifest that Distinctions exist even in devil
worshipp-rs for tn" number. tn" dress and the
magnihccncc II the ch"ftainS VIII" followed
these cyclones of color and sound
The Kandyan chief may he "A handsome and
even an imposing man. IL has the di%niticd
solcmnty Of the Turk AMI The beard II the
Prophet. His dress too, is splendid. In the
days of the kings 1t WAS simple white. but since
they can LONGER hc Courticts at home. the
chiefs have put on the dress Of their kings
Around tho waist are wound II r'y sixty yards
Of white silk. embroidered with ..TSon and
gold. Tn" many folds are gathered at the waist
into "A great bulk. ana end in gold frinecs
that fall white linen trousers with
broad frilled edges. The feet are bare but
on the head is a at in shape not unlike a shrine
and in wealth Of gold ana gems not unworthy
the altar of some saint. Thr upper part of the
body is clothed in a Z"uaVc jacket richly en-
brOdcrcd in red and gold. and worn over Il white
frilled shirt. Each chief has on the second fin
ger of the right hand ring of enormous size,
resembling in shape the apostolic ring of the
Pope. The chiefs walked in lines of s;N seven.
having between tn" lines "lcphaniS ava devil
dancers and torchbcarers. when they drew
near to the balcony there a short halt. and
the prOcC SSun. turning u tie left. rcfO. med in
front of the pavilion. The cleuhants ranged
themselves in line the green lawn. that shune
strangely vivid green in the light of the
torches The devil dancers gathered together
in the centre, and gave the mSclVeS up To-
frcnZed dance. Not the dancing DerViSECS of
Damascus. not the bowling Dervishes of Isei-
ber. could excel them in antics and HoiSe as they
SWeatcd and turned and threw thcmS, Ives into
the air with an energy and an abandon that had
at least the ScfnhlanCc of religious frenzy Their
cXertons were rewarded by few words of
thanks from the duke who declared himself
greatly pleased and Interested