IOO 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



one of higher grade happens to be passing below; no mean person may walk upon a floor 

 above that occupied by his betters. As in China, great respect is shown to old age. The 

 king is treated as almost divine, and his subjects on approaching him must prostrate themselves 

 hundreds of times. A person of rank is approached by his attendants in a peculiar prostrate 

 position, the number of prostrations being determined by his rank. 



The education of women is much neglected; few of them can read or write. Many, 

 however, are taught music; and the wives and concubines of nobles are frequently engaged in 

 singing and in giving concerts for the amusement of their lords and guests. A few can 

 embroider, many more can prepare sweetmeats and other delicacies for the table. !No sooner 

 has a child been bom than the mother is placed near a large fire, where she remains for 

 days, exposed to such intense heat that serious illness and even death sometimes ensue. So 

 strong is the prejudice in favour of this barbarous practice, both among high and low, that 

 the king himself has vainly attempted to stop it. 



Marriages take place at an early age. When the necessary negotiations have been nearly 

 completed, the bridegroom travels by water to the house of the bride-elect, in a large boat 

 gaily adorned with flags, and laden with presents, such as garments for his future wife, plates, 

 fruits, betel-nut, etc. In the centre is a huge cake, in the form of a pyramid, and decorated 

 with bright colours. Musicians in the boat play as it glides along. Arrived at his destination, 

 the bridegroom lauds and makes his way to the house to arrange the final details and to fix 

 the happy day. There is no religious ceremony, only a great feast, at which the musicians 

 again perform. 



When any one is grievously ill, the priests sprinkle holy water over him, recite passages 

 from the sacred books, and utter loud exclamations. When death takes place, the family 

 address the deceased in some such terms as these: "0 father, benefactor, why leave us? 

 What have we done to offend you? Why depart alone? It was your own fault; why did 

 you eat the fruit that caused the dysentery? misery! desolation!" The body, having 



been washed and enveloped in white cloth, 

 is placed in a coffin covered with gilded 

 paper and decorated with tinsel flowers. A 

 dai's is prepared ornamented with the same 

 materials as the coffin, but with wreaths of 

 flowers and a number of wax lights. After 

 a day or two the coffin is removed, not 

 through the door, but through an opening 

 specially made in the wall. It is then carried 

 three times round the house at full speed, 

 in the hope that the ghost of the dead 

 person, forgetting the way through which he 

 or she has passed, will not be able to return 

 to molest the living. The coffin is then 

 taken, to the sound of melancholy music, to 

 a large barge, and placed on a platform 

 surmounted by the dai's. A procession of 

 small boats containing the friends and re- 

 lations accompanies the barge to the temple, 

 where the cremation takes place. The officials 

 charged with this duty wash the face of 

 the corpse with cocoanut milk. With the 

 poorest people, however, the body, instead 

 of being cremated, is cut up and given to 

 [Bangkok. * ne birds of prey. After a cremation, the 

 relations assemble, collect the principal 



Photo by Mr. 11. W. Jlolfe] 



A BUDDHIST PRIEST. 



