A FUNERAL. 



99 



been invited. After a good deal of chaunting, 

 a wax taper was given to each person present, 

 and these being lighted, we proceeded to the 

 church which was hard-by, walking in pairs ; the 

 bier followed, carried by four persons, and there 

 was chaunting as we went along. In the middle 

 of the body of the church, a scaffolding was 

 erected of about four feet from the ground, and 

 upon this the bier was placed, the attendants 

 standing round whilst the priests chaunted. The 

 body was soon put into the grave which was 

 in the church, and there was lime in it. The 

 friends of persons deceased aim at having as 

 many priests at the funeral as they can collect 

 and afford to pay ; though on the occasion of 

 which I speak, the priests served without any re- 

 muneration, for the young woman was the near 

 relative of a priest with whom the others were 

 intimate. Likewise all the neighbours who are 

 of an equal rank with the deceased, are invited 

 to attend, that the ceremony may be as splendid 

 as possible. Notwithstanding the manifest in- 

 convenience, and the mischief which the un- 

 w 7 holesomeness of the custom might, and per- 

 haps does cause, all bodies are buried within the 

 churches. Indeed the prejudice against being 

 buried in the open air is so great, that even the 

 priests would not dare to alter this mode of pro- 

 ceeding, supposing that they wished so to do. 

 Towards the end of the same month (Novem- 

 h "2 



