Chap. III. 



THE MEREY MOURNER. 



65 



mourning by putting on a gown of sackcloth over 

 her gay dress, but on seeing I was looking on she 

 stopped immediately and threw the gown to her 

 attendants, with whom she was laughing and chat- 

 ting away, as if grief and she were perfect stran- 

 gers to each other. Anxious as I was to witness 

 her proceedings, I felt it was wrong and indelicate 

 in me to remain in my present position, so I 

 walked onwards until a small hedge and clump 

 of bamboos hid the party from my view. I then 

 turned into the plantation, and selected a spot 

 where through an opening in the foliage I could 

 see all without being seen myself. The handsome 

 widow, for such she apparently was, had again put 

 on her sackcloth robe, her women were standing 

 by her side, and the wailing commenced in the 

 most business-like manner. This continued for 

 nearly half an hour, while at the same time in- 

 cense was burned, and various tawdry-looking 

 strips of paper were hung about the grave. At 

 last the ceremony was finished, the coarse sack- 

 cloth was consigned to the coolie, and the lady, all 

 gay as before, and with but little traces of grief, 

 stepped into her chair and was carried away. 



For many weeks after these visits to the tombs 

 numerous long strips of gay-coloured paper are 

 seen hanging about the graves. In my researches 

 amongst these hills I was much struck with one 

 thing, which I must mention here, and from which 

 all may learn a useful lesson. Here and there, 

 amongst those tombs which had been cleaned and 



