154 



A VISIT FROM BUDDHA. 



Chap. VIII. 



knocked their heads many times on the ground. 

 At this particular moment the whole scene was 

 one of the strangest it had ever been my lot to 

 witness, and, although I knew it was nothing else 

 than delusion and idolatry, I must confess it pro- 

 duced an almost superstitious effect on my feelings. 

 " And is Buddha now here in the midst of us ? " 

 I asked the gentleman at my elbow. " Yes, he 

 is," he said ; " the high-priest sees him, although 

 he is not visible to any one besides." Things 

 remained in this state for a minute or two, and 

 then the leader of the ceremonies commenced once 

 more to chant in that drawling tone I have al- 

 ready noticed, to make various gyrations with his 

 hands, placing and replacing the rice-grains, and 

 the others joined in as before. My old friend the 

 priest, who had brought me in to see these cere- 

 monies, now presented himself and told me I had 

 seen all that was worth seeing, that the services 

 were nearly over, and that it was very late and 

 time to go home. On our way to our quarters he 

 informed me the funeral would take place early 

 next morning, just before sunrise, and that if 

 I wished to attend he would call me at the proper 

 time. 



Early in the twilight of next morning, and just 

 before the sun's rays had tinged the peaks of the 

 highest mountains, I was awakened by the loud 

 report of fireworks. Dressing hastily, I hurried 

 down to the house where the scene of the pre- 

 ceding evening had been acted, and found myself 



