479 



producing red fiowers, whosa boughs are armed 

 with strong md sharp thorns, is substituted for 

 the bamboo, as emblematical of the g:reater suf- 

 ferings of the sex, especially in the hour of par- 

 turition. 



The females ofthe family in the mournful train rc* 

 move their fillets, and their long black hair streams 

 down their backs and glancesinthe sunbeam, con- 

 trasting forcibly with their snow white garments. 

 The nearer relati\^e3 are clothed iu the same 

 coarse garments the sons. To the friends and 

 acquaintances of the deceased a cubit of white 

 cloth, which is thrown indifferenlly over either 

 shoulder. A red string is usually worn by these 

 parties; but, as many'of the personal friends may 

 be of a different religious persuasion, marks of at- 

 tention corresponding with their creed and habits 

 are bestowed. A Mussulman, for instance, is 

 presented with the red string— a Hindoo, with a 

 Brahminical cord— a l^ortuguese, with a cheroot 

 -^and an Englishman, or Dutchman, with the 

 dibit of white cloth— Some common wood ashes, 

 taken from the house, and placed in an earthen 

 vessel, accompany the procession. At the cor- 

 ner of each street, the sons prostrate themselves 

 on the ground, conjuring the inhabitants to speed 

 the departed spirit to its rest by their prayers. 



If the deceased had been, during his life time, 

 a person of opulence, his remains are followed by 

 three priests, with large umbrellas ; if he had be- 

 longed to the lower orders, by but one. The 

 dress of these priests closely approximates that 

 of the European clergy, consisting of a black cm- 



