482 



The mourning is continued by the near rela- 

 tives for tbirty five, or forty dap, daring which 

 period all the ordinary duties of life are neglected* 

 They do not shave theraselve?, go out of the 

 house, nor wear any thing but white. They must 

 sleep every night upon tlie bare floor in front of 

 the ashes, whilst the lamentations three times a 

 day are continued duriog the same period. 



On the third day, inclusive of that of inter- 

 ment, a prodigal feast, ostensibly given as a to- 

 ken of gratitude to those who have honoured the 

 obseciiiies with their presence, is prepared at the 

 tomb. Wine, opium, arrack, and other stimulants, 

 are freely circulated, and debauchery and gamb- 

 ling mark the hours, it not being an nncommon 

 occurrence for blood to be shed during the fran- 

 ticaexcitement of the evening* On the return of 

 the party to the house^ the whole assemble round 

 the model containing the ashes, and thus address 

 the latter — " We have been to-day to see you in 

 your new house (the tomb) — we looked in, but it 

 was empty— we knew not that you had come hi- 

 ther 



On this day also the Tookang BaUoo, or brick- 

 layer, is summoned to build the tomb, the price 

 of which varies from three, to four, hundred dol- 

 lars. It is built horizontally, or rather following 

 the slope of the hill, in the shape of a horse-shoe; 

 the round part, or toe, being intended to repre- 

 sent the shoulders of a man, (the head being sunk 

 between them)» and the heel widening out into a 

 rude resemblance of a chair, in order to depict a 

 human figure iu an attitude of repose. 



