130 
Japan and the Japanese, 
these, marched three priests of the highest order, robed in 
gorgeous vestments, like those worn in the Romish Church. 
Each carried a fan, that oriental symbol of authority, and 
wore a tall hat of golden-coloured silk, with a cape falling 
upon the shoulders. Then came about thirty of the gentry, 
all bareheaded, the fashion in Japan, and dressed in the offi- 
cial costume, with swords by their sides j and a long line of 
women and children brought up the procession. It marched 
a long distance into the country, and as it wound along hill 
and valley, with flaunting streamers and sounding cymbals, 
the scene was weird and unearthly. At last they reached 
the appointed spot ; the bier was laid on two stone pillars, 
its frame was taken apart, and inside was seen a cask like a 
small half-barrel, well hooped. This is the coffin, and into 
this the corpse has been packed into a sitting position, and 
all spare room filled with combustibles. The sacred chairs 
are placed opposite to this cask, and are occupied by the 
high-priests, and on a bench between them are laid the 
cereal offerings. The people gather around, and commence 
a low-toned and monotonous chant, probably a mere repe- 
tition of the name of their deity, after which one of the 
priests approaches the dead, and mutters a prayer. In the 
meantime the thirty men previously mentioned are kneeling 
near by on a matting, and are scattering bits of white paper, 
probably to distract the attention of the devil, while the 
others secure the safety of the departed. Several of the 
assembly wear white paper crescents on their foreheads, and 
their duty appears to consist in passing around, and bowing 
very low to the others. The services are closed by burning 
the body, and after all others retire, the undertaker remains 
to gather up the ashes, which are placed in an urn and 
buried. 
This funeral was evidently that of a Shintoist of the aristo- 
