Identifier: travelsincentral01mouh (find matches)
Title: Travels in the central parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos : during the years 1858, 1859, and 1860
Year: 1864 (1860s)
Authors: Mouhot, Henri, 1826-1861 Mouhot, Charles
Subjects: Mouhot, Henri, 1826-1861
Publisher: London : John Murray
Contributing Library: University of Connecticut Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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after him the rope, to which was attached animmense boa. The head of the reptile had been shatteredby my fire, and his death had been instantaneous, butwe sought to penetrate no farther into the grotto. I had been told that the Siamese were about to celebratea grand fete at a pagoda about three miles off, in honourof a superior priest who died last year, and whose remainswere now to be burned according to the custom of thecountry. I went to see this singular ceremony, hopingto gain some information respectiag the amusements ofthis people, and arrived at the place about eight in themorning, the time for breakfast, or Kinkao (rice-eating). Nearly two thousand Siamese of both sexesfrom Chantaboun and the surrounding villages, some incarriages and some on foot, were scattered over theground in the neighbourhood of the pagoda. All worenew sashes and dresses of brilliant colours, and the effectof the various motley groups was most striking. Under a vast roof of planks supported by columns,
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Chap. V. FUNEEAL EITES. 171 forming a kind of shed, bordered by pieces of stuffcovered with, grotesque paintings representing men andanimals in the most extraordinary attitudes, was con-structed an imitation rock of coloured pasteboard, onwhich was placed a catafalque lavishly decorated withgilding and carved work, and containing an urn in whichwere the precious remains of the priest. Here and therewere arranged pieces of paper and stuff in the form offlags. Outside the building was prepared the funeral pile,and at some distance off a platform was erected for theaccommodation of a band of musicians, who played upondifferent instruments of the country. Farther away somewomen had established a market for the sale of fruit,bonbons, and arrack, wliile in another quarter someChinamen and Siamese were performing, in a littletheatre run up for the occasion, scenes something in thestyle of those exhibited by our strolling actors at fairs.This fete, which lasted for three days, had nothing at

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