Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/299

 RELIGIOJJ OF BALI. 255 I had written my account of the funeral rites of the Balinese princes, before reading either the nar-* rative of the Dutch envoys, or the above passage in Purchas, and I have since made no alteration, that the reader may have an opportunity of comparing it with those earlier accounts, and drawing his own conclusions. The Hindus of Bali, like those of India, burn the bodies of their dead ; but differ from the latter in this singular particular, that they keep the dead body for an extraordinary length of time previous to consuming it. The bodies of persons of the lowest condition are usually kept for several weeks, and those of persons of rank often for a year, nay sometimes even for two. A fortunate day must be determined upon by the Brahmins for burning the body, and, during the interval, it is embalmed and preserved in an apartment for the purpose. The Balinese have two great religious festivals, followed the one by the other at an interval of ten days, and repeated twice a-year. The first, in point of time, is called Galungan, and is of five raon mari, et cette nuit je coiicherai avec lui. Arrivee au bucher elle les console de nouveau par les meme discours, et se jette dans les flammes qui la devorent. Si elle s'y refusoit, elle ne seroit plus regardee comme une femme hon^^ete ni comme une bonne epouse.' *' French translation from the original manuscript, p. 217.