Page:Journal Of The Indian Archipelago And Eastern Asia Series.i, Vol.3 (IA in.ernet.dli.2015.107696).pdf/415

 deceased has need in the other life. In the mountain a deep cavern has been excavated, the entrance to which is in the edifice, and is formed of a large stone. It is in this cavern, which is extended to the middle of the mountain, in a place unknown to the public, that the corpse is deposited. This place is only made known to the persons strictly necessary, for they fear that in case of war the enemy will try to profane the remains of the defunct king, as has already happened in this country; and this is regarded as one of the greatest of misfortunes. From the river to the tomb a floor has been made covered with beautiful mats, and over this floor the coffin was borne and the whole of the convoy marched, who also carried all the boats and stages with great pomp. At the precise hour indicated by the astrologers, the corpse was deposited in the cavera, and with it were interred much gold and silver, precious stones, and many other valuable objects, and then the cavern was closed. This done, three large piles were constructed within the compass of the walls. These piles were composed of boats, of stages and of every thing that had been used in the funeral, and moreover of all the objects which had been in use by the king during his lifetime, of chessmen, musical instruments, fans, boxes, parasols, mats, fillets, carriages &c. &c. and likewise a horse and an elephant, of wood and pasteboard. There was also burned separately a magnificent boat all gilt, in which had been placed gold, silver, and precious stones. This was the boat which had been used by the king during his life, and further another very magnificent boat was burned which had been built for the express purpose of carrying the corpse. The young king applied the fire. During all the time of the burning the mountebanks who before had been mounted upon a stage, and whose duty it was to chase away the devils, conducted themselves in a very singular manner. They danced, leapt, brandished their wooden arms, or firebrands, they sung, they shouted menacing the demons with all kinds of misfortunes, in order to prevent them from entering the cave where the corpse of the king had been interred. When all was consumed the new king and the mandarins quietly returned to the city. In this ceremony, however, several mandarins lost their rank, the least mistake about the ceremonial being most severely punished.

Some months after the funeral, at two different times, there were constructed in a forest near a pagoda, two magnificent palaces of wood with rich furnishings, in all things similar to the palace which the defunct monarch had inhabited. Each palace was composod of twenty rooms, and the