In all the villages I saw poultry and swine in great numbers, but
not more than three horses and a buffalo-cow; both the horses and
the cow were of an extremely small breed.
When we had nearly reached the end of our excursion, we met a
funeral. A horrible kind of music gave us warning that something
extraordinary was approaching, and we had hardly time to look up and
step on one side, before the procession came flying past us at full
speed. First came the worthy musicians, followed by a few Chinese,
next two empty litters carried by porters, and then the hollow trunk
of a tree, representing the coffin, hanging to a long pole, and
carried in a similar manner: last of all, were some priests and a
crowd of people.
The chief priest wore a kind of white {110} fool's cap, with three
points; the other persons, who consisted of men alone, had a kind of
white cloth bound round their head or arm.
I was lucky enough to be enabled to visit some of the summer palaces
and gardens of the nobility.
The finest of all was certainly that belonging to the Mandarin
Howqua.
