A Woman's Journey Round The World, From Vienna To Brazil, Chili, Tahiti, China, Hindostan, Persia, And Asia Minor By Ida Pfeiffer
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The men, of whom
there were a great number present, seated themselves quietly in
front of it.
At the expiration of some hours, the dead body was
enveloped in a white shroud, laid upon an open bier, and carried by
the men to the place where it was to be burnt. One of them carried
a vessel with charcoal and a piece of lighted wood, for the purpose
of igniting the wood with the fire of the house.
The women remained behind, and collected in front of the house in a
small circle, in the middle of which was placed a woman who was
hired to assist in the lamentations. She commenced a wailing song
of several stanzas, at the end of each of which the whole joined in
chorus; they kept time also by beating their breasts with the right
hand and bowing their heads to the ground. They executed this
movement as quickly and regularly as if they had been dolls worked
by a wire.
After this had been carried on for a quarter of an hour, there was a
short pause, during which the women struck their breasts with both
their fists so violently, that the blows could be heard at some
considerable distance. After each blow, they stretched their hands
up high and bowed their heads very low, all with great regularity
and rapidity. This proceeding seemed even more comical than the
first. After much exertion, they seated themselves round in a ring,
drank toddy, and smoked tobacco.
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