little information that is new to communicate.
Marriage ceremonies, as in other countries of the
East, are accompanied by theatrical representations,
gymnastics, music, and distribution of presents.
The actual ceremony is performed by the
senior male relations; it consists in joining the
right hands of the bride and bridegroom with
a white cotton thread, and passing a similar one
round their heads, brought into juxtaposition.
The priests repeat hymns in the Bali language,
and an elder of the family pronounces the words
“ Be man and wife, and live together until death
part you.”
Funeral rites are matters of great moment, and
I have already given some description of them
in the body of the narrative. '. Those to which I
have alluded, are not, however, the only ones
practised. The bodies of the great are always
kept for a long time embalmed before being consumed
on the funeral pile. The period is determined
by the rank of the deceased, and extends
from one to twelve months. The persons to whom
these honours are paid in the most distinguished
manner, are the high officers of state, the princes
and princesses of the blood, but, above all, the
high-priest and the king. The costliness and
splendour of the rites on these occasions may
be judged of, from the following description of
those observed at the funeral of the late king.
It was furnished to me by Mr. Gillies, a most
respectable and intelligent British merchant, who
resided for some time in Siam, and was an eyewitness.
M “ Immediately on the death of the King, which
happened in July, 1824, the building of a large
edifice in the form of a temple, was commenced
for a funeral pile for burning the body on, according
to the custom of the country ; not only in regard
to the kings, but to all classes of the people.
This building, which took nine months in finishing,
was yery extensive, and covered at least half
an acre of ground. I t consisted of a large open
dome, about fifty feet high, supported upon immense
wooden pillars, the finest that could be
-procured in Siam. The roof, which was of va"
rious fantastic forms, the parts rising one above,
the other until it came to a point, was covered
with tiles. From the centre of it rose a spire,
composed of five or six flights or stories, decreasing
in size as they rose, and each flight terminating
in a gallery, or circular walk. The édifice
was crowned with a tall slender rod. The height
of the whole fabric I could not exactly learn, but,
from its appearance, I should think it could not
be less than three hundred cubits. The whole of
the interior as well as exterior of the building,
was painted partly green and partly yellow, and
in some places covered with gold and silver leaf,
which gave it a very rich and splendid appearance,
especially at a distance. I t was also sur