ignorance which they professed of the forms and ceremonies
used in the temples. The bodzes are not respected or
esteemed in society ; they are prevented from marrying,
and are not allowed to eat m e a t: few people associate
with them, and even the children turn them into ridicule.
On the occasion of the Loo-choO funeral service over the
grave of the seaman, the bodzes stood behind, and were
not called upon to officiate, the service being entirely performed
by Jeeroo.
In the large temple we saw three gilt idols and various
pictures; but with the exception of the funeral service
ju st alluded to , we never met with any thing in the least
degree resembling a religious ceremony. The bodzes kept
the temple clean swept, and took care of the walks and
hedges, and this appeared to be their only employment.
I t is fair to suppose, however, that the occupation of the
temple by us may have caused a temporary cessation of
their religious observances.
They have large tombs or Cemeteries for their dead,
being mostly of the Chinese form, viz. that of a horse-shoe.
They are formed of stones and mortar, and are covered
with a Coat of cheenam, (shell lime), which is always kept
nicely white-washed and clean swept : some are more highly
finished than others; their size varies from twenty to thirty
feet in length, by twelve to fourteen broad. The coffin.
when: cldsed, is placed in the vault under the tomb, and is
not touched for six or seven years, by which time the flesh
is found, to haye separated and wasted away; the bones are
then collected, , and put into jars ranged in rows on the in-t
side of the vault. Burning is never used a t any stage of the
proceedings, nor under any circumstances. In the course
of time, when these vaults become crowded, the vases are
removed to houses appropriated to their reception above
ground: such must have been the building described by
Mr.-Clifford in the village near Port Melville. The lower
orders, who cannot afford. these expensive tombs,. take
advantage of hollow places in the rocks, which by a little
assistance are made secure vaults. In the cliffs behind the
village of Oonting, the_■ galleries c u t. for th e reception of
the vases must have been the . work of men possessed of
poWer and authority. Not being fully aware what the
Chinese customs are with respect to the dead, in ordinary
Cases, it is impossible for us to say how nearly they resemble
those of Loo-clioo,. but there are certainly some points of
resemblance.
From Mr. Clifford’s notes on the Loo-choo inscriptions,
I have extracted the following particulars.
, “ A number of carved stones, called by the natives
Kawroo, were found a t many places, particularly in the
groves on the hill. The Kawroo is two feet long, by ene