p.5

had not been for some years. In former times when a Mongol
Emperor was buried in any of his countries, several coffins
were carried so as to scare away or rather confuse the spirits
who might interfere with peaceful interment. They [concluded?]
[illegible] which one contained the dead, nor which grave contained
the right coffin. This time they carried only two coffins and a "right
smart" spirit might guess right, since the real one was carried
by 24 men and the empty one by four. Before the coffin
[illegible] [those?] who scattered sham money and real food to appease
the spirits; where others rang bells and beat tom-toms to scare
them away. The procession [illegible] from one side of the street
to the other also to further [bewilder?] the spirits. [Illegible] didn't see
that procession, had some [illegible] of it would return in order
and we were for seeing that. We came to a place where some
gentlemen in European dress were waiting and we were invited
to come [with?] a large [illegible] space surrounded by [illegible]
rails and [beguiled?] by [illegible]. Here about 20 men were waiting
they gave us chairs which was a tremendous [favor?] for we
had [illegible] at least 1 1/2 hours. Then came a long double
line of men carrying huge red gauge [illegible], and when
these had passed there came a group of donkeys, each
carrying a wailing woman in white. They were all doing
their duty as this passed and if they had wailed all of
the [illegible] days as [illegible], I can only say that they earned
all they would be paid. Then came [illegible] [doubles?] line of men
carrying red and white lanterns and these marched [under?]
our open space. Behind them came a closed palanquin
carried by about 8 men, and accompanied by as many