The chamber dark of death Shall open to his soul. The sea shall rise in waves; Surround on every side, But yet that awful bridge No thicker than a thread, Shall stand both firm and strong. The dragon's yawning mouth Is shut--it brings no fear. The palaces of heaven Throw open wide their doors. Chorus--Open wide their doors. The thorny path is steep, Yet shall his soul go safe. The silver pillar stands So near--he touches it. He may approach the wall The golden wall of heaven. The burning pillar's flame Shall have no heat for him. Chorus--Shall have no heat. Oh let us never doubt That all his sins are gone, That Bassava forgives. May it be well with him! Chorus--May it be well! Let all be well with him! Chorus--Let all be well. Surely an impressive burial service to have been found in use amongst a poor little obscure tribe of Indian mountaineers! It cannot be said that this moral attitude is often reached. Research into funeral rites, of whatever nature, confronts us with much that would be ludicrous were it not so very pitiful, for humanity has displayed a fatal tendency to rush into the committal of ghastly absurdities by way of showing the most sacred kind of grief. Yet, take them all in all, the death laments of the people form a striking and beautiful manifestation of such homage as "Life may give for love to death." [Footnote 1: "Calling the dead" was without doubt once general amongst all classes--which may be true of all the customs that we are now inclined to associate with only the very poor. In the striking mediaeval ceremonial performed at the entombment of King Alfonso in the vault at the Escurial, the final act was that of the Lord Chamberlain, who unlocked the coffin, and in the midst of profound silence shouted into the king's ear, "Senor, Senor, Senor." After which he rose, saying, "His majesty does not answer. Then it is true the king is dead."] [Footnote 2: The child's "personal fate."] [Footnote 3: The brother.] [Footnote 4: A little sister had died before.] [Footnote 5: He had recourse to the Rajahs, whose courts under the old regime, had become a byeword for oppression and corruption.] [Footnote 6: Compare _Inferno_, Canto vii.] BOOKS OF REFERENCE. Alecsandri, Vasile. Poesii Populare ale Romanilor. 1867. ---- Les Doinas. Poesies Moldaves. 1855. Alexander, Francesca. Roadside Songs of Tuscany (in ten parts, edited by John Ruskin, LL.D.). 1885. Arbaud, Damase. Chants Populaires de la Provence. 2 vols 1864. Armana Provencau. 1870. Avolio, Corrado. Canti Popolari di Noto. 1875. Bernoni, Dom. Giuseppe. Canti Populari Veneziani. 1873. ---- Preghiere Populari Veneziane. 1873. ---- Leggende Fantastiche Populari Veneziane. 1873.