No later than yesterday we had a good example of the ceremony for the dead of which I have spoken. This is the case of a Chinaman born in Penang, whose wife died in the latter part of last year, but the ceremonies for providing for her comfort in Hades were not performed till yesterday. He should have performed these services several months ago, according to the proper custom, and was very much blamed by the Chinese for having delayed. He told me the secret of the business, however. He did not believe in the thing, as he said, but his wife’s mother was near at hand and all her relations, and because he was going to neglect the matter apparently, they began to give him trouble. For peace, therefore, he made the preparations. In the meantime, the body of his wife was still in the house in the coffin. A Chinese coffin is thick and air-tight—at least, no smell escapes from the decaying body, which sometimes is kept for years in the house or in a temple. This man was not a rich man, but was in good circumstances. He prepared a house about twelve feet square, built of bamboo and paper, most beautifully and carefully finished, the painting on it representing brick, stone, marble, and woods of different kinds. Silver and gold leaf were used profusely; fruits and trees in relief, and figures of all shapes. Inside the house, which was, by the way, beautifully furnished with miniature furniture, reclined the lady of the house, to represent his wife, on a handsome couch. In the house were all the household utensils and everything indicative of wealth. At the door was a handsome sedan chair, and four coolies standing by, ready at her call. Around her were men and women servants in figures about eight inches high, some engaged in one work, some in another. Some were preparing rice, some baking, some washing clothes, some cleaning rice with a fanning mill. All was most tastefully and elegantly made up. Before this house on a table were spread out all kinds of provisions—a little pig roasted, whole chickens, ducks, &c., &c. The heads of these all pointed toward the place where the woman sat. It is, by the way, a Chinese custom, to point the head of an animal, cooked, at the guest to whom you wish to show honor. Outside and over the door of the house, and extending across the whole front, was an elaborate framework of bamboo, covered with gilt paper. This was supposed to represent the grounds before the house, and there were dozens of little figures, all representing the lady’s retainers—some as soldiers, runners, tradesmen, &c. And why all these things? For the comfort and use of the spirit in hell, to mitigate her torments by providing her with comforts. All these things cost about $40 or $50.