Fear of Being Buried Alive Haunts Human Race.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXV, Issue 6, 12 August 1905, Page 60

Fear of Being Buried Alive Haunts Human Race.

( By

T. P. O'Connor.)

Thr many r<*<<*nt cases of persons resuscitated only in time to prevent their being buried alive have set me speculating upon the most sensible mode of interment. That in vogue amongst the least civilised of races the Hottentots seems the kindliest, both in th ancient and modern sense of the word “kindly." The Hottentot, having wrapped the hotly of his dead in skins, lays it in tin* earth in the precise position in which it lay in its mother's womb—a piece <.t symbolism surely as comforting as it is natural. The Turkish mode of sepulture would probably commend itself least to those who dread being buried alive. As the l urks believe that the soul is miserable till the body it has quitted has been buried, internum takes place as soon as possible after death. While this increases the chance of a man's being buried alive, the mode of interment increases the chance of such a living fate, being as horrible as the most morbid imagination could conceive it. No collin is used, and the body, surrounded by a few boards, is covered deep iii earth, with ihe exeep ion of a small opening extending from the head of the corpse to the surface of the ground. A Turkish grave' is never reopened. Each individual must have* a separate* resting-place, and. as it is customary to plant a cypress beside* each grave*, every er met cry *;s a vast and picturesque fores'.. If a Turkish reined cry suggests hor re.rs to the imagination. 1 ne* neighbouring burial place* of the* .Xrmeiiians presents horrors to the* sight. It is an Aimenim custom to re present upon ths* tombs one* the* manner of he* death of the* ent(imbed. ami many. 1 herefore. are* the* representations of men being hangeel or decapitateel. Perhaps the* Tibetan mode of disposing < f the* dead is the* surest, if gruesomest. for i he* prevent ion of burial alive*. The au hor of “To Lhassa at Last’’ seems surprised to find that the* Tibetans exhumed the* bodies of the*ir own coiintrynien whom we* had been at much pains to bury; but the* author of “The l uxe iling of Lhassa” explains this exposure of the* dead as provision for the*

dogs. ravens, ami vultures, in o whose bodies the* souls of the* men may have* t ransmigrateel. “W hen a Tibetan elies lie* is left three* days in his chamber, anel a slit is made in his skull to let his semi pass out. Then he is rolleel into a ball, wrappeel in a sack—or silk if he is rich —packeel into a jar or haske . anel carried along, to the* music of conchshells, to the* ceremonial si one. Here a lama takes the* corpse emt of its vessel anel wrappings anel lays it. face down wards, on a large Hat slab, and the* pensioners—dogs, pigs, anel vultures —prowl or hop round, waiting for their elede. They are* epiite* tame*. “The lamas s.anel a little way apart anel se*e* that strict etiquette is observed during the entertainment. The carver begins at the* ankle* anel cuts upward, throwing little* strips of ilesh .o the guests. Morbid folk whose lives are darkened by the* shadow of death anel by fears and cares abend their burial—folk who would read their own gloomy meaning into the* wholesome doctrine of St. Augustine*: “Curatio funeris, conditio sepultura,*. pemipa exequiaruni, magis sunt vivarum solatia, quam subsidia mort uorum.” Here* is a delightful story of the canny and pawky Scotch mode of deal ing \vi;h such cranks: An olel Glasgow shoemaker was sitting by the* bedside* of his dying wife*, administering to her dry as dust religious viaticum for her long and elark journey, which she interiiipted by taking him affectionately by he* hand and saying: ‘WVeel. John: we're* gawin’ to part. I hae been a glide wife to you, John.” •“(). just middilhr, just middlin'. Jonny.” John replied drily. ‘M.ohu.” she* gasppd. admiringly. “ye maim promise* to bury me* in the* auhl kirkyard at Stra’von. beside* my mither I could na rest in peace among .line*. ’ folk in the* dirt and smoke of Glasgow.*’ ‘•Weed. weel. Jenny, my woman,” replieel John, soothingly, “we'll just pit you in the* Gorbals first and gin ye dinna lie* epiiet there we'll try you sine in Stra’von.” O $ & O <>h! Thou husky, asthmatic old fellow. Whom coughing has bent like a how: Them child with the colic, whose* bellow Distrubs the whole neighbourhood so. O’ Lad with the* appetite hearty. Whom sweet inrats too greatly allure*: Now mark what I say. nor depart ye From WOODS’ GREAT PEPPERMINT CURE.