The bier was a shallow
wooden tray, carried upon a light and weak wooden frame.
The tray
had, in general, no lid, but the body was more or less hidden from
view by a shawl or scarf. The whole was borne upon the shoulders
of men, who contrived to cut along with their burthen at a great
pace. Two or three singers generally preceded the bier; the
howlers (who are paid for their vocal labours) followed after, and
last of all came such of the dead man's friends and relations as
could keep up with such a rapid procession; these, especially the
women, would get terribly blown, and would straggle back into the
rear; many were fairly "beaten off." I never observed any
appearance of mourning in the mourners: the pace was too severe
for any solemn affectation of grief.
When first I arrived at Cairo the funerals that daily passed under
my windows were many, but still there were frequent and long
intervals without a single howl. Every day, however (except one,
when I fancied that I observed a diminution of funerals), these
intervals became less frequent and shorter, and at last, the
passing of the howlers from morn till noon was almost incessant. I
believe that about one-half of the whole people was carried off by
this visitation. The Orientals, however, have more quiet fortitude
than Europeans under afflictions of this sort, and they never allow
the plague to interfere with their religious usages.
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