While walking through the streets of the city in search of adventure one day, we were startled by a most horrid din, and, looking up, saw approaching a band of musicians, blowing and beating their instruments for dear life. Following this were the bearers of a coffin, which was placed upon a bier, the coffin resembling very much in shape the trunk of a tree, with the larger or spreading part for the head of the deceased, who, we were informed, was the “head” of a family. Next came the mourners—the wife and children of the deceased—dressed in pure white, which is their color for mourning. A number of the friends of the deceased, with about twenty American sailors, “slightly elevated,” brought up the rear. The whole procession was going on “a run”—music, mourners, and all hands—“running away from Josh,” as Boston Jack informed us. “Josh” is their evil spirit, and they believe that if they can get the deceased into the ground “in a hurry,” Josh will not trouble him, especially if music is used to frighten him; and we could not but think that the “music by the band,” together with the shouts and yells of the drunken sailors, was enough to frighten his Satanic majesty himself, and drive him out of the city. We stood viewing the procession until they passed from sight, and then came to the sage conclusion that “it takes all kinds of people to form a world.”
They are very strict in their laws about marriage in one sense, and rather loose in another. A Chinaman can have but one wife, who, in marrying, assumes his name; but he is allowed as many _handmaids_ as he chooses to have. Thus they avoid polygamy, and still practice it. Marriage, also, between those bearing the same name is unlawful. The grounds of divorce are seven, some of which are rather amusing. The first is barrenness; the others are adultery, disobedience to the husband’s parents, talkativeness, thieving, ill-temper, and inveterate infirmities. Any of these, however, may be set aside by three circumstances: the wife having mourned for the husband’s parents; the family, since marriage, having acquired wealth; and the wife having no parent to receive her back. It is, in all cases, disreputable for a widow to marry again, and in some instances, especially those of a particular rank, it is illegal.