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. As these two ladies were
married daughters, and had left this home, their sackcloth was
not so coarse as that of the daughters-in-law and granddaughters
who dwelt in the palace. It was they who received the guests and
conducted them into the room where the mourners were kneeling.
As the white door screen was raised I saw two rows of white-robed
figures kneeling on the floor, and as I entered they all bent
forward and touched their head to the ground, giving forth as
they did it a low, wailing chant.
Not knowing their customs I went up and stooped over, speaking
first to the Princess and then to the ladies as best I could. I
afterwards watched the other lady visitors and saw that they put
their right hand up near their head as our soldiers salute, and
courtesied to the Princess, her daughter-in-law and her eldest
daughter. They then went over to a little table on which was a
silver sacrificial set, consisting of a wine tankard, a great
bowl, and a number of tiny cups holding but two tablespoonfuls.
They took the cup in its little saucer, and, facing the beautiful
canopied catafalque where the Dowager Princess was lying in
state, they raised the cup as high as their head three times,
emptying and refilling it each time. The mourners prostrated
themselves and gave forth a mournful wail each time the cup was
poured, after which the visitor arose and came over to where we
were, and the ceremony was over
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