On Tuesday, the 23rd of June, a curious sight was witnessed in Peking, inside the Chienmén gate. This was the entrance of tribute-bearing mission of the Nepaulese g, or as he is styled at the Imperial Court, "The King of the Goorkhas." The Chief Ambassador of the Goorkhas was gorgeously arrayed in garments of yellow, red, and blue, and he rode in a green baize sedan chair borne by four bearers in a sort of uniform with native official hats, a man holding a yellow umbrella going in front. Ambassadors of independent Powers would have been seated in similar chairs, but borne by eight, bearers. The Vice-Ambassador rode in an ordinary blue baize sedan chair borne by three bearers. Aman bearing a red umbrella marched in front of this chair. 'Then came the retinue of the Ambassadors, all riding on diminutive Szechuan ponies. 'These' retainers were armed with the national Dread-bladed Kovkori. Then came a small party of native soldiers, a portion of the escort furnished by the Governor of Shuntienfu. After the soldiers came the tribute of the Nepaulese King, borne by some thirty to forty mules, the tribute being packed in boxes strongly corded, except four elephant tusks nearly five feet in length, each pair being carried by one mule. "These tusks were magnificent and astonished the natives by their size and length, as they were a' sight rarely witnessed in that portion of the empire. Another large party of soldiers brought up the rear of this unique procession, an event seen, probably, only once in ten years. The chief of the mission will be introduced to the Emperor this month by either the President of the Mongolian Superintendency or of the Board of Rites, the reason for the delay in this ceremony being the period of strict mourning which his Majest has to go: through owing to the death of his mother, the late Princess Ch'un. 'The length of mourning for parents amongst the Manchus and 'Mongols' is one calendar year; the greater length of three years being observed by Chinese only in obedience to the tenets of Confucianism. The Nepaulese Ambassadors will pay the usual obeisance accorded to their suzerain the Emperor, namely, the three genuflections and nine Kovtors, and the. Emperor will then order a banquet to be given them after reading a translation of the memorial of the King of Nepaul and the list of tribute. This done, " number of return presents will be given the Ambassadors for the King, with the injunction to continue loyal tributaries to the Imperial dynasty, and the mission will then be permitted to return to their country. Missions like the above generally stay six months or so in Peking, being entertained at the expense of the Emperor, who also provides the necessary 2 tole journey of quite one year, oversilver to carry them back to their country—
land.
La Nuit Gounod. 3.—Selection Laidow. 4.—La Belle an Bois dormant Tchaikovsky. 5.—Wie Shattig de Shiner Wald 6.—La Vie pour lo Tsar Glinka. on the balcony the serenade commenced, When their Imperial Majesties appeared
The Band had 180 performers, and the National Hymn was sung by 1,200 voices. After the serenade the Empress saluted the choirs and musicians and retired amid the ringing cheers of the vast assemblage.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.