New-York daily tribune., 1859-01-04
CURIOUS INDIAN CEREMONIES IN
CALIFORNIA.
LETTER FROM A LADY.

tAddest C all the year mere perfectly HIg1lu, no
winds or cloudy weather, the sky deeply, dsrkly
beautifully blue, the pbere clear, AID 20 warm IN
the ddle Of the day that open windows and doors are
almost Indispensable Indeed, Winter n-ver comes
here; Autumn has ore month added to its number;
then comes Spnrg and Summer. sach with four months
and most comfortable arrangement it is. So warm
ard Spdng.lke is the air that one might think Sum
mer near u. hand II not for the Ggh frosts winch
scatter the leaves and wtber the sra-s bnt toe cattle
know better aud with wonderful ns,inc', when the
feed fails here, make their way down 70 the valley of
the Sacramento where grass has already started
in spte Of fences scd the wstchful Of the
"bucharios.'
Miners going down in comfortable numbers from
the Sierra Nevadas to find diggtgs during the rainy
feason, where they will not be troubled by snow.
Som. have a male laden with their blankets, clothing
and inning 'oos, some carry huge bundles on their
backs podding along their weary way. The Indians,
too, seem more unsettled than usual. Rowing about
and camping under trees ,nd bushes anywhere, does
nOt answer SO well in the rainy season and they are
making "csmpoodi.s Of bark iu sheltered psces,
gathering stores Of berries AMI nuts, and making pre-
parations for teir annual burning Of clothes ard pro-
vsions, and the lament or "cry for their dead
Afew dsys since, On rising from the breakastable-
all and telegraph the long-lookedfor, but neverto
arrive, line Of steamers the surrounding oggings,
and last "big .trikes'-we became aware Of the fact
that an out''dtr wss viewing With great apparent
interest, who, with Aattened upon the winios-
pane This way Of Rocking, cooliy continued h. sur.
yey until bidden to come in. He Immediately mad.
bis way to the kchep.frs and standing there, warm
ing his bare feet chilled by walking on the frosty
ground he presented good type OF the present race
Of Californian Indians.
"Csrsr" indignantly ejects the name Of Digger
lsppled to them because they dix worms and roots,
and eat the came cooked hot stones and irst
scquaintarce ce denied having any name, "Ipdsno' or
"Americaro," saying, "Me no I nsme." After pro-
posing teversl for his acceptance which did not suit,
Caesar was mentioned, and seemed to tickle his
fancy and he has responded TO it ever since
He is tall straight, and vel built hss regular fea
lures, thin mus.aebe, bright eyes pleasant express
son long black hair ted up on back of his head,
and in cool weather covered with bead-dress, knit
ike tidy" of cotton cord and stained in varou.
patterns With red and black psiu Feathers and beads
are sometimes placed in it, and strip of for bound
around the forehead. Ear rings OF bone, stained
black, necklace of beads shells, woo!en shirt and
trowsen ard belt of cotton CLOTH complete his COS
tune. He always carries bic bow and srrOws IN his
hand the latter wrapped in foX-skin.
He is not the brsvest Of the brave, Judging hom
his report Of hiusef at a recent fight. Ne no
fight; me mucho look on" Tnereis, however nothing
crineing in hs manner. BE al~sys demands-a., Give
me bread and never enrsats We hire him
sonally to perform the duties Of washerwomsn,
newer Of wood and drawer Of ws,er," and find him
faithful to tis work for half dsy, at least, and
always honest.
lie had come to inform us that Iodisns have
"mucto biz tire ore sleep at ole campoodee.
"Ipdsn come all round, Captain Tom come-Yesh
"Mucho burn, mahala mucbo cry, yeshr' from which
isrcon re gathered that their annual lament Was TO
ieke place the next pght about quarter of mile
dis'snt, at their od camping ground, elevated
spot thai ov.rlooks this tle valley, which they say
was big l-ke lopg time sgo-mucoo f.n catcn.'
AL that cay Indians came struggling along from
different directions ia small parties, the msialas
lsquaws) bending under heavy burdens, mschah-hes
chldreu running beside them, and dogs Of al degrees
of eanness, everywhere.
Fires lighted in varioos places; councils held,
guns fired, aid whoops aud yeLs heard occasionally
during the night. BY tue next night about two hun
drcd assembled, and after It vas fairly dark,
words cannot describe the dismal horrid sounds that
reached our iroul their burning.
Slespvas out ot tie question, and abou al hour
before day eht. when the grand climax is generally
attained set out tor their camp little rise Of
srouLd bid il from our view until came qai.e near
then the wild, strange scene, in the framework o!
gloomy night, vas very striking. A huge fire bazed
up from the center of the camp which was about
rIty feet ip circumference, and inclosed by breast
work OF logs, t'ees and bushes about five feet high.
Around the FIRE q circle Of Inalalas, swing
ing their bodies TO and fro If, in agony
of grief; and amid the sobs, moans and sbreks
of some Others poured forth the shrll mournful cry,
Oh-b.h.wah.ge-ye eee,' and few braves JUS:
without the circle joined in with deep guerA sound,
" Or -vsh On wah Oh.h-h wah al !" sometimes end
irg in perfect yell of dspar and grief. When one
was exhausted aIothsr would step in and take be,
place, fold her blanket tightly around her, or put
over her head and Immediately fall into the state OF
Of the others /, is the custom Of these Indians
10 burn their dead the ashes being sacreiy preserved
and mixed with black paint. Wta this the female
relatives their hair and cheeks. Some Of the
mouuers were thus dishgur-d, sIi probably were
relatives Of an Indian who died l.st Autumn.
Just behind them q circle OF about thirty poles,
from fifteen to twenty feet in hight planted firmly II the
ground and, us; looming up almost INTO the darkness
beyond the freight, these were covered with the
greater par Of the possessions Of the poor ssvsgss
which they ave been torg 10 obtain socethe burning
as Auturr D. and with self-sscrf ing devotion that
gh, put civilized rstions 70 the tu.h they were soon