The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-07-06

From the Gutesnberg Register.

From the Guttenberg Register.
Communicated By an Ola settler.
In reply to your enquiry Of the 9TH inst,
I would briefly observe that
| IN acquainted with but four persons
now living in the county Of Clayton, who
were residents of Iowa In 1884. These are
Frederick Andres, Mrs Andres, Edward
Dickens and Eliphalet Price. =
The FIRST settlement made in the county
Of Clayton took place in January 1856
During this year, about fifty persons, men,
women and children, moved in upon the
waters Of Turkey River (the only part Of
the country that was occupied by the white
men IN 1850 Of this number, the following
nssned persons are all that are now living
md residing in the county. Henry Redman,
Edphalst Price, Edward Dickens, Henry
T. Lander, Thomas B. Walker, and Ely
Carlin The only female l;y;.e INA he ss.Yn-
" that was here in 1855, Is Mrs. Ocearha
Wadsworth.
In 1886 the emigration to the county,
gave It apopulation of about $50 persons
Of those who came this year and are now
living, and residing in the county, are John
W. 0rifhth, Nathan Springer, Levi Spring
er, Joseph 3. Quigly, Frederick Andres,
Elisha BoardmAn, H. D. Brunson, Moses
Vansickel, John w. Gillctt, Solomon Wads.
worth, Richard Only, George Whitman and
Henry L. Walker lthe first white child born
in the county,
The only females now living in the
county who came here in 1886, are Mrs.
GriMth, Mrs. Andres, Mrs. Quigly, Mrs.
HAggard, Mrs. Sane and Mrs. Raw. The
four last named, were at that time unmar-
ried.
The first marriage in the county, con.
ducted in a christian like manner, was be-
tveen Berryanrine Stout. and War-ma-ne-
nah, = Winnebago girl, known at Cassyille
Is the prairie flower" Ittook place on the
shore Of the Mississippi river where the
town Of Clayton now stands The cere-
mony was performed by Robert r. Reed
who required the Bride and Groom, to Join
hands and jump over canoe paddle, for
ward and backward during the time it took
the Captain to go through the private cere-
mony Of taking drink. Yours, &C., I
Torture Of tho WiAoWs.
In the interior of New Caledonia, which
= east of Vancouver's Island and north Of
the Columbia, among the tribe called Taw-
va-tins, who are also Babines, and also
among other tribes in their neighborhood
the custom prevails Of burning the bodies,
with circumstances of peculiar barbarity of
the WIDOWS OF the deceased. The dead body
OF the husband is laid naked upon large
heap Of resinous wood, his wife is then
placed upon the body and covered over with
4 SKIN; the pile is then lighted, and the
poor woman is compelled to remain until
she is nearly suffocated when she is allow.
ed to descend as best she can through the
smoke and flames. No sooner, however.
does she reach the ground than she is ex.
pected to prevent the body from becoming
distorted BY the action Of the fire on the
muscles and sinews; and whenever such an
event takes place.she must, with bare hands,
resAsre the burning corpse TO rs prober
position; her person being the whole time.
tssIse beat. Should she fail in the due per. |
Torrance Of this indispensable rite, from
weakness or intensity Of pain, she is held
up BY some one until the BODY is consumed
a continual singing and beating Of drums
is kept up throughout the ceremony, which
browns her cries. Afterwards she must
collect the unconsumed pieces Of bone and
asnes and put them into bag made for the
purpose, which she has to carry on her
back for three years; remaining for the time
Sa"so W Arl uusOaNu feldtiOnS, ana be-
ing neither allowed to wash or comb herself
Tor the whole time, SO that she soon becomes
2 NEST disgusting object. At the expira-
ton Of the three years, a feast is given BY
her tormentors, who invite all the friends
and relations Of her and themselves. AT
the commencement they deposit with great
Ceremony the remains on the top of . high
pose, and dance around it. The widow is
then stripped and sineared from head to
foot with fish oil, over which one Of the
bystandars throws a quantity of swans
down, covering her entire perssn She is
Then obliged to dance with The others
Afser Al this is over, she is free to marry
again, II she have the inclination. and
so0raGe enough to venture on second risk
q being roasted alive and the. subsequent
horrors