The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-17
SINGULAR INDIAN CFREMONY


Dy lady from near Maysvie, Cal, from which the
1oloWlng account is taken:
The Indians, too, seem more unsettled than
usual Rowing about and camping under trees and
bushes anywhere, does not answer so well in the
rainy season, and they are making 'campoodes''
OF bark in sheltered places gathering stores of ber-
ries and nuts, and making preparations for their
annual burning of clothes and provisions and the
lament or "cry" for their dead
A few days since on rising from the breakfast
tabe-where we had discussed over our coffee the
overland mail and telegraph, the ong-looked for,
but never to-arrive, line of steamers the sur
rounding diggings, and last "big strikes'-we be-
came aware of the fact that an outsider was viewing
US with great apparent interest. who, with nose
nattened upon the window-pane (his way of knock
ing), coolly continued his survey until hidden to
come in. He Immediately made his way to the
Kitchen fire. and, standing there, warming his bare
feet, chilled by walking the frosty ground he
presented good type of the present race of Cali
fornian Indians.
Caesar Indignantly rejects the name of "Dig-
ger" (applied to them because they dig worms ard
roots, and eat the same, cooked on hot sones) and
on our first acquaintance denied having any name
"lndiano," or "Amercano," saving, "Me no |
name After proposing several for his acceptance,
which did not suit, Caesar mentioned, and
seemed to tickle his fancy and he has responded to
it ever since.
He is not the bravest of the brave. Judging from
his report of himself at recent fight 'ssNfe no |
hght me mucho look on" There is however, no
thing cringing in his manner. He always demands
as-"Glve me bread'-and never entreats. We
hire him occasionally to perform the duties of
washerwoman, "hewer of wood and drawer of wa
ter and find him faithful to his work for half a
day, at least, and always honest.
lie had come to inform us that 'lndians have
mucho big time one sleep at ole campoodee. Indian
come all round, Captain Tom come-Yesh! Mucho
burn, mahala mucho cry, yeshl' from which jargon
we gathered that their annual lament was to take
place the next night about quarter of a mile dis
tant, at their old camping ground on an elevated
spot that overlooks this little valley. which they
say was "big lake long time ago-mucho fish
catch.''
All that day Indians came Struggling along from
different directions, in small parties, the mahalas
(squaws) bending under heavy burdens, machah-hes
(children) running beside them, and dogs of all de-
grees OF leanness, everywhere.
Fires were lighted in various places councils
held, guns fired, and whoops and yells heard occa-
slonaly during the night. BY the next night
about two hundred We're assembled, and after it
was fairly dark words cannot describe the dismal,
horrid sounds that reached our ears from their
burning.
Sleep was out of the question, and about an hour
before daylight, when the grand climax is general
ly attained we set out for their camp. A little
'se of ground hid it from our view until we came
tie near; then the Wild strange scene, in the
work OF gloomy night, was very striking.
fire blazed up from the centre of the camp
IS about sixty feet in circumference and
breastwork of logs, trees and bushes
t high Around the fire was circle
uging their bodies to and fro as if
lief; and, amid the sobs moans and
hers poured forth the shr
'h-h-h-wah- e-ye-eee," and
the circle joined in with
'Oh-wah Oh-wah 0hh-h
y in perfect yell of des-
rs exhausted another
"e, fold her blanket
in INN ver soa hef or the head otbsrs and
IT is Il. 'rn their dead,
the ashe mixed with
black pain yes smear
their hair ,ourners
were thus disl. l'atives
of an Indian VIII,
Just behind the ,ty
poles, from fifteen t., 4
lirmly in the ground;
into the darkness beyon,
covered with the greater
the poor savages, which the
obtain since the burning last .
selt-sacrihcing devotion that m
nations to the blush, they were so,
ted to the flames, with the fond be.
would ascend in the smoke to the spit
be given by the Good Spirit to their frie
The greater part the offerings seemed
kets OF all sizes and shapes, made of will
stained in beautiful patterns. They were plat
regular order, according to their sizes on the no
two together, and from the top of the poles bun,
long streamers of ribbon, punches of feathers Of
many colors strings of shells and beads some of the
latter three or four feet long, and as large could
be clasped in the hand Long cords made of small
white feathers, belts and gaily colored handker-
chiefs OF silk and cotton, head-dresses of all kinds
necklaces and earrings in great quantities, orna
| mated with buttons, beads and wampum Upon
other poles were valuable furs, principally bear
! which the hunters had killed on the Sierra Neya-
| das-blankets clothing, bows and arrows. beauti-
| fully ornamented; game-bags knit of cotton cord.
and, on the ground, huge baskets filled with nuts
acorns roots, berries -four and articles of food nm
| known to this narrator.
! The space back OF those poles was filled with In
dians seated around little fires looking on grayelv.
some sadly. The children looked almost owlish in
! gravity and watchfulness. few Young braves
were gamboling with little sticks in remote corner
! in perfect silence, and some were walking about
silently outside the camp; but just before daybreak
all gathered around the central fire, became deeply
interested, the mourners howed louder than ever
| if possible, while "Capitan Tom" and some of the
head men tore down the poles, one after the other
stripped off their burdens, and the burning COM
mencedsn earnest.
The most of the Indians affected to be utterly
unconscious of our presence However Caesar
came to us, and with infinite dignity and laconism
answered our questions. The flame had been fed at
Intervals all night, he said with offerings: but now
each brave in turn threw all he had there and
with his family and the mourners, 'cred" for all
his friends who had died. The fierce flames crisped
and blackened the rich furs in an instant but was
subdued by the seed and nuts heaped and piled
upon it. Again it eaped upon the tall baskets, and
languished for lack of food and died away in
wreathing curling smoke, which the sons of the for
est gazed upon with looks of solemn interest as it
devotion.