The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1873-08-06
INDIAN BURIAL At 1oxa BnAScH

about the corpse were the members of the
tribe. The body was attired in a robe of red
English cloth, fashioned in true Indian style,
and beautifully ornamented about the sleeves,
waist and bottom with Write beads arranged
with that artisticsskillin which the Indian is
50 well known to excel. The feet are encased
in moccasins of the same material and trim
ming.
When the mother saw the undertaken enter
and prepare to place the child in its coffin, she
rushed to it, and embraced it with demonstia-
tions Of the most frantic grief, seized it and
declared her intention of starting with it for
tile hunting grounds of her tribe (Kansas).- -
She, it seems, did not believe that the child
was really dead, and under the influence of
this strange infatuation she had, the night
previous, unobserved, succeeded in strappng
the dead child to her back, and was about to
start with il for her home when she was dis
covered and prevented from carrying out this
whimsical idea She, however, became more
calm after tine and was at last persuaded
to allow the child to be placed in its coffin,
which was Of black walnut neatly trimmed
She then produced wax doll dressed in the
same style as the corpse, which she desired to
have placed in the coffin next beautiful red
and white cashmere sliawl-which had been a
present to the chil5!-to be folded in a particu-
lar manner and placed over the body, aud az
ter this large double handkerchief to cover
the whole
The lid was then placed upon the coffin, but
no sooner WAS the last screw fastened than
the mother, with pitiful walls Of heart-rending
agony, besought those about her to remove
tile cover that she might look once more on
the face of her babe. Her grief at this point
rose to such a pitch of intensity that her
wishes were complied with, and after plac-
ing number Of advertising medals in the
coffin (those having mirror on one side and
an advertisement upon the other), her grief
became more subdued and she signified her
willingness to have the coffin closed again,
during which she had busted herself in col
Letting the clothes and whatever else had be-
lolged to the child and rolling al in bundle,
she placed it under her arm, and the little
party, followed by the corpse, repaired to the
carriage which was waiting to convey them to
the NIechanicsville Cemetery, None but the
relatives were allowed to go to the grave, and
they followed the corpse in the following or
der First, the mother !; second, the father
and third cousin of the deceased These
three, with an interpreter who walked beside
Them and urged the mother to control herself,
the little cortegc.
In the carriage were placed two poles about
10 feet in length, to each of which was at
tached a small American flag. Before start
ing, a kettle, containing q quart of milk, was
handed the mother, and all being ready, the
carriage moved Forward towards the Gene
terry.
When near the ssVillage" the mother in
quired through the interpreter whether she
could procure some apples for the child. Ac-
cordingly the carriage was stopped at the
q Village. and The apples sought for; but
being unable to procure them, the mother
herself with some cakes and candies
instead. At Throckmorton' Grove the carri-
age again halted while the parents alighted
md entered the grove. They soon emerged
Fearing an oak pole about 20 feet long, which
hey had cut with their hatchcts, and, placed it
,pon the carriage, proceeding without further
to the Cemetery Alighting at the
,ate, each one assisted in carrying to the
rave some portion of the paraphernalia which
heir rites of burial require them to use
reaching the grave the coffin was placed be-
ide it according to the custom of Christian /
urial-witll head toward the West. To this /
he mother Immediately objected, and desired I
, have the position reversed. Her wishes
ere gratiiied and the body placed to face the
citing sun, when she again desired to have
10 coffin reopened, which was done, and the
iother busted herself for some time in ar
lnging for the comforts Of her child on its
'urney to the happy hunting-grounds of the
reat Spirit. Gallons must be the heart, and
ly the "fountains Of feeling" of one who,
ithout sympathetic tear, could witness the
,nsuming grief Of the bereaved woman, as,
it'll maternal solicitude, she arranged the
indy about the child SO that it might be sure
, find it when it wished-placing stick in
@ Soip totue ITO nCsttt, stiiel otil-
rs in various parts of the coffin. These Of
ces of love being finished the mother, taking
ne last, long, lingering look, allowed the
cad to be shut from her sight and, taking
he clothing before spoken Of, she arranged it
n the bottom of the grave--the coffin was let
lown upon it, the milk placed upon the head
If the coffin, and, the mother signifying that
VI was ready, the work of filling up was COM
nenced aud was continued until the grave
was nearly filled, when the two small flags
were planted one in each corner at the foot of
the grave, and large silk American flag was
to the pole brought from the grove
and planted at the head, where they are to re-
main as long as the elements will permit
The work Of filing up was now resumed, and
when when completed the interpreter, taking a small
piece OF board, carved upon it in rude charact-
ers the word "WAcuTALmlA which was
the name of the girl--and translated in Emo.
lish signifies rich woman -; placing ii a.
the head of the grave he told the undertaken
that their work was now finished, and that /
they were now ready to depart. The under-