New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-30
AN INDIAN FUNERAL.

Account of Singular DISCIPLES Held Over
. Grow Chief.
We have been permitted to publish the
following extract from . private letter,
written Dy Q young man out on the plains
with the army, to his cousin in this city:
HELENA, NJ. T., September p. 1875.
DEAR FRANK-YOur letter of the sixth
was received three days ago, and l had
previously, while in camp, received ono or
two others. was unable to answer them
Just then, for which apparent remissness
hope to be psrdoned.
We finished our surveys in good shape.
and I arrived here about ten days ago.
rode through the rain for two dsys, at the
rate of fifty miles day, and was soaking
vet on arrival In consequence of this ex-
posure was laid up for several days.
The Indians did not disturb Us. We saw
the friendly Crows. when moving their
lodges, which numbered $50. We we're
near the mountains when the hos
tile Sioux were seen, but they did
not modest us, or make any attempt to steal
our stock.
went into the military camp to get pro-
visions one day, and Witnessed the 0bee-
quies Of . Crow chief, Lay Horse, who had
been killed close to the camp, In battle
with the Sioux. two days before. He was
buried in skin tent, or 'lepre," striped
red; bow and arrows hung outside. Men
and women cut of their hair and also their
fingers in honor Of him. This is very Gu
rious custom-One that is peculiar to the
Crows. When they wish to show profound
grief for relative or great chief they cut
of joint or whole finger On this 0cca-
sion, since the chief was q tavorite, it was
computed that upward Of hundred were
cut of.
These people often make this sacrifice in
order to win favor from the Supreme Be-
ing. Very frequently, it q Crow has mad
bad luck in any way. he will go on top Of
hill and pray for better fortune, and, offer
ing to GJd one of his fingers, he will hold it
up to the SKY and cut it of with knife.
Many of tie Indian scenes and ceremon
les which Lave witnessed were of a very
striking cha racter; some Of them 81 ldOm
seen or described by white men. They are
very interesting to me, because ] can trace
the arts and practices of civilized life.
You probably remember in reading
Homer's II lad' that part of it where
Achilles killed Hector, and dragged his
body, tied by the heele, around the walls of
Troy! Well, have seen something like it,
In 1874, petty of Crows went out from
their camp (which was about five miles
from ue), anG met ana Qe1eateO party OF
Sioux, one of whom was killed. The Crow
who killed the latter, tied the body by the
heels with his horse-rope, and, being on
horseback. b. dragged the corpse in tri-
umph to the camp and several times around
it. All the Dung boys assembled, mostly
on ponies, and pursued, thowing stones and
shooting AFRO 70 into it. Then the body was
set up in camp where they amused them
selves, still shooting at it as q target, all
the time cursing and calling the Sioux
towards.
This reminded me Of that passage in
Homer, and l have no doubt that Achilles
before they had cities, had lived
in camps and dragged their enemies around
in precisely the same manner.
Nothing could be more horrible than the
appearance of that body, covered with dust
and blood, stuck full Of arrows, and bruised
and battered out of all semblance to hui
Yours affactiOnately, w. WD.