Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-12-26
Alefan0rla 6az&tte
WEDNESDAY EVENING, deer. %.
cremation rs Practiced by the In.
dams OfSitlkn.

Duriog the writer's residence at Sitka, th
capital of Alaska Territory, he had the oppor
tuuity of witnessing the interesting ceremony o
cremation, as performed by the Sitka IodaDs
The subject for this solemn rite was an ole
squaW, who was the mother of numerou!
progeny.
The hut was substantial one, built of logs
so carefully bewo that oue could scarcely believe
| that their smooth surface was not due to the
plane of carpenter The roof was formed oi
long, thin slabs split from spruce or cedar trees
aud bad but slight pitch. Immediately over
the center of tho house large rectangular hole
was cut 10 the roof to give cgress to the smoke
arising from the fire within. The only entrance
was through circular hole about two feet 10
diameter, placed about six feet nbove the ground
and reached by half dozen steps.
Through this hole We had to crawl on our
hands and knees, and by a corresponding de-.
scent on the inside We reached the floor, which
was also made of slabs. laid upon the ground,
except place about eight feet square cut 10
the middle, where the fire was built.
At the end opposite the door was erected
kind of closet, arranged with shelves, upon
which were stored the winter supplies OF
smoked salmon. seal oil and dried berries to-
gether with the usual stock of blankets and
incascd 10 blankets. which, IN turn, were en-.
vcIoped by large woven sea.grass mat, aud
tied up 10 such manner as to bring the knees
was placed 10 sitting posture in one corner OF
the room. Tho house was about half filed with
Indians, men, women and children.
% one side of the room large buck was
busy engaged with pair Of scissors in cutting
off the long black hair Of all the near relatives,
both male and female. This seems to oe one
of the usual mourning customs among these
Indians. After he had completed this tonso.
rial duty, during which he had been frequently
interrupted by their sudden outbursts OF grief,
procession of about twenty Indian warriors,
headed by old Anal boots, the war chief OF the
tribe, filed slowly through the small portal.
Each of these carried in his hand long,
slender staff made of hard wood, and carved all
over with fantastic figures; while bright colored
Hudson Bay blankets fell in not uDgracetul
folds from their broad, square shoulders. These
slaves bore evidence Of their great age by the
high polish they possessed as we'll as their
smoky color and pu0gent odor
The warriors ranged themselves 10 line along
one side Of the house, facing the center. and
Immediately began lugubrious death chant,
keeping time by raising their slaves about three
irches from the floor and letting them fall to-
gether This doletul air was much more mo-
notopous than musical. All this time the rela-
tivcs Of the deceased were rending the air with
their lamentations. Every Indian present had
bis faca thicky smeared with fresh coat of 2f
seal oil and blaek lRSH RaDtb bideous i, The reekioa
odors that arose from this motley throng did
not at all remind ones olfactories of the orange
groves of Florida.
At the close of the death song two stalWart
Young braves mounted to the root and lowered
bark ropes through the aperture; these latter
were made fast to the mating which enVeloped
the corpse. An a. boots made sign to the
young men, and they began raising the body
toward the opening n the roof, as they always
remove their dead from their houses in that
manner, Instead of through the door, on account
of superstition they have that the spirit of
the defunct made its exit that way. But just
asit arrived at the roof one of the ropes broke,
precpitating the lifeless bundle upon the fire
below, scattering the burning Goals in every d.
rection.
For moment ali was terror, confusion and
dismay. The shrieks and ges of superstiiouS
horror that went up from the women and child
rem bsffla description. The body was hastily
snatched from the FIRE, and burriedly carried
out through the door to the funeral pyre about
fortv Yards 10 the rear of the house. No second
attempt was made to take it through the hole
iu the roof, as they thought the old Woman's
sprit was angry and did not desire it.
All the Goals and ashes upon which it had
fallen were hastily scraped up with pieces OF
bark by the young squaws, carried out and
thrown into The sea, for fear they might bring
down unhcard Of evils upon the heads or the
living inmates Of the house.
The pyre was built of cedar logs. The foun-
dation consisted of two logs about five feet long
and ten inches in diameter, laid parallel to each
other, aud about two feet apart. Upon these
was placed trausversely layer of shorter logs
of less diameter, with interstices between
them through which the flames could penetrate
| from below. This base was surmoupted by a
| small srparstIuclurc of cedar crbwork, large
| enough to contain the corpse ard its mortuary
| haDilimcnts.
Into this the remains were placed and cover
| ed up with small sticks of wood. Near the
| windwsrc side OF this pile were laid two boards
along which were ragged the singing warriors
The only Office Of these boards appeared to be
that of furnishing tard, resonant surface upor
which the slaves they used to indicate tht
measure Of their chant could fall.
Close by the crib was pile Of spruce and ce
dar finely split, in order that it might burr
more rapidly. The mourning relatives wer
seated on The ground with their backs turnet
toward the pyre, and about thirty feet distant
At last the torch was applied 10 the reslnou
tinder, the warriors began anew their melsn
choly dirge, the mcuruers, whose loud amenta
tions had before suuk to low conclusive sob
bing, now broke forth airesh into the mos
beart rcndiog walls Several hours were occu
pied in the entire consumption of the pile. dur
| ipg which chanting never ceased; but, after
| time, the outward grief Of the bereaved wa
confined to weeping and subdued sobs.
When the fire had died cut the remalnlD
ashes and cinders we're carefully collected an
placed 10 their final resting place. The clnerar
|urn consisted of small house built after tn
model of their hu's. being about three feet lon
by two feet wide and two high, and placed te
or twelve feet ABOVE the ground on tour post
, PROPOSALS..