The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1878-06-22

! COlkl DC uOWIi S1tSChC ClLS
squaWs being the most violent
and such a noise l have never be-
fore heard-at funeral. Itseem-
Ell to me that they would never
stop, but after about an hour, Ho-
ko-row said something that SEEM
ed to be very satisfactory to all,
and after a reasonable length of
time, / found that it was decided
to continue the crying by detail.
First one captain would start in,
followed by all his band They
would keep up for about twenty
minutes, and then another cap
tain and band would come to their
relief. Now this was a good oper-
alton, for the balance of the tribe
not occupied in crying would talk
and smoke; in fact, would enjoy
themselves first-rate considering
it was a funeraD.
After eight or ten hours contin-
uous crying, it was decided to
bring forward the corpse, which,
in the meantime, had been depOS-
tied in the brush, a hundred Or
more rods away, but carefully
guarded. Some sixty young bucks
were selected as escort or mourn
ers q could not tell Which), and
falling into line marched by file,
preceded by the war chief, who
in turn was preceded by two old
squaws gorgeOusly arrayed, each
carrying a small sack of corn,
which they scattered in front of
the procession, uttering at the
same time yells, such as only a
squaW can give forth. This tribe
has three chiefs, viz: UO-kO-roW,
head chief; Set-fu ma, sen of Ire
ta-ba, who is called hereditary
chief, but at the time of his faith
er's death he was not skilled in
ward politics, and Ho-ko-row Sc
cured the nomination. Then they
have a war chief. The line being
formed proceeded to the sacred
spot, and the dummy was brought
forth and escorted towards the
grand house, stopping at intervals
Ito give the corpse a rest). After
stopping tour times, they had
reached within about thirty feet
of the house when the corpse about
faced, and counter-marched to the
rear, some eighty yards. Then
all the captains (twenty-eight in
alb walked over to the dummy,
preceded by the two old squaws,
who scattered corn in their path.
During this proceeding the bal
ance of the tribe was doing the
crying within the house. 1t was
finally decided that the corpse
might enter, which was done, the
whole tribe marching round and
round it, throwing at the same
time some offering upon it, such
as corn, muslin, calico, beads, sam
dals and feathers, all the while
keeping up their very monoton-
ous cry. Then the captains march
ed by, each one shaking hands
with the corpse, wishing it hap
py time in his new hunting
grounds. All now adjourned cry
ing, to eat melons, and IN less time
than l can write it, not cry could
be heard, and all seemed happy.
1 think, as cryers, they are a sue
cess, having a perfect command
over the tear bag. AS soon as
they had each one eaten three or
four watermelons apiece, they |
marched out to witness races be-
tween the horses that were DOOM
ed to be killed and eaten before
daylight, and here was another
peculiar mode Of giving out pre-
miums; one that might be follow
ed by premium givers at agricuI-
tural fairs in the States with good |
results. The winning horse was
to be the first one slaughtered and |
eaten, and SO on, as they were
placed on the come out, and | can !
/