Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-11-22
CREMATION n ALASKA.
INTERESTING CEREMONY WITNESSED ny
A DENVER MISSIONARY. ~
[rrom tho penyer .rribune.l

[l'rom the Denyer rrjbune.1
Rev. Sheldon jackson Of this city,
synodicsl missionary Of Colorado, New
Mexico, Utah and Montana recently
made q visit to Alaska, and while
there saw many interesting things.
He gives an account Of visit made
10 q garden owned by 4 Mr.. Davidson
Of Fort Wrangle.
At the upper end Of Mr.. Davidson's
garden be saw = white sheet stretched
between two poles and looking ~ II II
might be intended as u scarecrow.
Upon inquiry he found that II con-
tanned the ashes Of boy that was
drowned the week before. His friends
had promised Rev. Mr.. Young
that Il should have n Christian burial;
but during Saturday night they took
tho body up the beach, aud early
Sabbath morning burned II, the
charred wood remaining. Several
large, dry sticks were laid side by
side upon the beach. Upon these
were placed the body Of the boy.
Other sticks were piled over the body,
and tho whole ret On fire amid the
walls and superstitious incantations
Of hired mOurners. In about an hour
tho body WIS consumed. After the
Are had cooled down, the ashes were
carefully gathered up, and placed ~ .
basket until . suitable box could be
carved for their permanent prcserva-
ton. When all WIS ready, On old In
dian woman, bowed down with age
and inArmities, took up the basket and
started for q pine tree, which had pre-
viously been selected for the purpose.
She was followed by tho moarners
and friends with bowed heads and
loud walls Of sorrow. At the base Of
the tree two poles, about eight feet
high, were driven Into the ground two
feet apart. The basket containing
tho ashes was tied between these poles
and muslin bug, like large pillow.
slip, pulled down over the poles and
basket and closed at tho bottom. On
the outside Of tho sheet ID sometimes
rudely painted a face, through which
the spirit Of the departed IL supposed
to look out upon the bay. Morning
and evening The parents Of tho boy
come out from their hut, and turning
their face to the north utter loud cries
of distress. And this VIII be kept up
for months, for they have never heard
Of tho great comforter, who alone can
comfort Borrowing hearts. Those
whose bodies IRE burned are supposed
to he warm In the next world, and the
others cold. They believe In the trans
migration Of souls from ono body to
another, but not to animals. And the
wish is often expressed that In the
next change they may be born into
this or that powerful family. The fn-
neral ceremonies Of chiefs often last
four days. II slaves are then sacri-
feed, It relieves their owners from
work in the next world. Dead slaves
are often cast into the sen. At the
funeral Of chiefs the traditions and
history Of tho tribe are rehcarsed. II
these ceremonies are not conducted
properly, the water Of death swallows
up the departed soul, or it is lost In
the forests. But, II conducted pro-
perry, the chief Of the godsspeaks the
word, and the water Of death Is small,
and the soul Is carried to y place Of
rest or forgctfulness. Then after q
long time It comes back to some de-
scendant on its SISTERS side and lives
another life. 10 such snperstitions
these people are bound, body and soul,
and to rescue them from this, amelio-
rating and clevating their coodition
in this life, and presenting to them "A
glorious Immortality through the cru
cited and risen Savior, is the work Of
tho Board Of Home Missions.